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International Fulbrighter Finds Home at St. John's

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

When the time came to choose a graduate school in the United States, Julieta Aulicino '13G, a native of Argentina and Fulbright scholarship recipient, decided St. John's University was the perfect fit.

Aulicino aspired to earn a master's degree in biological and pharmaceutical biotechnology, and she was impressed by St. John's program, which featured two years of study plus a mandatory 15-week internship at a biotech company. "I wanted more academic knowledge,” she said, “but I also wanted to advance in my field."

"St. John’s is recruiting graduate recipients from around the globe,” said Konrad Tuchscherer, Ph.D., associate professor of history and Fulbright Program advisor. “This further diversifies and internationalizes our campus, fostering the cosmopolitanism we want to develop in our students.”

Although the thought of traveling to study and work in a foreign country was initially daunting, Aulicino found a supportive and welcoming environment at St. John's. "When Dr. Tuchscherer replied to my initial inquiry, he said, 'I'm a Fulbrighter, and we help each other,'” she recalled. “At that moment, St. John's became option number one for me."

A biochemist and pharmacist, Aulicino had spent five years working at Amega Biotech in Argentina when she decided to pursue the Fulbright. "The work I'm doing in the U.S. is an extension of what I was doing in my home country,” she noted. “I hope to take what I've learned here at St. John’s and use it to advance the field back home."

Both of Aulicino's parents are biochemists, as is her sister. "It's in my blood and something that I love," she said. Her interest in pharmacy was spurred by her desire to research “complex proteins that hold the promise to heal so many diseases."

"Julieta’s gift for motivating others will allow her to assume leadership roles as she progresses through her professional career,” said Vijaya Korlipara, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Biotechnology. “She made good use of the many opportunities provided by the institute, including taking on a challenging course schedule and excelling academically."

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