Cincinnati Resident Kristen Lear Earns Fulbright Scholarship

Ohio Wesleyan Student to Study Bat Conservation in Australia

DELAWARE, OH (04/26/2011)(readMedia)-- Ohio Wesleyan University graduating senior Kristen Lear of Cincinnati has earned a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to research conservation of the critically endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat in Australia.

Lear, a pre-professional zoology major and 2007 graduate of Cincinnati's Finneytown High School, will begin her Fulbright-sponsored research in September.

"Receiving the Fulbright is like a dream come true," said Lear, who has participated in hands-on scientific research since her freshman year at Ohio Wesleyan. "It's been a long process – from applying in October to receiving final notification at the end of April – but it's well worth it. This grant will give me an opportunity to travel abroad to Australia for a year and pursue an independent research project on bats."

The Fulbright Scholar Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the largest U.S. international exchange program for students, scholars, and professionals in the world. It currently operates in more than 155 countries, with recipients chosen based on their academic merit and leadership potential. Since its founding in 1946, Fulbright alumni have been awarded 43 Nobel Prizes and gone on to become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers.

During her year in Australia, Lear will live and work in Naracoorte Caves National Park in South Australia. She will work with researchers seeking to develop an automated counting system for the Southern Bent-wing Bats that uses a thermal-imaging camera and missile-tracking software. Lear will help to refine and test the system so that it can be used to take regular estimates of the bat population.

"I am looking forward to investigating the population trends and breeding behavior of this species, as well as partnering with the local people to foster an understanding of the important roles that bats play in the ecosystem and the economy," Lear told the Fulbright Scholarship board. "I hope to continue contributing to scientific knowledge about bats as I pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy in bat biology and to work toward dispelling common misconceptions about these much-maligned animals."

At Ohio Wesleyan, Lear spent two summers researching Evening bats in Texas, culminating in her senior honors thesis. Her research involved determining what style of bat house attracted the most bats to live near the region's pecan orchards. Lear's goal was to help farmers attract Evening bats to their property to help control specific pest insects and reduce their pesticide use.

"The summer research experiences I have had over the past several years have allowed me to develop my passion for bats, and the Fulbright is like a culmination of these experiences," Lear said. "I cannot even begin to express how excited I am to begin this new part of my career!"

Ohio Wesleyan President Rock Jones, Ph.D., said Lear is an exceptional student who will live up to the Fulbright Scholarship's high expectations and ideals.

"Kristen has excelled at Ohio Wesleyan since setting foot on campus," Jones said. "She is intelligent, intellectually curious, passionate about science, and committed to making a difference in the world. That combination will take her far. The campus also is excited that she is the third member of the OWU family to earn a highly competitive Fulbright award in the past year."

Gloria Twesigye, a 2007 OWU alumna, earned a Fulbright Scholarship in April 2010 to research efforts in Germany to rehabilitate former child soldiers from the Republic of Uganda in Africa. And history professor Michael W. Flamm, Ph.D., earned a scholarship in January 2010, allowing him to teach two courses at the University of San Andrés in Buenos Aires. His courses explored the causes, costs, and consequences of America's emergence as a global power during the 20th century.

Learn more about the Fulbright Scholarship program at www.cies.org. See Lear discuss her Ohio Wesleyan research experiences and learn more about theory-to-practice learning opportunities at Ohio Wesleyan at http://practice.owu.edu.

Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier small, private universities, with more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 Division III varsity sports. Located in Delaware, Ohio, just minutes north of Ohio's capital and largest city, Columbus, the university combines a globally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that translate classroom theory into real-world practice. OWU's close-knit community of 1,850 students represents 45 states and 52 countries. Ohio Wesleyan earned a 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in General Community Service, is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives," and is included on the "best colleges" lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.