May 9, 2024
Andrew Hope selected as Fulbright US Scholar
Submitted by Division of Biology
Andrew Hope, associate professor in the Division of Biology, has been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2024-2025. Hope will conduct bat biodiversity research in remote regions of Nepal in collaboration with his doctoral student Basant Sharma and Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal.
"Nepal supports exceptionally high biodiversity, reflecting some of the most extreme environmental gradients for any country, despite its small size," Hope said. "Surveys of mammals in Nepal have a long but sparse history, and data for most species is extremely limited."
Hope will lead a team using modern techniques for cataloging, digitizing and making bat biodiversity data available for use by the global scientific community. His Fulbright-supported research will considerably advance our understanding of bat biodiversity in one of the most geographically diverse regions on Earth.
"Dr. Hope is exceptionally well-qualified to conduct this research and I'm confident he will bring similar levels of energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to this project that he regularly displays in his teaching and research activities," said Mark Ungerer, director of the Division of Biology. "He is an outstanding educator and scientist and has an established track record of conducting challenging fieldwork in remote regions."