Priya Talreja, an urban planner from Fremont, California, has been selected as one of only five recipients nationwide to receive the 2025 Fulbright-National Geographic Award. The $20,000 fellowship will support her innovative research in the Azores, Portugal, focusing on sustainable transportation strategies tailored to local communities.
Talreja, a graduate of Mission San Jose High School and the University of California, Davis, where she studied Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning, currently works in New York on projects promoting transportation electrification. Through her Fulbright fellowship, she will collaborate with residents and local stakeholders in the Azores to create a geospatial mapping tool that identifies the most effective sites for electric vehicle chargers. The initiative aims to assist the islands in transitioning to low-carbon transportation while ensuring that all communities benefit equitably.
“The Azores, home to farming, fishing, and tourism sectors, are targeting carbon neutrality by 2050, yet transportation is their largest emissions source,” Talreja explained. “By adapting lessons from California to the islands’ unique context, I hope to design a tool that prioritizes the needs of those living and working there.”
Talreja’s project is among a diverse range of initiatives awarded in 2025, covering areas from ecology to cultural anthropology. Other awardees include Amrit Tamang, studying Indigenous porters in Nepal; Katie Vyhnal, researching parasitic fungi in Malaysia; Kyrin Pollock, documenting Arctic soundscapes in Canada; and Taylor Bratton, examining the sea cucumber economy in Tanzania.
Now in its 12th year, the Fulbright-National Geographic Award supports projects that promote global understanding in research, conservation, and storytelling. Recipients gain access to a network of National Geographic Explorers, along with mentorship and professional development opportunities designed to sustain their long-term careers.
Talreja’s fellowship represents both recognition of her accomplishments and an opportunity to make a tangible impact on sustainable urban mobility, bridging her expertise in environmental policy with practical solutions for communities striving toward carbon-neutral futures.
