Cristina Nichiforov

Hi, y’all!

My name is Cristina Nichiforov and in the past 9 months I have been a visiting researcher at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

My experience in the U.S. has meant a lot to me, both professionally and personally. This great opportunity of being part of the American academic environment helped me to better understand it and to take advantage of all the good things it has to offer. Working with highly intelligent and educated people has challenged and at the same time helped me to grow as a researcher and as a person. Also, the research and the publications I have done during this period, have added important value to my Ph.D. thesis and I will always be grateful for all these achievements.

Even if I came to the US in a period where the whole world was in uncertainty because of the pandemic, I was able to meet a lot of people and make lifetime friends. Also, living in San Antonio gave me the extraordinary opportunity to interact with different cultures. I learned a lot about the American culture in general, African American history as well as Hispanic Heritage.

During my stay in the US, I also experienced a lot of amazing adventures. I will start with the Texas winter storm that is happening once every 100 years and that I was lucky enough to experience. Then I will continue with my trip to the impressive Grand Canyon in the Arizona State and the walk on The Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The hike to the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, California, the fun weekends in Austin, Texas – the music capital of the world and the taco Tuesdays with my friends and Mexican food in San Antonio, Texas. Of course, I can’t help but mention the enjoyable working days on the campus next to the palm trees and little squirrels.

There are not enough words to express my unforgettable experience in the US. I will be forever grateful for this amazing opportunity, and I highly recommend to everybody to apply for the Fulbright scholarship. Living and studying in the U.S. is life-changing from all the possible points of view.