Claremont, Calif. (March 20, 2012) – Pitzer College students Gabriel Loewinger ’12 and Dean Pospisil ’12 have been awarded 2012-13 Thomas J. Watson Fellowships. The Watson is a one year grant given to a select group of college seniors to pursue unique independent study and travel outside of the United States.
In his project, “Kicking the Habit: Handcuffs, Needles, Roots, and Brews,” Loewinger plans to study different methods of treatment for drug addiction in Scotland, Canada, Brazil and Peru.
“This journey will allow me to study approaches to treat addiction and delve into questions about how addiction is formed and broken from a wide range of cultural, medical and philosophical perspectives,” said Loewinger, a neuroscience major who has studied abroad in Nepal and coauthored a paper about the effects of methamphetamine use that will be published in the journal Neuropharmacology.
Pospisil will travel to Italy, India, Nepal and Bhutan to research his project, “Art and Neuroscience: Feeling and Knowing.” A neuroscience and art major, Pospisil said he will explore classical methods of sketching in Italy and Buddhist Thangka paintings in India, Nepal and Bhutan, examining them through a neuroscientific and artistic lens.
“I hope to come to a richer understanding of how these traditions influence the brain and perception,” Pospisil said. “I will explore how the intersection of art and neuroscience holds promise for continuing the artistic tradition of deepening experience.”
Loewinger and Pospisil were two of 40 recipients nationwide to receive Watson Fellowships. Pitzer student have won a total of 29 of the prestigious fellowships.
Each Watson Fellow will receive $25,000 for twelve months of travel and exploration.
For more information on the Watson Fellowship, please visit https://www.watsonfellowship.org/site/index.html.
