Baruch College Alumnus Receives Fulbright U.S. Student Research Award to Israel

April 11, 2023

As part of his honors thesis at Baruch College, Noam Gal (’22) researched the socioeconomic ramifications of transportation infrastructure in Brooklyn. Now, he will bring his interest in transportation equity to Israel to study the development of Jerusalem’s Light Rail system, thanks to a Fulbright U.S. Student Study/Research Award.

Gal was chosen for a prestigious Fulbright Israel Master’s Degree award for the 2023-24 academic year, which begins in October. As a Fulbright scholar, he will complete a MA in Smart Cities and Urban Informatics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“I am looking forward to learning about cutting-edge technologies that can be used to plan smarter cities and improve urban planning processes,” said Gal, a Macaulay Honors Scholar at Baruch who self-designed a CUNY BA Degree in Urban Economics and Mathematics, and completed a minor in New York City Studies.

“Using these technologies, I hope to shed light on how new transportation infrastructure projects impact neighborhood demographics and economic conditions in different communities.”

A Long-Term Goal of Building Better Cities

While in Israel, Gal will focus on “Modeling Techniques for Transportation Equity Analysis.”

His research will build upon his honors thesis research, “Transit Equity in Southeast Brooklyn,” where he examined the impact of poor public transportation infrastructure on largely Caribbean-American communities in Brooklyn. Gal received a Portz Interdisciplinary Research Fellowship from the National Collegiate Honors Council for his thesis research.

“I am interested in researching transportation equity because urban infrastructure development decisions have created long-lasting and unequal impacts on the character of neighborhoods and communities in New York City, as well as many other cities throughout the United States and the world,” explained Gal.

After completing his Fulbright program, Gal hopes to earn a PhD studying how modern technologies can be used to improve urban environments.

“The skills and experiences I will gain during the Fulbright year will be invaluable for achieving my long-term goal of building better cities.”

Fellowships and Scholarships Advising Support

Baruch students interested in applying for fellowships and scholarships can visit Baruch College’s Office of National & Prestigious Fellowships Advising. This office helps guide students through the application process when pursuing awards that support their academic studies.

In addition to the Fulbright award, other opportunities available to students include the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship, Gilman International Scholarship, Freeman-ASIA scholarships, Venture for America, Public Policy International Affairs Fellowship, and many more.

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