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Bright Sparks Summer 2025

The latest edition of Bright Sparks has arrived! Brimming with news, features, photos and more, it’s the best way to keep up to date with all things Fulbright NZ. In this issue: All that and much more! Click here for the digital copy, or get in touch if you would prefer a hard copy.

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2025 US cohort

Announcing the 2025 Fulbright US Cohort

Fulbright New Zealand is thrilled to announce the 2025 cohort of US Scholars, Graduates, and Specialists. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director, Penelope Borland, says the latest group of US grantees travelling to Aotearoa is testament to a deeply held, shared commitment to the betterment of our world. “Year after year we welcome another incredibly impressive cohort of graduates and scholars from the United States to Aotearoa, and every year an equally talented group of New Zealanders head off in the other direction. I am always stunned by the range of backgrounds and disciplines those grantees represent. And this year is no exception, with research interest spanning everything from concussion awareness to Kauri dieback disease,” said Penelope Borland. Established in the US in 1946, the Fulbright programme is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. Fostering academic excellence and people to people connection, the Fulbright Programme seeks to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs. In 2025, Aotearoa will host six US Graduates, four US Scholars, and four Fulbright Specialists. The full list of award recipients is as follows. US Scholar Award Fulbright US Scholar Awards are for American academics, artists or professionals to lecture and/or conduct research at New Zealand institutions. US Graduate Award Fulbright US Graduate Awards are for promising American graduate students to undertake postgraduate study or research at New Zealand institutions in any field.  Fulbright Specialists The Fulbright Specialist Awards are for New Zealand institutions to host US academics, artists, or professionals for two- to six-week programmes of activities, including lectures, seminars, workshops, conferences, and symposiums. Note: Joining our Fulbright US Scholars, Graduates and Specialists are three previously announced Ian Axford Fellows. Fulbright New Zealand administers the Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy on behalf of the Ian Axford Fellowship Board.

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Announcing the 2025 Ian Axford Fellows in Public Policy

Fulbright New Zealand is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy. These fellowships are for outstanding mid-career US professionals to research and gain first-hand experience of public policy at a New Zealand government organisation. Ian Axford Board Chair Roy Ferguson says the quality of this year’s applicants was especially high, leading to the awarding of three Fellowships. “Our newest Fellows represent a diverse range of interests and specialisations, all of which have a particular resonance in both the US and New Zealand. This year’s fellows each come with the capacity to make a positive contribution to their host agencies, while at the same time gaining new insights to take back with them to the States,” said Roy Ferguson. Fulbright NZ Executive Director Penelope Borland says the calibre of this year’s Fellows is testament to the enduring attraction of Aotearoa to public policy professionals in the US. “New Zealand has long been seen as an exemplar of innovative, progressive public policy, and every year we see another talented crop of US policy professionals keen to experience our unique context. I am so pleased that the Ian Axford programme continues to provide for these opportunities,” said Penelope Borland. The 2025 Ian Axford Fellows and their projects are as follows. The Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy were established in 1995 by the New Zealand Government to reinforce links between New Zealand and the United States. Fulbright New Zealand administers the Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy on behalf of the Ian Axford Fellowship Board. Fellowships are sponsored by New Zealand government agencies and other organisations, and provide participants with the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of public policy in New Zealand.

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David Fane

David Fane awarded 2024 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency

Fulbright New Zealand and Creative New Zealand are pleased to announce that David Fane is the recipient of the 2024 Pacific Writer’s Residency. This award is for an established New Zealand writer of Pacific heritage to carry out work on a creative writing project exploring Pacific identity, culture or history at the University of Hawai’i for three months. David Fane says he’s excited to develop new relationships and learn from communities in Hawai’i. “Fa’afetai Tele Lava, I am incredibly grateful to have been honoured as the recipient of the 2024 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency. I am greatly looking forward to spending time in Hawai’i and reconnecting with the many Hawai’ian creatives that I have had the pleasure to work with in the past – also to take up the opportunity to learn and to faafesuiai le malamalama [expand understanding], practice and skills with the communities there,” said David. Penelope Borland, Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director says it’s wonderful to have a writer of David’s calibre and experience take up the residency. “We are thrilled to award this year’s residency to a writer, director, actor, and above all storyteller of David’s standing and repute. David is familiar to most of us through his work in film and television—now we eagerly await the creative results of his residency in Hawai’i,” said Penelope. During his time in Hawai’i David will network with the local creative community through writing and workshops, undertake research within the Tagata Moana community in Hawai’i, and work on a new piece. Makerita Urale, Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager Pacific Arts, says the relationship with Hawai’i has been fruitful for many of Aotearoa’s writers. “Dave will love the precious time at the University of Hawai’i to write. Creative New Zealand has a long and enduring cultural relationship with Hawai’i with this wonderful strategic partnership with Fulbright and the US. This year is particularly special as Hawai’i hosts the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and brings all our many Pacific nations together,” said Makerit, who is also an alumnus of the residency, prior to joining Creative New Zealand. Hawai’i has been identified as a strategic location for artists and is considered the hub of Pacific writing with numerous universities, library resources, networks, writers’ forums and publishers. It is also an important link to the mainland US and has a strong indigenous culture. Previous recipients of the prestigious Pacific Writer’s Residency have been some of New Zealand’s most celebrated writers, including Tusiata Avia, Karlo Mila, Oscar Kightley, David Eggleton, filmmakers Sima Urale and Toa Fraser, and playwright Victor Rodger.

