This fall, Honors College alumna Giulia Wood became the first Oregon State University student to receive a Marshall Scholarship. Giulia is one of just 43 students from across the U.S. selected for this award, one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships. As a Marshall scholar, she will pursue a Ph.D. in marine sciences at the University of Liverpool, where she will investigate Antarctic krill physiology and their role in biogeochemical cycling in the southern ocean.
“Being named a Marshall Scholar is an incredible honor for Giulia and for OSU,” says LeAnn Adam, director of National and Global Scholarships Advising. “Giulia has distinguished herself with her academic and research achievements and breaks down barriers to science communication through her art. We are so incredibly excited for her to join this cohort of Marshall Scholars and future world leaders.”
Originally from Fidalgo Island in Washington state, Giulia became captivated by krill after joining Dr. Kim Bernard’s KrillSeeker Lab as an undergraduate at Oregon State. She has since studied krill around the world and is particularly interested in how krill populations are affected by climate change-driven shifts in their ocean environment.
She is currently pursuing an M.S. in ocean, earth, and atmospheric sciences at OSU as part of the KrillSeeker Lab. Her research focuses on how environmental conditions affect krill physiology and their quality as prey for resident blue whales in New Zealand and is part of a collaborative project funded by the National Science Foundation.
Giulia received two OSU Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology and environmental sciences with a minor in studio art in 2023. As an undergraduate, Giulia overwintered for five months in Antarctica as part of a research team studying juvenile Antarctic krill. She also researched how krill species in the southeastern Bering Sea respond to changes in environmental conditions, which she presented at the 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium in Hobart, Tasmania in 2024.
While not in the lab, Giulia is an active member of the graduate student community at Oregon State, serving as a steward for the graduate student union and on the Together for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Support committee for the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Association of Graduate Students. Giulia is also engaged in the arts, singing in a community choir and working in many different mediums, from printmaking to sculpture to fiber arts. Giulia uses her art as a way to enrich her research experiences, and she is passionate about how art can communicate science to a wider audience.
Named in honor of Secretary of State George C. Marshall and funded by the United Kingdom, the Marshall Scholarship Program started in 1953 as a gesture of gratitude for the assistance the U.K. received from the United States after World War II under the Marshall Plan. The scholarship program gives American college students the chance to study any academic subject at U.K. universities of their choice for up to three years. To read more about the 2026 Marshall Scholars, visit marshallscholarship.org/scholars/2026-scholars.
Giulia applied for the Marshall scholarship with assistance from OSU’s Office of National and Global Scholarships Advising. “The Marshall application process and interview are intense,” says LeAnn. “I’m proud of how OSU community members rallied to support her—offering feedback and helping her prepare for the interview in San Francisco. People really recognized the scope of the opportunity and stepped up without hesitation.”
More information about the program can be found at topscholars.oregonstate.edu.
