U.S.-Chile Fulbright Antarctic Science Exchange: Building the Future of U.S.-Chile Antarctic Scientific Cooperation
U.S.-Chile Fulbright Antarctic Science Exchange establishes a structured framework for bilateral Antarctic scientific cooperation that consolidates institutional linkages between the United States and Chile while advancing scholars’ individual and collective research agendas. This program -- developed in partnership with the Instituto Antártico Chileno (INACH), Chile's primary scientific institution dedicated to Antarctic research and the operator of Chile's year-round Antarctic bases on King George Island and the Antarctic Peninsula -- unites early-career scientists and postdoctoral researchers from both nations for intensive collaborative field research in one of Earth's most extraordinary scientific environments.
Program Structure
The program follows a year-long cycle from May 2027 to May 2028, beginning with virtual collaboration as the cohort develops a shared research framework under INACH’s scientific leadership. U.S. scholars will travel to Chile in late 2027 for approximately five to six weeks to join their Chilean counterparts. During this phase, U.S. and Chilean scholars will work together through programmed activities at multiple locations in Chile, facilitated by the Fulbright Commission, undertaking a range of activities to establish the collaborative framework that will guide the cohort's work and forge connections with Chilean research institutions. The centerpiece is a two-week immersive field camp at INACH's Professor Julio Escudero Base on King George Island, where the cohort conducts collaborative field sampling and laboratory work as a single integrated team. Following the Antarctic deployment, Chilean scholars undertake independently arranged research exchanges at U.S. institutions in early 2028, ensuring that the relationships forged in Antarctica extend into sustained institutional partnerships across the broader U.S. Antarctic research community.
Scientific Focus
The inaugural U.S.-Chile Fulbright Antarctic Science Exchange centers on Frontiers of Life: Antarctic Biological Systems from Genes to Ecosystems, exploring how life survives and adapts in one of Earth's harshest environments. Participants will examine the remarkable strategies Antarctic organisms use to withstand extreme cold, intense radiation, and scarce resources.
Working on King George Island, the cohort will study the diversity of Antarctic ecosystems, investigate how organisms adapt at the cellular and molecular levels, and explore the potential applications of these adaptations in biotechnology and other fields. Through field observations and laboratory analysis, participants will contribute to new scientific understanding while building collaborative relationships and institutional connections that support future joint research. The program connects fundamental questions about life in extreme environments with practical scientific and technological applications.
Interested in Applying?
Interested candidates from the U.S. can find more information about the program and how to apply here: fulbrightscholars.org/award/us-chile-fulbright-antarctic-science-exchange. Chilean candidates can email becas@fulbright.cl to find out more information about the application process. All potential applicants are encouraged to contact the Fulbright Commission in Chile at becas@fulbright.cl for additional information.
U.S.-Chile Fulbright Antarctic Science Exchange is a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The program is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Chile in partnership with the Instituto Antártica Chileno (INACH), with support from both organizations.