“Upon my return to the U.S., I will incorporate the data collected during the Fulbright grant into my dissertation, “Developing Intercultural Communication with English as a Lingua Franca Strategies,” and complete my Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics. I will share findings and best practices in both research and teaching areas, including conference presentations, peer-reviewed journal articles, teacher training sessions and lesson materials, and general interest avenues such as blogs/online forums. Ultimately, I aim to secure a university faculty position and continue my research on ELF and global intercultural communication. I aspire to share my findings through a combination of traditional venues and public-facing scholarship with the goal of advancing understanding and mutual respect across national, linguistic, and ethnic boundaries.”

After my Fulbright, I plan to attend medical school and work towards becoming a physician so that I can continue to advocate for patients. One of my goals is to provide communities that have historically lacked healthcare access with long-overdue medical care. To do this, I will work with policymakers so that standard medical health becomes available to communities across the world.

In addition, I will continue pursuing research in medical devices, designing solutions to help these same communities access life-saving diagnostic tests and treatments. Continued patient care and technological innovation will be crucial as I work towards achieving equitable healthcare access, regardless of location and financial standing. The Fulbright is only the beginning of how I will reach this goal.

After my Fulbright Malaysia journey, I wish to continue promoting cultural and educational exchanges between Malaysia and the United States.