Arielle Szycher ’26 and Aroma Chanda ’27 selected for Fulbright Canada-MITACS Globalink research program
Szycher will be researching mechanisms of vision recovery at the University of Montreal and Chanda will be in Quebéc City studying the role of zinc finger proteins in cancer development.

Two Carleton students will be headed to Canada this summer as recipients of Fulbright Canada-MITACS Globalink research internships. Arielle Szycher ’26 and Aroma Chanda ’27 will conduct research projects for 10–12 weeks at top Canadian universities. In addition to hands-on research experience in their field of interest, the program provides U.S. undergraduate students with professional and networking opportunities and recreational, social, and cultural experiences.
Arielle Szycher ’26, a biology major and neuroscience minor, will be studying the mechanisms of vision recovery at the University of Montreal. Szycher will use microscopy to examine the activity of a neurotransmitter involved in age-related vision degeneration.

“I have an interest in sensation and perception in neuroscience,” said Szycher. “I just learned about vision in my Foundations of Neuroscience course [at Carleton], so I was like ‘all right, I can now apply this knowledge to an internship. That seems pretty neat.’”
Szycher has prior experience in neuroscience research; last summer, she interned at the University of Minnesota and studied intersections between mild traumatic head injuries and Alzheimer’s disease. She’s now excited to explore a new facet of neuroscience, work in a lab at a large research university, and explore Canada for the first time.
“It will be my first time really on my own, so getting to explore a city on my own terms will be pretty cool,” she said.
The Fulbright Canada-MITACS program offers a unique opportunity for students to be matched with faculty and research projects across diverse topics, which Szycher said was a big draw for her.
“I thought it would be a really good way to narrow down my summer search, because there are a million REUs [Research Experiences for Undergraduates] and a million things you could do, and it’s all pretty overwhelming,” she said. “To have a program that narrows it down for you and picks out really well established labs, I thought seemed really helpful.”
Aroma Chanda ’27, a prospective biology major, will be headed to the Université Laval in Québec City for her internship. Chanda will be researching the role of zinc finger proteins in the development of cancer.

“In high school, I took an anatomy and physiology class, and my teacher had us read an article about zinc finger proteins [before having] us design one on this 3D modeling interface,” said Chanda. “So I was like, ‘Wait, I remember learning a little about this.’ It was super coincidental.”
Chanda is interested in exploring more about cancer pathways and cancer research in general, and expects the internship will help her figure out her interests.
“The long term goal is to be in the medical field,” she said. “I think cancer research is super interesting. This is really my first time doing that kind of research, so I think after this summer I’ll know if that’s something I really want to do.”
She’s also looking forward to diving deeply into a project and hopes to see the research process from beginning to end.
“Last summer, I learned how to work in a research lab, and I think that was super useful, but I want to build on that,” she said. “I learned all these really cool things, but I didn’t really stick to one project. So I hope in this lab I’m able to stick to a project so I can follow it through from the beginning. Whatever experience I get, I’m super thankful for, but that’s the hope.”
Chanda is also excited to spend the summer in Quebéc.
“I’ve heard a lot about Quebéc, and I’ve seen that it’s really pretty. I know they speak a lot of French there, which is a little bit daunting because I don’t know any French, but it would be cool if I could pick up on some,” she said. “It’s a little bit scary because I’ll be on my own, but I’m excited to see what kind of new experiences that brings.”
Chanda recommends that anyone interested in the program gives it a shot when applications open in August.
“You never know, so it’s good to apply and make use of your resources,” she said. “Marynel [Ryan Van Zee, director of student fellowships] definitely helped me so much. Don’t be afraid to ask people for help.”
Students interested in applying to the Fulbright Canada-MITACS Globalink research program should contact Carleton’s Office of Student Fellowships for support and assistance.