2013 Fulbright recipients: Hansen Johnson

A biology major and music minor, Hansen Johnson ’13 of Stowe, Vt., received a Fulbright research grant for biological work in Norway.

Johnson will undertake a two-part project in Norway. The first involves climate change and the world’s northern forests, which play a crucial role in absorbing atmospheric carbon. Working with a biologist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Johnson will measure how low-temperature stress affects evergreens’ ability to process carbon.

Mentored by a prominent science journalist, he will also produce a science blog that described current research by Norwegian scientists for a general readership. “Honing my skills in both conducting and communicating science will allow me to share my future research, along with the work of others, with those around the world who can make a difference,” he says.

Focused on the impacts of climate change on the biology of polar regions, Johnson hopes ultimately to pursue a career in scientific research.