Fulbright US Graduate Award Ellie Fajer from Littleton, Colorado will research how fungal endophytes can help combat kauri dieback in New Zealand at the University of Auckland and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Ellie graduated with a BS in Biology and Earth Systems from Stanford University in 2023, and an MS in Earth Systems in 2024.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Travis Richardson from Peachtree City, Georgia willl research the effects of whakamā, or shame, in shaping the experiences of non-Māori learners and speakers of te reo Māori at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Travis is a PhD Candidate in Sociolinguistics at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Naeisha Ngatuvai-McClain, from Columbus, Georgia, will research the storying of love, care, and home for LGBTQ+/MVPFAFF+ Pasifika communities at the University of Auckland.  Naeisha graduated with a BA from Oberlin College, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Africana Studies in 2020, and is currently enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Bret Hatzinger from Doylestown, Pennsylvania  will research Meckel Syndrome, a rare genetic disease found in New Zealand’s sheep, at the University of Otago. Bret graduated with a BS in Biology from Bucknell University in 2024.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Emily Lau from Kaimukī, Honolulu, Hawai’i will complete a Master of Indigenous Studies at The University of Auckland. Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Miah Clark from Iowa City, Iowa will complete a Master of Indigenous Studies with a Pasifika focus at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington. Miah graduated with a BA in English from the University of Iowa in 2023, and an MLIS from the University of Iowa in 2024.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Noah Collins from Claremore, Oklahoma will research the genetics of type 2 diabetes and gout at the University of Otago. Noah graduated with a BA/MA in Medical Anthropology with Distinction, Honors, magna cum laude from the University of Oklahoma in 2019.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Amanda Coleman from Canoga Park, California will research the impact of performing arts programmes in New Zealand prisons at the University of Otago. Amanda graduated with a BA in English from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2013, and an MSW from California State University, Northridge in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Anna Lehner from Madison, Wisconsin will research siesmic activity as an interdisciplinary artist in art and science at Victoria University of Wellington and GNS Science. Anna graduated with a BFA in Sculpture and Art History (Hons) from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2016, and a MFA/MA in Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Marina Komarovsky from Vernon Hills, Illinois will conduct research relating to Māori women’s antenatal health at Massey University in Wellington. Marina graduated with a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Carleton College in 2008, an MS in Nutritional Epidemiology and an MPH in Health Communication from Tufts University in 2011.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Carmen Hoffbeck from Portland, Oregon will complete a research project in microbiology at the University of Auckland. Carmen graduated with a BS in Biology and Mathematics in 2019 from Linfield College, and will complete an MS in Biology from California State University, Northridge in 2022.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Molly Magid from Denver, Colorado will research the genomics of the New Zealand Fairy Tern/tara-iti at the University of Canterbury to improve the conservation of this species. Molly graduated with a BA in Biology (Hons) and a BA in Science, Technology, and Society from Brown University in 2019.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Taylor Lee from San Diego, California will research the brain health of rugby athletes at Auckland University of Technology, towards a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. Taylor graduated with a BSc (Highest Hons) in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2016 and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 2019.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Naomi Wasserman from Lafayette, California will research the geochemistry of antimony, a toxic metalloid, in New Zealand waters at the University of Otago. Naomi graduated with a BA in Environmental Science from Barnard College in 2013. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Geology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Robby Goldman from Los Angeles, California is using his 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award for researching how the distribution and composition of primary volcanic features observed in the heavily eroded Akaroa volcano of the Banks Peninsula constrain numerical models of that volcano’s formation, at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Robby graduated with a BA from Pomona College in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Matt Jones from Pullman, Washington is using his 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award for empirical data collection and statistical modeling to understand the establishment of dung beetle introductions to New Zealand. He is based at the University of Canterbury. Matt graduated with a BS from Gardner-Webb University in 2009 and an MS from the University of Maine in 2013. He is currently a PhD candidate at Washington State University.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Lindsey Pointer from Fort Collins, Colorado is using her 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to complete a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy, specialising in the role of rituals in restorative justice, at Victoria University of Wellington. Lindsey graduated with a BA from Colorado College in 2013.