Caroline Receives James H. White Doctoral Fellowship

Eva Stephani Caroline, a doctoral candidate in the university's Public Policy interdisciplinary program, was recently awarded the James H. White Doctoral Fellowship by the Graduate School and International Education.

The James H. White Doctoral Fellowship awards a $1,000 stipend per year to doctoral students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership at the U of A. It was established by the family of James H. White, former dean of the Graduate School and professor of agricultural economics at the university.

Caroline is an international student from Indonesia who currently works as a graduate assistant in the Office of International Students and Scholars. She originally came to the U of A as a Fulbright student to pursue her master's degree in agricultural economics and agribusiness.

In her time as a doctoral student, she has collaborated with faculty on projects related to irrigation, rice production and the forestry sector, inspired by her work with her adviser on irrigation water management research. Her experiences, highlighted by helping manage the 2022 Arkansas Irrigated Producers Phone Survey, helped her learn more about Arkansas producers' irrigation practices and the challenges they face, which encouraged her to explore these issues in her doctoral research.

Her research focuses on how crop producers improve water use efficiency through various irrigation management practices that conserve water and support productivity. The fellowship will help cover degree-related costs for Caroline as she enters the dissertation stages of her Ph.D.

"As an international student and a mom of three daughters, this fellowship means more than financial support. It gives me the opportunity to continue pursuing research on sustainable groundwater management in agriculture while supporting my family during my doctoral journey," Caroline said. "I am sincerely grateful to the University of Arkansas for this opportunity, and I especially appreciate my adviser, Dr. Huang, for her mentorship, encouragement and recommendation."

Caroline holds a bachelor's degree in fisheries from Fisheries University in Jakarta, Indonesia, and a master's degree in agricultural economics and agribusiness from the U of A.