Keshia Lai

Keshia Lai, a doctoral student from the Department of History at The Ohio State University, received the prestigious 2015-2016 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Lai will be in Singapore from January – August 2016 to research "Americanizing Singaporean Mormons, 1968-1995: Conversations about Race, Gender and Family." She will be affiliated with Nanyang Technological University. While in Singapore, Lai will examine the impact of Mormonism on the lives of Singaporeans by conducting oral history interviews with at least 70 Singaporean Mormons. She will also use the National Archives of Singapore to access historical documents concerning government policies on religion, race and gender.

The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program provides opportunities for doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States.


The Office of International Affairs administers the Fulbright-Hays program for Ohio State. Grant competitions are held annually. Doctoral candidates interested in applying for the award should contact Fulbright-Hays program director Joanna Kukielka-Blaser.