The College of Environment and Design is pleased to share that two faculty members have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Awards for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Sonia Hirt, Dean and Hughes Professor in Landscape Architecture and Planning, has received a U.S. Scholar Award to Bulgaria. Katherine Melcher, Castro Professor, has received a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award in design to Brazil.
Fulbright Scholar Awards are prestigious fellowships that offer scholars opportunities to teach and conduct research abroad while strengthening professional development and fostering long-term connections. Both Hirt and Melcher will conduct their fellowships abroad in Spring 2027.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship program of international education and cultural exchange, offering accomplished scholars and students the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to mutual understanding.
“The Fulbright Scholar Award is one of the most recognized honors in international academic exchange, and Dean Hirt and Dr. Melcher’s selection reflects the global relevance of their scholarship,” said Dr. Leah Peck, Director of International Initiatives and Fulbright Scholar Liaison for UGA. “Their work will carry the University of Georgia into research communities and classrooms abroad, and the connections they build will benefit their students and colleagues here for years to come. We are proud to see the College of Environment and Design so well represented in this year’s cohort.”
Sonia Hirt
Hirt’s U.S. Scholar Award will support her work at the University of Forestry in Sofia, Bulgaria. In addition to her host university, the University of Forestry, Hirt also plans to work with scholars from the neighboring universities of the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Geodesy– her alma mater– and Varna Free University.
As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Bulgaria, Hirt will research the preservation of green spaces and historic architecture in Bulgarian cities, particularly in Sofia. With a multidisciplinary group of researchers that span five local universities, Hirt will assess the state of green spaces and develop policy proposals for their enhancement.
Hirt plans to share the preliminary results of the project with Sofia’s local government, local non-profits with urban interests and with the broader public, with the hope of leading to a system of land-use planning and regulation that better protects these natural and cultural resources.
During her residency, Hirt will bolster current collaborations with institutions in Sofia and build new ones through participation in invited lectures, seminars and other guest engagements as she explores and shares her expertise on the topic of urban development in contemporary Eastern Europe.
Katherine Melcher
Melcher’s Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award will support her work at the Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) in Brazil.
As a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Design at UNISINOS, Melcher will work to bridge participatory design traditions from the Global South and Global North. She will engage in cross-cultural exchange with a multidisciplinary group of researchers and students focused on design and social innovation.
Melcher will co-teach courses and serve as a guest lecturer, gaining insight into design and social innovation within the Brazilian context, while sharing her expertise in community-based design in the United States. She will also foster connections between UNISINOS design faculty and colleagues at the University of Georgia, with an emphasis on sustainability and social innovation.
During her residency, Melcher will research Porto Alegre’s “Be a Partner” Public Space Adoption Program. This initiative encourages residents, businesses, and community groups to adopt and care for public spaces, from parks to urban walkways. Her research will examine how community ownership and stewardship of public spaces can strengthen relationships between people and the places they inhabit.
