Northfield native receives Fulbright to study in Norway

Julia Radtke of Northfield, who graduated from Augustana University in May, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Award from the U.S. Department of State and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to conduct research in Norway for the 2024-25 academic year.

Of the 50 students who applied, Radtke was one of just 13 to receive an open study/research award to study in Norway. The Northfield native, who double majored in environmental studies and biology with an emphasis in ecology and environmental science, is the first Augustana student to receive a Fulbright award since 2001.

“I chose Norway because I spent a year there as an exchange student after high school, so I already had a sense of the language and culture. Also, Norway is a leader in biodiversity conservation and marine science, so I was excited to learn about these topics in a place I already had a fond appreciation for,” Radtke explained.

Radtke will live in Bø, a rural community southwest of Oslo, and conduct field work in the Tvedestrand fjord. With Seabird-MPA, Radtke will investigate the common eider, a large sea duck, and how the species benefits from marine protected areas in southern Norway. She will analyze the common eiders’ health and diet quality, track their movement using GPS loggers and monitor the growth of chicks during breeding season.

After her year in Norway, she plans to continue ecology research. The Fulbrighter hopes to pursue a master’s degree and Ph.D.

“I am especially excited about my project because it exists at the intersection of so many of my academic interests — field ecology, ornithology, marine biology, ecotoxicology and analytical chemistry,” said Radtke. “Through science communication and outreach, the results of this project will help inform future seabird conservation and spatial management efforts in Norway.”

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which has operated in more than 160 countries across the globe.