Expanding Historical Artifact Preservation via a Fulbright Scholarship

Lindsay Keiser '24, one of the College's most recent Fulbright Scholars, returned to campus this fall to share her experiences with LVC students as part of the annual Chemistry Seminar Series. Keiser, an ACS Chemistrymajor with a History minor, spent her Fulbright year pursuing her master's in Chemistry (Analytical and Polymer Science) at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England.

She will earn her master's in December, then begin a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. Keiser, a scientist with a passion for historical artifact preservation, received a teaching assistantship for her doctorate, and will work in Dr. Stefanie Sydlik's lab.

When did you first consider pursuing a Fulbright Scholarship?

A high school Spanish teacher said that it was something I should consider in college. Then, early in my time at LVC, I attended an information session about prestigious scholarships and fellowships, including the Fulbright, hosted by the late, Dr. Phillip Benesch [Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of External Scholarships and Fellowships].

I also spoke with Robbie Moul '22[now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania], who had earned a Fulbright to conduct research in Hungary. He encouraged me to apply, noting that LVC had strong applicants and good success. In my senior year, through LVC faculty connections, I conducted collaborative research with Dr. Rosie Grayburn's lab at the Winterthur Museum, Gardens, & Library in Delaware. This greatly piqued my interest, so I found the UK program for Polymer Science where I could pursue similar research. Dr. Grayburn earned a similar degree at Warwick and is a cultural heritage scientist. Plus, there are numerous museums near the university.

What about your LVC education helped determine your graduate school studies?

ACS Chemistry requires a senior research project, which I undertook with Dr. Sterner [Dr. Liz Sterner, Assistant Professor of Chemistry]. She was flexible, allowing me to pursue a cultural heritage project. Dr. Dahlberg [Dr. Don Dahlberg, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Science Internship Director] had the connection to Dr. Grayburn and Winterthur.

How did England's academic environment differ from the U.S.?

There are many but I was thankfully warned ahead of time. Faculty feedback tends to be more constructive than flowery, and scoring is different. For example, it is unique to score above a 70 and lectures were six hours a day, five days a week.

This was challenging at first but ultimately very helpful. The same faculty member doesn't teach every session. They bring in a different professor or expert every day, so the knowledge imparted is deeper.

Some of the many advantages of studying abroad were the access to multiple museums and realizing that historical preservation is a more common field of study and research in UK and Europe.

I worked with Dr. Marc Vermeulen [Head of Heritage Science and Conservation Research] at The UK National Archives, which was fascinating. As part of my master's thesis, I asked Marc if there were issues or concerns in their collections. He identified issues they were having with adhesives used on tracing papers. They wanted to find an adhesive to mend tears that didn't cause further damage, while also remaining clear and flexible to enable architectural drawings and other historical documents to remain accessible to researchers.

Working in the lab, I tried to improve the adhesive formulations for 20 weeks this past summer. I reversed engineered the adhesive, made and tested new adhesives, and identified potential avenues they could pursue further. It is rewarding that they plan to continue the trajectory I identified. And I saw behind the scenes pieces not ready for the public, including an original Declaration of Independence.

Any advice for future LVC students interested in pursuing a Fulbright?

First, is to believe that you can. We have an excellent track record. We have the resources, access, and skills to make ourselves desirable. Second, do your research-become invested in where you are hoping to go; understand things that the community values. Third, clearly identify what you are hoping to accomplish and why you are selecting that university or country. Explain what you can offer them and not just what they can offer you. Finally, even if you are scared, it's worth applying and worth going for.