3 ASU juniors awarded Barrett Global Explorers Grant for global travel and research

From rural farming communities in East Africa to dance studios in Madrid and renewable energy sites in southern Africa, three Barrett, The Honors College students will spend their summer pursuing honors thesis research around the world.

Supported by the donor-funded Barrett Global Explorers Grant program, they will travel abroad to investigate questions that require firsthand observation, cultural immersion and on-the-ground research.  

The Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement (ONSA) recently announced the 2026 recipients of the Barrett Global Explorers Grant, a competitive award that supports international research for honors thesis projects. Made possible through donor generosity, the grant provides funding for Barrett students to pursue original scholarship abroad and engage directly with the communities, cultures and contexts central to their research.

“The Barrett Global Explorers Grant reflects Barrett’s commitment to transformative learning experiences that encourage students to engage the world with curiosity, courage and a strong sense of purpose,” said Kyle Mox, associate dean of ONSA. “This year’s recipients embody the values of Barrett through projects that combine independent research, global engagement and meaningful community impact, demonstrating how honors students can exercise leadership and agency while building deeper understanding across cultures and disciplines.” 

The Barrett Global Explorers Grant is offered to third-year Barrett students who are preparing to write their honors thesis, the culmination of each Barrett student’s honors experience. Applicants must propose a travel itinerary that will take them to at least two different countries, and their project must require in-person research abroad. 

Shaela Patel, a conservation biology and ecology major in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Life Sciences, is working with SolarSPELL to develop veterinary medicine and animal husbandry education videos for rural farmers in East Africa who lack access to veterinary care and the internet. 

“With this proposed travel plan, I want to understand what veterinary care currently looks like for rural livestock farmers in East Africa,” Patel said. “And then test the videos I am making in the field to see if they are effective and could help farmers increase their understanding of livestock care.” 

The educational videos Patel is developing, in partnership with a food animal veterinarian in the U.S., will be added to the SolarSPELL digital library, which is used in Rwanda and South Sudan. The videos are also expected to be used by Veterinarians Without Borders and Farmers Helping Farmers in Kenya. 

Patel has been interning with SolarSPELL for two years and has long been interested in pursuing veterinary medicine. 

Jennifer Marhoffer, a Spanish linguistics major in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and dance minor in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre, is working on a project titled “Flamenco: Origins, Techniques, and Its Influence on Ballet Folklórico.” The project examines how movement, rhythm and expressive elements rooted in flamenco have influenced ballet folklórico while recognizing the distinct cultural identities that define each form. 

It also explores concepts such as authenticity, lineage and cultural preservation, and develops a comparative perspective on both traditions as they are shaped by community, history and individual expression. 

“I am very passionate about dance, and there is no more authentic and meaningful way to study flamenco and ballet folklórico than in their countries of origin,” Marhoffer said. “I recognize the uniqueness of this opportunity, and I am excited to pursue this work.” 

Marhoffer is involved in ASU Dance Projects, the Latin Sol Dance Festival and the Sol Power Hip Hop Festival, and has worked as a dance fitness instructor at the ASU Sun Devil Fitness Center. 

“My involvement in ASU Dance Projects inspired me to look more closely at the connections between flamenco and ballet folklórico, particularly in their movement, rhythm and expressive elements,” she said. “That experience led me to think more seriously about how these forms relate to one another while maintaining distinct identities.” 

Santiago Griffin Todd, a political science major in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said he expects the opportunity to provide a strong framework for comparative legal work. 

In his project, “Licensing the Transition: Intellectual Property, Green Finance, and Green Energy Transitions in South Africa and Zimbabwe,” he will examine how intellectual property and green finance shape the deployment of renewable energy in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

“The goal is to identify where patent fees, licensing terms and regulatory processes are real bottlenecks versus where other constraints, such as financing, grid infrastructure or politics, matter more,” Todd said. 

He plans to interview 10 to 25 key informants, ranging from regulators and patent attorneys to engineers and project implementers, and will visit intellectual property offices, universities and renewable energy sites. 

“I would highly encourage Barrett students thinking about international research to create a project proposal that allows them to explore interests, whether creative or research based,” Todd said. He plans to attend law school after his final year at ASU. 

The next cycle for the Barrett Global Explorers Grant will open in December 2026. Students interested in applying can visit onsa.asu.edu to subscribe to email updates and view a calendar of upcoming information sessions.