Fulbright Award Takes USU Alumnus to Italy to Study Wildfire Recovery

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University alumnus Alec Arditti, who earned a master of science in watershed sciences in 2023, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to study wildfire recovery in Sardinia, Italy.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program, supporting students, scholars and professionals as they pursue research, study and teaching opportunities around the world.

Janis Boettinger, senior vice provost for global engagement, said Arditti's project stood out for both its scientific relevance and its potential to address environmental challenges affecting communities in Italy and the Western United States.

"As a recent graduate of USU, Alec applied for the Fulbright Student Award through USU, taking full advantage of the Fulbright Faculty Advisory Committee's review and constructive feedback before submitting his final application," Boettinger said. "It was clear that Alec's project on modeling watershed response to wildfire was novel, applicable and very timely for both the Mediterranean and the Western U.S. as the climate becomes hotter, drier, and landscapes become more susceptible to wildfire. He also showed in his application that he would be an interested and engaged ambassador for the United States while in Italy and would utilize his Fulbright research experience in his career upon returning."

Arditti is working with researchers in Sardinia to study post-fire erosion and landscape recovery in Mediterranean ecosystems. His research adapts post-wildfire erosion and landslide models to better understand watershed risks after wildfire.

Before selecting Sardinia, Arditti contacted researchers across Italy. The island's active wildfire research community and frequent fire activity made it an ideal place to study recently burned landscapes while contributing his expertise in post-fire erosion.

"I reached out to researchers across Italy, and Sardinia stood out because many of the most severe wildfires occur there and one of the strongest wildfire research groups is based there," Arditti said. "It gave me the opportunity to visit post-burn areas, interact with local communities affected by wildfire and contribute my experience studying post-fire erosion."

Outside the research center, Arditti said life in Sardinia has become just as memorable as the research itself.

"I live in the historical center, bike through the country to the research center 10 kilometers away, buy my groceries at the local Saturday market and have even joined the table tennis club."

Some of Arditti's most memorable experiences have come while conducting fieldwork. During one research project, he collected soil infiltration measurements just 100 feet from an advancing prescribed burn to better understand how fire affects soil and water movement across the landscape.

Beyond the research, Arditti's favorite memories include shared meals with researchers, conversations with local firefighters and visits to wildfire sites alongside Italian scientists.

"There are opportunities with my work to go visit wildfires and other ecological phenomena with my colleagues," Arditti said. "We are hoping to publish a paper on post-fire erosion rates and landscape recovery timelines."

Arditti said the experience has strengthened his commitment to watershed conservation.

"Upon completing my Fulbright grant, I intend to continue working toward the conservation of western watersheds and resilience of communities to post-wildfire impacts," he said. "The cultural exchange I have experienced here has given me new perspectives that I am excited to bring back to the United States."

Arditti hopes to continue building on the international collaborations he developed during his Fulbright year as he pursues a career in watershed conservation and post-wildfire resilience.

Students interested in learning more about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and other international scholarship and study abroad opportunities can contact Utah State University's Office of Global Engagement.