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Logo of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence

Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2024 Graduate Award Announcement

Finley Ngarangi Johnson to travel to Hawai’i, Duluth, and Baltimore as a Visiting Student Researcher Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, are pleased to announce that Finley Ngarangi Johnson (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is the 2024 recipient of the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award. Fin will travel from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington to Hawai’i, Duluth, and Baltimore as a Visiting Student Researcher. He will work alongside Indigenous scholars and communities affiliated with the University of Hawai’i at Manoa Office of Public Health Studies, and the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Indigenous Health. Fin was inspired to apply for a Fulbright award by the journeys of many leading Māori scholars and thought leaders, who travelled overseas to fill their kete of knowledge, and then returned to support their communities. “I believe that we as Māori have a lot to learn from our Indigenous tuakana from across the globe. One of my goals is to establish strong relationships with other Indigenous scholars and communities so that we can work together in solidarity to address the global issues that threaten the collective health, wellbeing, and tino rangatiratanga of our communities,” said Fin. Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Co-Director, Professor Linda Nikora (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) says Finley’s Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award is a testament to his academic excellence and commitment to Indigenous wellbeing. “We are proud to support him as he travels to the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, the University of Minnesota Duluth, and Johns Hopkins University to further his studies and research. We look forward to the contributions he will make to Indigenous communities in Aotearoa and beyond,” said Linda. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says the partnership between Fulbright NZ and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is as important as it is enduring. “This award is unique to Aotearoa and continues to find its way to individuals of outstanding calibre and tremendous character. I have no doubt Fin will make the very most of this wonderful opportunity both now and into the future. We are beyond thrilled to be supporting him on his journey,” said Penelope. The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award is for a promising New Zealand graduate student to undertake postgraduate study or research at a US institution in the field of indigenous development. One award valued at up to US$50,000 (plus NZ$4,000 travel funding) is granted annually for up to one year of study or research in the US. Students undertaking multi-year Masters or PhD degrees have the opportunity to apply for additional funding of up to US$40,000 towards their second year of study. Applications for the award are open now and close on 1 August. About Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, is hosted at the University of Auckland comprising 22 research partners and conducting research of relevance to Māori communities. The NPM vision is Māori leading

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2024 Fulbright NZ Graduate award recipients

Stage direction and hate speech detection feature in diverse cohort of 2024 Fulbright NZ Graduates

2024 Fulbright New Zealand Graduate Awards announced Fulbright New Zealand has today announced the 15 recipients of this year’s New Zealand Graduate Awards. These prestigious awards enable New Zealand graduate students to undertake postgraduate study or research at US institutions. Subjects covered by this year’s cohort form a particularly diverse collection, including film directing, stage direction, organisational behaviour, indigenous law, respiratory healthcare, and hate speech detection. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says the variety of disciplines on show in this year’s awards is an inspiration. “Each and every year I am amazed by the array of research interests represented by our latest crop of Fulbright Graduates. This is both a testament to the strength of the programme, but also to the high standard of postgraduate students and scholars across Aotearoa. These impressive individuals have so much to offer the world, and we are thrilled to be helping them on their way,” said Penelope. The full list of 2024 Graduate Award recipients is as follows. Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awards Sainimere Boladuadua (Somosomo, Cakaudrove; Levuka-i-Yale Kadavu) from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will research healthcare experiences of families of Native American children with respiratory infections at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Indigenous Health in Baltimore, Maryland. She is studying for a PhD at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland. Jackson Cate (Te Atiawa) from Kirikiriroa Hamilton will research the extent to which attaching memories to objects—creating mementos or monuments—inflates the objects’ monetary value at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. He is studying toward at PhD at The University of Waikato. Ryan Meachen (Ngāti Te Wehi, Ngāti Huia ki Poroutawhao) from Heretaunga Hastings, will research organisational behaviour, leadership theory and wellbeing science at the Leadership and Happiness Laboratory at the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Felicity Powell from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will complete an Ed.M. in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Michelle Meaclem from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master in Public Policy at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Sidney Wong (Lliyip 四邑, Samsui 三水, Tungkwoon 東莞) from Te Awakairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt will research automatic hate speech detection on social media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois toward a PhD in Linguistics at the University of Canterbury. Alexander Young from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will complete a Master of Laws specialising in Environmental Law at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Fulbright Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award Finley Ngarangi Johnson (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) will travel from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington to Hawai’i, Duluth, and Baltimore as a Visiting Student Researcher. He will work alongside Indigenous scholars and communities affiliated with the University of Hawai’i at Manoa Office of Public Health Studies, and the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Indigenous Health. Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards Luke Elborough from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will complete a Master of Laws specialising in trial and appellate advocacy, with a focus on criminal law, international law and human rights, at New

