Avery Roe is an accomplished entomologist focusing on wild bee diversity, ecology, and conservation. She spent the year after graduating working for Pollinator Partnership, the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting North American pollinators. As a Program Associate, Avery delivered the Pollinator Steward Certification course, guiding over 1,000 participants to become experts and advocates for native pollinators. She also disseminated research from North American Pollinator Protection Campaign grant recipients and supported backyard gardeners, school teachers, and community leaders in taking action for native bees and other pollinators. She graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 2025 with a degree in Entomology and Nematology, and a minor in Organic and Sustainable Crop Production. As an undergraduate at the University of Florida, she was a member of the University Scholars Program and conducted an in-depth analysis of plant-pollinator interactions in the UF/IFAS Horticultural Student Teaching Garden, exploring the complex dynamics of pollination between crop plants and a diverse array of native and managed bees. Following her junior year, she participated in an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates in Lesvos, Greece, where she studied the thermoregulatory behaviors of bees. This time in Greece and the connections it catalyzed laid the groundwork for her Fulbright Fellowship.

Next fall, she will take her love of bees to the Parthenon, one of the world’s most treasured archaeological sites, to catalog native bee biodiversity as a Fulbright Scholar. She will gather information on the behavior and ecology of native and endemic pollinators inhabiting the Acropolis UNESCO World Heritage Site using an extensive Greek bee reference collection, the Melissotheque of the Aegean, created by her research host, Professor Theodora Petanidou. This project aims to highlight the importance of preserving culture and biodiversity and to demonstrate how archaeological sites can serve as safeguards for nature over time. When she is not outside observing the wonderful world of pollinators, Avery loves long nature walks, taking photographs, and reading, and cannot wait to bring these hobbies with her to Greece.

Christina Colanduoni is a PhD candidate in Music History and Theory at the University of Chicago specializing in the transnational circulation of Italian opera. Her thesis examines the movement of opera and songs in the Greek-speaking Mediterranean, especially on the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), and the reception of Greek antiquity in the early-nineteenth century. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she received a B.A. in Music History from Temple University, and an M.A. in Musicology from McGill University. In her free time, Christina enjoys singing, playing tennis, and writing opera reviews for Parterre Box.

Hunter Tsao is a recent graduate from Brown University, where he earned an Sc.B in Applied Mathematics-Biology with Honors and magna cum laude. During his time at Brown, Hunter’s research focused on developing machine learning models in spatial dermatoepidemiology to understand differences in barriers to dermatologic care throughout the United States. His work culminated in an honors thesis that used explainable AI to understand where melanoma incidence rates are driven primarily by biological risk versus healthcare infrastructure. During his summers, he developed machine learning models at Massachusetts General Hospital to understand and predict acute cardiac deterioration. Outside of research, Hunter served as president of the Brown Entrepreneurship Program, where he led efforts to develop international collaborations, worked directly with student founders, and managed an organization of over 300 members. He also produced music electronically with pediatric psychiatry patients as a form of music therapy – a passion he hopes to continue in Greece.

As a Fulbright Fellow, Hunter will work with Andreas Syggros Hospital, a public dermatology hospital in Athens. There, he will build machine learning models to understand geographic disparities in access to dermatologic care and skin care outcomes, ultimately working to identify the highest-risk populations and greatest barriers to care. For melanoma, early detection is critical for survival, and the disease can be inconspicuous until it is advanced. With over 100 inhabited islands in Greece, many patients may face severe travel burdens or challenges in accessing care. Hunter’s work will further ongoing efforts in Greece to reduce the burden of skin cancer and develop targeted interventions with precision public health. In his free time, Hunter loves trying new restaurants, playing soccer, and producing music. He looks forward to immersing himself in the vibrant Athens culture and exploring the beautiful scenery throughout Greece.

Zachary Yousef is a recent graduate of Rutgers University, where he earned a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering while completing premedical studies. During his time at Rutgers, Zachary developed an interest in research that connects engineering methods with clinically meaningful questions. His research experiences have included computational biology, data analysis, and studies in sleep medicine. Working alongside clinical and engineering mentors, he explored how quantitative approaches can be used to better understand patient outcomes and inform future interventions. Alongside research, Zachary spent thousands of hours in a Level I trauma center, where he engaged closely with how care teams respond to patients during moments of urgency, uncertainty, and vulnerability. This clinical exposure deepened his appreciation for translational research that can improve patient care.

As a Fulbright Fellow, Zachary will conduct research at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School in the Department of Physiology under the mentorship of Prof. Antonios Chatzigeorgiou. His project will examine the relationship between sarcopenia and metabolic liver disease, with a focus on understanding why muscle wasting develops alongside metabolic dysfunction and whether targeted interventions may help prevent or reverse this decline. Through murine models, imaging, and proteomic approaches, Zachary hopes to contribute to research connecting metabolism, inflammation, muscle health, and chronic disease. For Zachary, Greece is also personally meaningful. His mother was born there, and the opportunity to live and conduct research in Athens represents both an academic and cultural homecoming. In his spare time, Zachary enjoys running, weightlifting, hiking, and cooking. During his Fulbright year, he looks forward to improving his Greek language skills, building lasting relationships with his colleagues and community, and experiencing Greece through its food, landscapes, history, and everyday conversations.