US Student Kate Cullen´s July report

I am about to turn in a draft of my research work for my project advisor at the Universidad de Chile. Once that’s done I will fully transition to my research with my project advisor at the Universidad Austral de Chile. Through the last few months we’ve been working on developing a more concrete project plan and I submitted an abstract to the Congreso Geológico Chileno to present what we find.

This month I wrote my Fulbright Enhancement Conference paper, which included reviewing new literature as well as my various articles, interviews and all my work journal notes. It allowed me the chance to more critically reflect on the the social implications of water scarcity and environmental issues on Chilean society and what various actors are doing to address them.

I decided this month that I want to continue the research I’m working on now as a PhD dissertation. I’ve started reaching out to various professors at universities in the United States and other countries to find a good fit of an advisor and PhD program. In the coming months I’ll apply to graduate school grants and a few different PhD and Masters programs.

Also of note, I traveled to San Pedro de Atacama earlier this month and had the opportunity to learn from local guides and my fellow Fulbright Scholar, Caroline, about the local geology, hydrology and climatology of the area. I learned from local guides that climate change is impacting the Atacama Desert by bringing more cloud cover and precipitation, and increasing the speed of winds in some areas. I also had the opportunity to learn more about local water stress, and environmental degradation by the mining industry.

US Student 2018: Danielle Barefoot and part of her June report

June was a really fun month because of all the activities. Sadly, …It was a busy, rewarding, and frustrating month.. ..I was either sick or working on the outstanding drafts for upcoming deadlines. Among other things…I visited the Templo Bahá’i with fellow-Fulbrighter Jennifer Thompson and my husband; birthday celebration for Fulbrighter Sam Steakley
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History notified of acceptance of my draft, “Digital Resources: Chilean History”. Article currently in production.

Assisted to the “ Lanzamiento de libro: La vida entre contiendas: Militancias y sentidos de la participación política en la lucha antidictatorial chilena de Gemita Oyarzo at Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos. Assisted to Christina Azahar´s, fellow Fulbright student, presentation, “Territorios imaginados: Las políticas espaciales feministas de Pascuala Ilabaca,” in the double conference: “Mujeres, músicas y territorios: Dos perspectivas desde lo etnomusicología,” at Universidad Alberto Hurtado. * June 14-July 15: World Cup

In june I finally toured the Cementerio General in the afternoon. I can’t believe I’ve visited Chile 2 other times and had never been. In comparison to Argentina’s Recoleta, this cemetery is enormous. It holds over 2 million souls and includes the “Who’s Who” of Chile as well as everyone else. The most interesting parts of the cemetery included the open air memory aspects, like Patio 29, Victor Jara’s grave, the memorials to those detained, disappeared, and executed at the hands of the military regime. It also served as a reminder of the fragility of life. Unlike Argentina’s Recoleta, Cementerio General remains a working cemetery with cars and pedi-cabs roving through the city blocks of graves. New internments happened while we were there. My husband and I plan to go back before he leaves and spend a full day walking the cementery because we needed more time there.

In June I also received acceptance email from the Historia de las Juventudes network of the Reunión Nacional de Investigadores/as en Juventudes de Argentina conference happening November 14-16 in Córdoba, Argentina. Paper: “‘Me gustan los estudiantes, porque son la levadura’: Las políticas de los universitarios chilenos, la reforma universitaria y el cambio social, 1964-1973”
I also worked in the Archive at Casa Museo Eduardo Frei Montalva and had a final meeting of the Archivistica series: El nacimiento de internet y los desafíos de la era digital para el mundo de los archivos”. I plan to continue researching and writing. I’ve made an appointment with one archive when I return and will complete work there soon. After that, I will devote the remainder of the month almost exclusively to writing as I have a lot of upcoming deadlines.
My forthcoming chapter on «Digital Resources: Chilean History» should be prove helpful for scholars and teachers working on Chile to access and share information. I provide : Images from the Templo de Bahá’i, the June 5th donation to the FECH, Christina Azahar’s presentation, Cementerio General, Valpo, and archiving at Casa Museo Eduardo Frei Montalva.