GRP Fellows Celebrate a Decade of Impact at 2025 Fellowships Forum

The full-day forum on August 28 began by featuring fellowship highlights from across the years and spotlighting upcoming GRP initiatives. The event then moved into a panel featuring some of the program's earliest fellows reflecting on the fellowships' influence on their careers, collaborations, and enduring connections to the Gulf. These stories illustrated how fellows have advanced Gulf-focused research, mentored and supported students, and translated their expertise into community impact, from engaging K-12 classrooms to informing local decision-making. They also highlighted how the fellowships have retained talent in the region, with many alumni continuing their careers in Gulf research, policy, and leadership roles that ensure long-term benefits for the communities they serve.

"The GRP staff and other fellows I have met as a result of my fellowship have really made me want to give back to the Gulf region," said Kwame Owusu Daaku, a 2019 Early-Career Research Fellow. "Whether that be through establishing a Gulf Scholars Program at my university, to serving as a reviewer of fellowship applications, to serving communities in the Gulf; I see the Gulf as my home that I want to protect and support for years to come."

Philip Lee, a 2017 Science Policy Fellow, reflected on how the connections he made through his fellowship shaped his current work. "Through my GRP opportunities as a Science Policy Fellow and now as a mentor, I have had the opportunity to meet individuals across all five Gulf states. Without the GRP it would have been impossible to make all of the connections and collaborations I currently have. I have had the ability to work with tribes, farmers, universities, and community members on a variety of Gulf problems. As a result, I have gained a better understanding of the unique challenges [facing] each Gulf State and I continue to help a variety of groups continue to work towards solutions."