The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a highly competitive, merit-based grant that enables outstanding PhD students from U.S. institutions to pursue research in France for four to nine months. Through this program, Johns will work on a joint project with a research group that is affiliated with the Université de Montpellier in southern France led by Dr. Pierre Sicard, contributing to transatlantic scientific collaboration and innovation in biomedical engineering.

The STEM component of the Chateaubriand Fellowship, which supports research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is overseen by the Office for Science and Technology (OST) of the French Embassy, with support from INSERM, INRIA, and the University of Paris-Saclay. The program is designed to foster collaboration between French and American researchers and to support promising young scientists as they build international experience and networks.

John’s PhD advisor at Purdue, Dr. Craig Goergen, says that “Not only is the Chateaubriand Fellowship highly competitive, but it represents an incredible opportunity for Cortland to engage with cutting-edge cardiovascular research and perspectives that will fundamentally enhance her doctoral work. This international collaboration with a top French laboratory will expose her to different approaches in biomedical engineering while allowing her to contribute her own expertise to important research questions regarding cardiac and vascular pathology. The experience will undoubtedly strengthen both her scientific capabilities and her ability to work across cultural and institutional boundaries—skills that are increasingly vital in today's interconnected research landscape.”

Johns’s selection as a Chateaubriand Fellow reflects both the strength of her research and the growing global engagement of Purdue BME students. Her time in France will expand not only her scientific expertise, but also the international impact of the Weldon School’s research community.