Salisbury University graduate Andersen Herman ’25, a chemistry major from Fruitland, MD, has been awarded a 2025–26 U.S. Fulbright Student Award. He will spend the coming year in the Slovak Republic conducting groundbreaking research while engaging in cultural exchange and mentorship.
Herman, a native of Haiti who immigrated to the United States with his family at age 12, was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after his own childhood battle with malaria. His experiences shaped his passion for infectious disease research and his dream of becoming a physician-scientist.
As part of his Fulbright fellowship, Herman will join researchers at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University and the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Košice. He will conduct his research at the Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, TIP-UJŠ under the leadership of Prof. RNDr. Erik Sedlák, DrSc. and RNDr. Veronika Huntošová, PhD.
His work will focus on antibacterial photodynamic therapy using metal-organic frameworks—a promising approach to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and cancer, both major global health challenges.
Beyond his research, Herman will also serve as a cultural ambassador. He will tutor English and mentor local high school students, while working with U.S. Embassy outreach programs such as EducationUSA and American Spaces Slovakia.