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Kandyce Anderson from Indianapolis, Indiana is using her 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to complete a Post-Graduate Diploma in Global Education, focusing on theoretical underpinnings of Kaupapa Māori Theory at the University of Waikato. Kandyce graduated with a BA from DePauw University in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Eliza Oldach, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina is using her 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to research coastal ecosystems with the Marine Ecology Research Group at University of Canterbury. Eliza graduated with a BA from College of the Atlantic in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Elena Perry from Bethesda, Maryland is using her 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to research how supplementary feeding affects the gut microbiome of the endangered kakapo, at The University of Auckland. Elena graduated with a BS from Yale University in 2015, and is currently completing a PhD at the California Institute of Technology.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Daniel Coppersmith from Concord, Massachusetts is using his 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to research the epidemiology and prevention of youth suicide and self-harm, at the University of Otago. Daniel graduated with a BA from Brown University in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Clare Jones from New Orleans, Louisiana is using her 2016 Fulbright US Graduate Award to complete a collection of poetry, specialising in the intersection between ecology and poetry, at Victoria University of Wellington. Clare graduated with a BA from Carleton College in 2010 and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 2014.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Emily Beck from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina will complete a Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Auckland University of Technology. Emily graduated with a BA in Psychology (Summa Cum Laude) from the College of Charleston in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Nick Dragone from Boulder, Colorado will research the microorganisms found in New Zealand’s geothermal and volcanic environments at the University of Canterbury. Nick graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont in 2014 with a BA in Biology and will complete a PhD at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Abi Bartlett from Monticello, Minnesota will research geomorphology of rivers and the relationship people have with them in New Zealand, learning Māori ways of knowing. Abi graduated with a BA in Geology from the University of Minnesota, Morris in 2022 with an emphasis in Hydrology and Geochemistry.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Erin Houlihan from Boulder, Colorado is completing a Masters by Thesis in Marine Science investigating ocean acidification and life in the boundary layer for invertebrate marine larvae at the University of Otago. Erin graduated with a BA in Coordinate Earth and Oceanographic Science and Education from Bowdoin College in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Lizzie Yarina from Houghton, Michigan is researching the urban implications of Pacific Islander climate change migration in New Zealand at Victoria University of Wellington. Lizzie graduated with a joint MA in Architecture and City Planning from the Masssachusetts Institute of Technology in 2017. Check out Lizzie’s Fulbright programme work.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Alex Cheung from Kailua, Hawai’i is completing a Master’s of Bioethics and Health Law, specialising in the role that culture plays in ethnically diverse health care settings at the University of Otago. Alex graduated with a BS from Stanford University in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Gabrielle Langkilde, from Pago Pago, American Samoa, will research ‘Pacific Studies: Making Space for Pasifika Voices and Ways of Knowing in Academia’ at the University of Auckland. Gabby has a BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and a minor in Sociology from Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Lorien Jordan from Atlanta, Georgia is researching decolonizing psychology at Massey University and the Family Centre, Lower Hutt. Lorien graduated with a BA from Arizona State University in 2000, an MA from New York University in 2005, and an MA from Mercer University in 2012. She is studying towards a PhD from the University of Georgia.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Octavius Jones from San Bernardino County, California will research digital storytelling with Māori women on marine conservation projects at Victoria University of Wellington. Octavius graduated with a BS in from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, and an MA in Ethnic Studies with a Certificate in Women and Gender Studies from Colorado State University in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Alex Hawley from Farr West, Utah will pursue a Master of Arts degree in Museums and Heritage Conservation at the University of Auckland. Alex graduated with a BA in Anthropology and Native American Studies from Dartmouth College in 2019.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Madison Emond from Providence, Rhode Island will be creating photographic work at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts in Wellington, New Zealand. Madison graduated with a BA in Photography at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Olivia Truax from Chapel Hill, North Carolina completed an MSc at the University of Otago, supported by a Fulbright US Graduate Award. She graduated with a BA from Amherst College in 2016 and is now undertaking a PhD at the University of Otago. Olivia is working on a paleomagnetic, geochemical, and diatom based record of Holocene paleoclimate evolution from Robertson Bay, Antarctica.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Hannah Dougherty from Paris, Illinois will complete a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science focusing on denitrifying bioreactors at the University of Waikato. Hannah graduated with a BS in Crop Sciences and Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and an MS in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Mallory Sea from Sioux City, Iowa will complete a Masters in Marine Science in shellfish restoration focus on the spatial distribution of sub-tidal mussels in the Hauraki Gulf at the University of Auckland. Mallory graduated with a BS in Biology and a BA in Chemistry from Morningside College in 2016. Read more about Mallory’s adventures at the One Ocean Conference here. 

