Aomawa Shields Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for 2026-27

Aomawa Shields has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to teach and conduct research in Italy for the 2026–27 academic year. The awards are granted annually by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Shields will have a three-month lectureship in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Bologna. As an astronomer and astrobiologist, Shields uses computer modeling to explore the potential habitability of planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. She will design special coursework to provide students with insight into planetary environments and habitability. Shields will also lead mindful rest workshops for students and faculty, as she has done at UC Irvine.