Dr. Heidi Pearson, UAS Marine Biology Professor receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
July 11, 2025
, Professor of Marine Biology at the University of ĐÓ°ÉÔ°ć Southeast (UAS), has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award in Marine Biology to monitor marine mammals in Portugal for Fall 2025. Granted by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, this prestigious award recognizes Dr. Pearson’s excellence in research, education, and international collaboration.
Dr. Pearson will be based in southern Portugal’s Algarve region, working with the non-profit AIMM–Marine Environment Research Association, a longtime research partner. In collaboration with AIMM and the University of Lisbon, her project will develop a strategy to monitor marine mammals in Pedra do Valado, Portugal’s newest marine protected area. Focusing on cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises—as indicators of ocean health, the team will collect critical data using boat-based, acoustic, land-based, and aerial surveys to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable management.
“This is a tremendous honor and well-deserved recognition of Dr. Pearson’s global impact,” said Dean Carin Silkaitis. “Her work on marine mammal conservation addresses urgent environmental challenges and provides transformative learning opportunities for UAS students.”
Dr. Pearson’s Fulbright project will also expand undergraduate opportunities at UAS, strengthening ties to AIMM, which hosts her field course Marine Vertebrate Research and Conservation. This marks her second Fulbright award; her first supported research in Norway in 2018.
Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program, supporting over 800 U.S. Scholars each year to teach or conduct research abroad. Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Laureates and 44 heads of state or government. At UAS, Professor Dave Tallmon serves as the Fulbright Program representative, helping faculty and students pursue these transformative opportunities. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit.
The is a premier liberal arts institution offering personalized, hands-on educational experiences and has been recognized for its marine biology and environmental sciences research.
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Contact: ECA-Press@state.gov
Heidi Pearson during a humpback whale survey off Juneau in May 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Pearson