Fulbright US Graduate Award Oscar Yip from Lone Tree, Colorado will complete a Masters of Science in Plant Biotechnology investigating pollution resistance in plants at the University of Otago. Oscar graduated with a BA in Biology with an emphasis in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Occidental College in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Ingabirano Nintunze from Austin, Texas will complete a Research Masters in Drama at the University of Auckland. Ingabirano graduated with a BA in English Literature and Telecommunication Media Studies from Texas AandM University in 2015, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Panikaa Teeple, from Anchorage, Alaska, will study for a Master’s Degree in public health, researching ‘Tangata Whenua and their Healing Efforts from Historical Trauma’ at the University of Auckland. Panikaa has a BA in Social work from the University of Anchorage, Alaska.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Britta Clark from Goshen, Vermont is completing a Master’s in Philosophy at the University of Otago, focusing on the philosophical aspects of recent New Zealand legislation ascribing legal personhood to the Whanganui River. Britta graduated with a BA from Bates College in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Jorlyn Le Garrec from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will complete a Masters of Science in Physics at the University of Auckland. She is based at NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) in Wellington. Jorlyn graduated with a BS in Mechanical and Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Patrick Monari, from Madison, Wisconsin, will research ‘Determining the hormonal and vocal responses of a New Zealand bird to artificial light’ at the University of Auckland. Patrick has a BA in Biology and Psychology from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Cara Lembo from Weston, Massachusetts is completing a Masters of Science in Geology focusing on environmental change in early Holocene Fiordland at the University of Otago. Cara graduated with a BA from Amherst College in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Joshua Ferrer from Champaign, Illinois will complete a Masters in Politics investigating the effects of proportional representation on election lawmaking in New Zealand at the University of Otago. Joshua graduated with a BA in Political Science and Music from Amherst College in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Mark Stukel from Naperville, Illinois will research the evolutionary relationships and history of hybridisation events in New Zealand cicadas at the University of Auckland as part of his PhD dissertation work at the University of Connecticut. Mark graduated with a BS in Biology from Hope College in Holland, MI in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Rory Taylor from Los Angeles, California will complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Māori Studies from the University of Auckland. Rory graduated with a BA in International Relations from Pomona College in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Caroline Caldwell from Cascade, Montana will complete a Master of Management in Agribusiness at Lincoln University. Caroline graduated with a BA in Environmental Studies from Bates College in 2015 in Lewistown, Maine.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Karsten Lorentz from Wenatchee, Washington is completing a Master of Science degree in Geology, specialising in modern day erosional processes occurring on a microscopic scale at Victoria University of Wellington. Karsten graduated with a BS from Montana State University in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Melanie Schwimmer, from San Diego, California, will study for a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences and will research ‘Investigating Legacies for LGBTQ+ Women from FIFA World Cup 2023 in New Zealand’ at the University of Otago. Mel has a BA in American Studies from Amherst College, Massachusetts.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Rowena Schenck from Gloucester, Massachusetts will complete a Masters of Science in Marine Science at the University of Otago. Rowena graduated with a BA in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Amherst College in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Christina Thomas from Wadsworth, Nevada will be based at the University of Auckland, working with iwi across Aotearoa to conduct research on Te Reo Māori, performance and culture. Christina graduated with a BA in Music and a Minor in Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2019, and received an MA in Native American Studies from the University of California, Davis in 2021. Christina is currently a doctoral student in Native American Studies and earning a Designated Emphasis in Performance and Practice Studies at the University of California, Davis.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Kendrick Hardaway, from West Lafayette, Indiana, will research ‘Preparing Communities for Climate Change Uncertainty’ at the University of Canterbury. Kendrick has a BS in Biological Engineering from the University of Arkansas and a PhD in Ecological Science and Engineering from Purdue University.