Zoe Pearson
Zoe Pearson, an associate professor of geography and international studies in the University of Wyoming School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies, has received a Fulbright Award that will allow her to conduct research while based at Durham University in the United Kingdom.
As a participant in one of the most well-regarded and impactful scholarship programs in the world, Pearson was selected from a strong applicant pool to study the cultural importance and decline of haaf net fishing, one of the oldest forms of fishing in the U.K.
“The opportunity afforded by the Fulbright will allow me to expand my research agenda in new and personally meaningful ways,” Pearson says. “I also really look forward to connecting with my host community to learn about their region -- and to teaching the people I meet in the U.K. about Wyoming.”
In addition to investigating the contemporary and historical importance of haaf netting, as well as the reasons it is disappearing, she will gather materials for an archive and website to preserve the knowledge, local heritage and ways of life that will be lost when haaf net fishing disappears.
This project has implications for other traditional resource use and management practices that are being lost in the U.S. and around the world.
“Our vision is a world where there are no obstacles to learning, understanding and collaboration,” says Maria Balinska, executive director of the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission. “There are many global challenges to overcome; we need compassionate leaders to tackle them. This cohort of talented scholars -- who have just been through one of the most competitive selection processes in the commission’s recent history -- will be placing cultural engagement at the heart of their experiences as they undertake ambitious teaching and research programs in the U.K. I am filled with hope for the wonderful collaborations that will ensue.”
Pearson’s research centers on challenges surrounding the control, trade and use of natural resources. She looks forward to exploring the cities and countryside of northern England and the Scotland and England borderlands on adventures with her family during their time in the U.K.
The U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission works to advance knowledge, promote civic engagement and develop compassionate leaders through education exchange between the peoples of the U.S. and the U.K. It is the only academic awards program that operates on both sides of the Atlantic, providing grants for postgraduate study, research and teaching. Since 1948, tens of thousands of British and American citizens have participated in its programs, enriching their education, developing relationships, advancing their careers and making a difference in their communities, at home and abroad.
For more information about her research, email Pearson at zpearson@uwyo.edu.
