Sydney Robinson, a rising junior double majoring in physics and French, was awarded the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study abroad. The competitive program provides fully funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences over a period of seven to 10 weeks.
Robinson will travel to Lucknow, India, to study Urdu, a language spoken in northern India and Pakistan. Robinson hopes to build new relationships, experience a new culture and connect with family members.
“I think the most important part of adapting to new cultures and situations is to ask questions and be open to whatever answers you may receive, even if they are not what you expected,” says Robinson.
With language skills in English, French and Urdu, Robinson hopes to facilitate a research and training exchange between students at the National Centre for Physics in Pakistan and students at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, headquartered in Switzerland.