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Melanie Stowell from Denver, Colorado will support the evaluation and expansion of a health promotion intervention designed to support new mothers and families in preventing childhood obesity, at the University of Auckland. Melanie graduated with a BA in French and Psychology from the University of Denver in 2014, and an MSc in Medical Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh in 2015.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Sammi Maza from Englewood, New Jersey will research Mana Wahine epistemology and indigenous feminist knowledge production at the University of Auckland. Sammi graduated with a BA in Gender and Sexuality Studies (Hons), and a certificate in Gender Based Violence Prevention from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA in 2022.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Kevin Lujan Lee from Johor Bahru (Malaysia) and Guāhan will research Pasifika community organisations and low-wage work at the University of Auckland. Kevin graduated with a BA in Philosophy and the Study of Religion from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2015, and an AM in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Michael Bishop from Honolulu, Hawaii will research sacred ground, legal personhood, the rights of nature, and creative non-fiction writing at the University of Auckland. Michael graduated with a BA in Psychology from the Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2010, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Idaho in 2021.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Scott Lockwood from Zionsville, Indiana is researching marine microbial production of methane in response to phytoplankton blooms with the Marine Science and Microbiology Department at the University of Otago. Scott graduated with a BA in Mathematics and Biology from DePauw University in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Kirsten Kozlovsky from Sunnyvale, California is researching finite element modeling of 3D printing of polymers at the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology. Kirsten graduated with a BS in 2014 and an MS in 2017 from the University of Notre Dame, where she will complete a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Kyla Siemens from Salem, Oregon is completing a Master’s of Biomedical Science, specialising in breast cancer research, at the University of Auckland. Kyla graduated with a BS in Biology from the University of Oregon in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Riley Knoedler from Sheboygan, Wisconsin will complete a Masters of Science in Applied Mathematics at the University of Auckland. Riley graduated with a BA (Hons) in Mathematics from Williams College in 2018.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Will McNeil from Morgantown, West Virginia will research the impact of outdoor air quality on stormwater runoff contamination at the University of Canterbury. Will graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University in 2021, and an MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2022.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Elizabeth Adetiba from Dallas, Texas will research the relationship between various justice processes and the needs of victim-survivors of sexual violence, while based at Victoria University of Wellington. = Elizabeth graduated with a BA (Hons) from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Lael Tate from Portland, Oregon will complete a BA (Hons) in Māori Studies at the University of Auckland. Lael graduated with a BA in Ethnicity and Race Studies at Columbia University in New York City, New York in 2020.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Monica Dix from Chicago, Illinois, will research ‘Drinking Water and Disaster Risk Governance in Canterbury, Aotearoa’. Her project will collaborate with Environment Canterbury on a scoping survey to evaluate the impacts of new water regulatory frameworks on risks and challenges to Canterbury’s regional drinking water systems, capturing the impacts of a key water governance transition at the interface between policy and practice. Monica has a BA in Geology and Politics from Oberlin College, Ohio.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Ziibiins Alexandra Johnson from Minneapolis, Minnesota will complete a Masters of Arts in Applied Linguistics, researching indigenous language revitalisation at the University of Auckland. Ziibiins graduated with a BA in American Indian Studies, focusing on Ojibwe language, from the University of Minnesota in 2016.

Fulbright US Graduate Award Lanea Tuiasosopo will complete a Master of Global Studies at the University of Auckland. Her focus is on sport as a developmental tool for health, education, and gender equality in Pacific communities. Lanea graduated with a BA in Communications and Global Health from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2019.