Tere! Hello! My name is Ben Stone. I am 24 years old and come from Denver, Colorado. Growing up in Colorado, I loved hiking, running, and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. I have five brothers and sisters and one dog named Moose.
In college, I went to the other side of the Rocky Mountains in Utah to study bioinformatics and computer science at Brigham Young University. However, my educational pursuits took a pause as I felt a calling to serve as a volunteer in the Baltic States in Eastern Europe for two years. During this time, I dedicated myself to helping those in need through soup kitchens, teaching English, and immersing myself in the Russian language. It was an experience that deeply touched my heart, building a connection with this unique part of the world. I fell in love with the Baltic States, and I always wanted to go back.
I applied for and was grateful to receive a U.S. Fulbright Research Grant to study the genetics of cardiovascular and psychiatric disease in Tartu, Estonia. Currently, I am living in Tartu, Estonia where I’m working with scientists at the Estonian Genome Center. Tartu is a city where history comes alive with ancient castles, students from all over the world gather to learn, and forests hold secrets waiting to be uncovered. I look forward to sharing my adventures with you all and getting to know you during the school year!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
