Four J’cans secure Fulbright scholarships, fellowships

Four Jamaicans have earned prestigious Fulbright scholarships and fellowships, gaining opportunities to pursue advanced studies and professional development in the United States before bringing their knowledge and expertise back to Jamaica.

Their selection reflects years of academic excellence, professional achievement, leadership and service while opening the door to experiences they hope will contribute to national and regional development.

Among the recipients are Fulbright scholars Abishua Johnson, Joelle Hanson, scholar Davia Findlotor, and Hubert Humphrey Fellow Jervian Johnson. Their fields span data science and artificial intelligence, environmental engineering, natural resources policy, and financial management, but they share a common goal: using what they learn abroad to drive meaningful change at home.

For Abishua Johnson, the award carries particular significance as a first-generation university graduate.

His academic journey began at The University of the West Indies, Mona, where he entered the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science programme without having written a single line of code.

“I was in a taxi with my mother, and I exclaimed my joy in the taxi. My mother stopped the taxi and gave me a big hug. It was a movie moment,” he recalled of receiving the news.

Johnson graduated in 2025 with First Class Honours and a 4.01 GPA, becoming valedictorian for the graduating classes of the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Engineering. His interest in data science and artificial intelligence stems from their potential to improve public services, healthcare, and financial inclusion in Jamaica.

His undergraduate capstone project, eLife, digitises the proof-of-life verification process used by Jamaican pensioners, reducing a process that could take weeks to one completed in minutes. He also researched surgical motion-tracking algorithms during a placement at the University of Leeds.

Now selected to study ata science and AI at Rice University in Houston, Texas, Johnson hopes the experience will bring him closer to his long-term ambition of establishing a Jamaican research institute focused on technology tailored to Caribbean realities.

“I also want to thank the US Embassy for investing in me. This entire journey is new for me,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hanson described the Fulbright opportunity as the culmination of a goal she had pursued for about three years. A chemical engineering graduate of the University of Technology, Jamaica, she was the Most Outstanding Chemical Engineering Graduate and graduated top of her class.

Her undergraduate research explored biodegradable cellulose-based bioplastics made from banana pseudostem, reflecting an interest in sustainable alternatives to conventional materials.

Now a quality analyst at Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, Hanson monitors water quality and supports quality assurance. She previously gained research experience at the Darrin Freshwater Institute in New York, contributing to environmental analysis and water-quality monitoring.

She will pursue environmental engineering at the University of South Florida, focusing on wastewater engineering and sustainable environmental solutions.

For Jervian Johnson, the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship offers another opportunity to deepen work already undertaken across engineering, education, environmental management, and entrepreneurship.

Johnson earned First Class Honours in Chemical and Process Engineering from UTech and later completed a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering at Ajou University in South Korea as a Global Korea Scholar.

Her career has included roles at Petrojam, the National Environment and Planning Agency, Continental Baking Company, the Scientific Research Council, and the Office of the Prime Minister. She now serves as a chemical engineering lecturer and cooperative education officer at UTech, helping to prepare the next generation of engineers.

She is also managing director of Tropicks365, a Jamaican health-food company founded in 2021 that focuses on preserving local tropical fruits. The company has earned recognition for entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social impact.

Johnson became interested in the fellowship after learning about it through a UTech group.

“I became interested in the structure of the programme and the human- development component, and I jumped at the opportunity,” she said.

Her fellowship will focus on natural resources and environmental policy at the University of California, Davis.

Davia Findlotor, meanwhile, is pursuing an opportunity shaped by her interest in financial management and education. A graduate of Caribbean Maritime University, she was drawn to full-time lecturing after seeing the impact of tutoring fellow students and watching them succeed.

“I was ecstatic when I was notified that I was a recipient of the scholarship. I knew that I had the ability, and I never doubted myself,” she said.

She will pursue her studies at Syracuse University in New York.

Michael Lavallee, public affairs attaché at the US Embassy, noted that the selection process was highly competitive, with only four applicants chosen from about 90 candidates.

“The US Embassy is very proud of the Fulbright scholars, and we look forward to how they will contribute to Jamaica once they have completed their studies,” he said.

The Fulbright programme began in 1962, and according to Lavallee, about 500 Jamaicans have benefited over the years.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com