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Updated on: 12/02/2025
Alex Bao is a doctoral student in economics at the University of Bordeaux. He recently spent 5 months at the University of California Los Angeles as a Fulbright Scholar. Three questions about his experience.
Having obtained a Master degree in "International economics, banking and finance", Alex Bao began a PhD in economic sciences at the University of Bordeaux in September 2021, at the Bordeaux School of Economics.
Within the framework of his thesis, entitled "Weather, natural disasters and international trade", Alex analyses the relationship between meteorological variations, natural disasters and international trade in the wine industry, at different levels of aggregation: country, sector, product and company.
In May 2023, he was admitted to the Fulbright-University of Bordeaux doctoral programme. He spent five months at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), a world-renowned American university, having been invited by Magali Delmas, professor of management at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES) and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
I wanted to gain some experience abroad and discover how research works in another country. With the agreement of my thesis supervisors, I decided to apply. The Fulbright scholarship programme is prestigious, and enables you to carry out a research stay in good conditions, thanks in particular to the funding available when you are awarded the grant.
I proposed a dedicated thesis chapter, which was also of interest to my host laboratory in the United States. It was a win-win project! The objective was to draw a comparison between American and French companies in the wine sector in order to analyse how adaptations to climate change can influence the quantities produced and prices.
My experience was enriching in many ways. I was made to feel very welcome, particularly at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. I was able to try out a different approach to research and talk to other doctoral students and researchers, some of whom are very well known in their field. I also took part in seminars and even had the opportunity to deliver a presentation!
I also discovered life on an American university campus, with its excellent facilities, and living in a shared apartment allowed me to grow on a personal level.
From a professional point of view, I have created a rich network with which I keep in regular contact. This experience is an asset for the pursuit of my career, especially if I consider a position abroad. The programme is highly recognised and valued internationally! I am also part of the Fulbright Alumni network, which is very active and offers interesting opportunities.
From a personal point of view, I was in daily contact with people of different nationalities (Lebanese, Chinese, Korean, etc.). I therefore discovered other cultures as well as life in the United States and visited the country.
Find out more about the Fulbright programme
I can only advise French doctoral students wishing to undertake a research stay in the United States to apply. The preparation of the project is tedious and must be anticipated, but it is a positive experience in every respect!
