Her project involves collaborating with local policymakers and conducting participatory mapping focus groups to incorporate community input and address residents' mobility needs.

Talreja plans to adapt transportation strategies from California to meet the unique needs of the Azores' farming, fishing, and tourism communities.

Priya Talreja, an Indian-origin urban planner and environmental policy researcher from Fremont and a UC Davis graduate, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Fulbright-National Geographic Award, one of only five researchers nationwide.

With a $20,000 fellowship, she will focus her work in the Azores, Portugal, developing a geospatial mapping tool to identify optimal locations for electric vehicle charging stations, aiming to help the islands achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The project also tackles the islands' unique geographic challenges by focusing on sustainable transportation solutions that benefit local communities, drawing on strategies from California.

This award is part of a broader program supporting diverse projects in ecology, cultural anthropology, and other fields, offering recipients professional development, mentorship, and access to a global network of explorers.

The Fulbright-National Geographic Award highlights global efforts on environmental and cultural issues, supporting projects ranging from indigenous labor in Nepal to Arctic marine soundscapes and the sea cucumber economy in Tanzania.

Her work aims to serve as a model for other island communities worldwide transitioning to sustainable transportation systems.