CARBONDALE - Two Southern Illinois University Carbondale students working on their doctoral degrees have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarships to study abroad this coming school year.

Kathleen Chaffee of the school's chemistry and biochemistry department and Melinda Yeomans of the speech and communications department will leave in September. Chaffee, who is from Belleville, will do research study in cryptophane synthesis under a leading expert in the field, Jean-Pierre Dutasta at ENS Lyon School in Lyon, France.

Yeomans received her master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She has worked as a speech communication teaching assistant and as an adviser for SIU's College of Liberal Arts. She will do communications research work in Bangladesh.

Both students applied for the scholarships about a year earlier with help from Thomas Saville, Fulbright program adviser at SIU's study abroad office.

Saville said it is impressive that two students from the same university would be awarded the prestigious scholarships at the same time.

"I tell students that the real purpose of the Fulbright program is not so much to earn credits to finish their thesis, but to learn how to enhance a mutual understanding between nations," Saville said.

Chaffee thanked her adviser, Boyd Goodson, for his support.

"If it wasn't for him (Goodson), I would have never been able to collaborate with Jean-Pierre Dutasta and receive the Fulbright. So I owe my thanks to him," Chaffee said.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com

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