Reflections: Gervase Programs: Learning to Lead

October 15, 2008  Volume 13, Issue 2

Circumnavigator Fellowship

By: Grayson Badgley (SFS '09)

People are generally envious when they hear about my summer. Last December, I received the Circumnavigator Fellowship to study wind energy in developing small island nations. In other words, I got paid to visit the Cook Islands, the Maldives, the Philippines and the Canary Islands. I never stayed farther than a few hundred meters from the beach. And I actually got a tan, an impressive feat for an Idahoan.

The Circumnavigator Fellowship differs from your typical research grant in one important way—it makes you travel. Rather than spending three months in Dar es Salaam, Circumnavigators must travel to a minimum of six countries on three continents. Unfortunately, the more you travel, the less you research. Vice versa, more research means less travel. On the other hand, the grant is ideal for comparative studies. And it gives you a great excuse to see the world.

But there’s one more benefit of mixing research with travel that I didn’t anticipate. Traveling meant I experienced research outside the context of Georgetown. Rather than juggling research, five classes and an internship, I dedicated every day to answering the same question. I never had to stop reading an interesting article to go to discussion section. I finally had the chance to stay singularly focused on something that enthralled me.

At Georgetown, research is what happens when we’re not studying until five in the morning for that Chinese midterm. It’s the time after crew practice but before six hours of class. It’s that final binge of reading three days before a paper is due.

Nothing I just described comes as a surprise. And, unfortunately, I don’t have an earth breaking solution to our dilemma. Part of it is just the setup of our curriculum. Our bad study habits probably don’t help either. But I do have a few insights that might help recreate the research environment I experienced this summer.

First, enlist an outside professor to help you in your research. Georgetown professors love to help students, even if the student isn’t taking their class. I had constant input from technicians, professors and other academics on my project. This dialogue kept my topic fresh, even after a year of researching the same thing. Make it a rule to speak with two professors about any research topic.

Second, jump on research opportunities that are unconnected to Georgetown. Work at the Kluge Center. Apply for a Raines or the Circumnavigator. Break the bubble of Georgetown and experience the thrill of researching away from the clutter of campus. You don’t have to circumnavigate the globe to rejuvenate your love for research.
Third, and final, speak positively about your research. Most of us have a habit of talking about our “stupid 5-pager” or “worthless research assignment.” If you really think it’s a worthless subject, you’re doing something wrong. Do anything to eliminate this gloomy outlook. Picking an off-the-wall (but relevant) topic can help. I’ve definitely written a paper about weasels in medieval poetry. It doesn’t take wind turbines and desert isles to make research interesting.

The opportunities are there. It's up to you to take advantage of them.