Cronan gains research opportunity in Canada
Article By: Clark Leonard
University of North Georgia (UNG) junior Anna Cronan will take part in the summer 2023 Fulbright-MITACS Globalink Program. She is the first UNG student to participate in the program.
Cronan, a Dahlonega, Georgia, resident pursuing a degree in biology, will spend 10-12 weeks between May and August at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She will join a faculty member there in research on the impact of cover crops in conventional no-till canola and wheat production. The junior, who is in UNG's Honors Program, said the research will fill a gap as most cover crop research has been conducted in the U.S. East and Midwest rather than in the drier Saskatchewan area.
As part of Fulbright Canada, Cronan will gain professional training and take part in cultural, social and recreational experiences.
It was Cronan's second time applying for the Fulbright Canada program, and knowing she would pursue research one way or another this summer relieved any pressure on her application.
Anna's academic and research excellence is unparalleled, and yet she continues to pursue competitive opportunities to grow her research skill set and develop as a scientist. She represents the highly motivated, intellectually curious, and whip-smart student UNG is known for.
Dr. Anastasia Lin
UNG assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and director of Nationally Competitive Scholarships office
"I would apply and learn about myself, or I would apply and learn about myself and get to do research in Canada," Cronan said. "There was no way to lose. That was my mindset."
Cronan won a prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship in spring 2022 and participated in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Michigan in summer 2022. Her research in Michigan focused on the preservation of wild rice, whose populations are endangered by several factors, such as invasive species like cattail.
"The whole REU was a learning experience," Cronan said. "It provided me with both personal growth and research development, and it was evident in this Fulbright Canada application round."
Jessy Patterson, UNG lecturer of biology, serves as Cronan's research mentor. She encouraged Cronan to present her research at the spring 2022 Georgia Wildlife Society meeting, and Cronan was surprised by how much she enjoyed the experience.
Cronan also points to the encouragement of Dr. Nancy Dalman, biology department head, and mentorship her freshman year in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Lab from Dr. Margaret Smith, Dr. Jeremy Olson and Dr. Sarah Formica as pivotal in her research development.
"Anna and I have been doing various research projects together for almost three years now, and she's an excellent student for the Fulbright in Canada," Patterson said. "I know she'll do great and make wonderful connections, and everyone there will love working with her. I can't wait to see the great things she accomplishes after UNG."
Dr. Anastasia Lin, assistant vice president of Academic Affairs and director of UNG's Nationally Competitive Scholarships office, has worked with Cronan on multiple scholarship applications and found her latest success as no surprise.
"Anna's academic and research excellence is unparalleled, and yet she continues to pursue competitive opportunities to grow her research skill set and develop as a scientist," Lin said. "She represents the highly motivated, intellectually curious, and whip-smart student UNG is known for."
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