MPH Graduate Awarded Fulbright for Gender-Based Violence Prevention Research
Claire Wulfman, a Master of Public Health graduate in the Class of 2025, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Award for the 2025–26 academic year. The Fulbright Program is a globally recognized initiative that supports international education and cultural exchange, enabling recipients to study, teach, or conduct research. Claire is the first student from the University of Utah’s Division of Public Health to receive this distinguished honor.
Public Health Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Lisa Gren, PhD, praised Claire’s achievement: “We are so excited for Claire and proud of her. Kudos also go out to our Global Health faculty, Drs. Benson, Singh, and Talboys, who have been instrumental in guiding Claire through the global health curriculum.”
Beginning in September, Claire will spend nine months in Mumbai, India, where she will research the effectiveness of programs that engage men and boys in preventing gender-based violence, with a particular focus on public-space sexual harassment. Claire’s work focuses on how these initiatives challenge social norms around masculinity and contribute to broader efforts in gender equity and violence prevention.
Her project will be conducted in partnership with DY Patil University in Mumbai, under the mentorship of Dr. Lakshmi Lingam. Claire will also collaborate with five local non-governmental organizations committed to community-based gender violence prevention.
Her research builds on foundational work done by Tejinder P. Singh, MPH, and Sharon Talboys, PhD. “They have been incredible mentors to me throughout my MPH and offered generous guidance as I shaped this project,” said Claire. “I’m very grateful for their support and belief in this work.”
Claire recently sat down to reflect on receiving the Fulbright Award, her journey through the MPH program, and her aspirations for the future.
What inspired your focus on gender-based violence prevention?
Like many women, I’ve lived with the fear of experiencing violence. I’ve witnessed the lasting harm it causes when that fear becomes reality, both in my own life and in the lives of friends and peers. Working as a Sexual Assault Victim Counselor for the past year has helped me understand the scale of the issue and how it affects every part of a woman’s life, from education to safety to economic opportunity.
How did the MPH program influence your journey to Fulbright?
The MPH program was where everything came together for me. I had amazing mentors who encouraged me to pursue global health work that is grounded in ethical and community-centered approaches. My practicum in Peru, under the guidance of Scott Benson, PhD, gave me hands-on experience collaborating with stakeholders on family planning. It taught me how essential it is to approach sensitive topics with openness and cultural humility.
The faculty pushed me to think more critically about power dynamics, research design, and the importance of listening. That support and guidance helped me shape this Fulbright project into something focused and meaningful.
What does it mean to you to receive a Fulbright Award?
I feel incredibly honored and grateful. Fulbright will give me the chance to deepen my skills in public health research while exploring a topic I care about deeply. It’s an opportunity to learn from communities and leaders who are doing this work and to contribute in a way that is informed, respectful, and impactful. This experience will shape how I approach gender equity, policy, and community-based research throughout my career.
What do you hope to learn from this experience personally?
I hope to grow in adaptability, cultural humility, and confidence. I’m eager to learn from my peers, community partners, and mentors in India, and to immerse myself in a new environment that will challenge and expand my perspective. I know the lessons will be many. Some I can anticipate, and many I probably can't even imagine yet. I'm excited to embrace all of it.
How do you envision the Fulbright experience shaping your career in public health?
This experience will shape how I approach everything in my career moving forward. Being able to live and work in Mumbai will teach me how to adapt, how to build partnerships, and how to conduct research that responds to people’s realities. It will strengthen my ability to connect the dots between data, policy, and lived experiences. I hope this experience helps me grow into a public health professional who can work across cultures and systems to contribute to lasting change.
What is next for you?
I’m focused on making the most of this research year. After Fulbright, I hope to keep working in global health, especially on projects related to gender, violence prevention, and policy. Eventually, I might pursue a PhD or work with an organization focused on advocacy and program design. I want to keep growing in this space and stay connected to both grassroots work and broader systems of change.