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Fulbright Outreach 2024 - What would you do with a Fulbright?

Fulbright Outreach 2024

What would you do with a Fulbright? Have you always wanted to study or carry out research overseas? A Fulbright Award could take you to a leading institution in the United States. We have a range of awards for graduates, scholars, creatives, professionals and more. Want to know more? Stand by, we’re on our way! Every year Fulbright NZ Programme Managers visit universities around the country hosting info sessions about the various Fulbright scholarships. We’re holding in-person sessions up and down the country, plus online sessions where anyone can attend. Come along and discover what Fulbright has to offer. On-Campus Open Online Info Sessions Join these sessions to learn more about awards for New Zealanders to undertake postgraduate study or research in the US. Note: information covered will be the same as in the on-campus sessions. NZ Graduate Awards Open Online Info Session – all welcome! / Thursday 6 June, 5.30–6.30pm NZ Scholar Awards Open Online Info Session – all welcome! / Wednesday 3 July,  6.00–7.00pm See the awards pages for more details of our scholarship and awards programmes.

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Logo of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence

Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2024 Scholar Award Announcement

Dr Hona Black to explore language interference at the University of Hawai’i Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, are delighted to announce that Dr Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Tūwharetoa) is the 2024 recipient of the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award to undertake research in the US. Hona is a Senior Lecturer at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi: The School of Māori Knowedge, at Massey University. He will travel to the University of Hawai’i, where he will explore language interference with te reo Māori and the Hawaiian language. Hona Black says, “I have a love of te reo Māori, and I like to focus on ways to help make it more accessible to all. Language interference has always been an issue with te reo, and have always thought it would be interesting to explore it with similar languages, such as the Hawaiian language. I see this award as an opportunity to establish relationships with experts from Hawai’i as well as to share knowledge and experiences between our languages.” Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Co-Director, Professor Linda Nikora (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) says, “Fulbright and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga are once again supporting a top Māori scholar to pursue further academic study in the USA. We wish Hona all the best in his academic adventures in the hope that his research will serve flourishing Māori futures.” Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says, “We are so pleased to be supporting Hona’s research with this well-merited award. Hona’s project clearly demonstrates the power of international exchange, and I am sure that his experience in Hawai’i will be of considerable value to his research back home in Aotearoa.” The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is for a New Zealand academic, artist or professional to lecture and/or conduct research at a US institution in the field of Indigenous development. One award valued at up to US$37,500 is granted each year, towards three to five months of lecturing and/or research. Previous recipients include Dr Hinekura Smith (Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi), Dr Will Flavell (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whatua, Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto) and Dr Rangi Matamua (Ngai Tuhoe). Applications for the award will open in Autumn 2024 and close on 1 October. About Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, is hosted at the University of Auckland comprising 22 research partners and conducting research of relevance to Māori communities. The NPM vision is Māori leading New Zealand into the future. NPM research realises Māori aspirations for positive engagement in national life, enhances our excellence in Indigenous scholarship and provides solutions to major challenges facing humanity in local and global settings. www.maramatanga.ac.nz.

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2024 Fulbright NZ Scholar Award recipients

Language, Nutrition and Criminal Justice feature in 2024 Fulbright NZ Scholar Awards

2024 NZ Scholar awards announced Fulbright New Zealand has announced the seven recipients of the 2024 NZ Scholar Awards. These prestigious awards are worth up to US$37,500 for New Zealand academics, artists and professionals to study and/or lecture at a US institution of their choosing.   Research subjects covered by this year’s cohort include indigenous language, childhood nutrition and young adult justice.   The full list of 2024 Scholar Award recipients is as follows.  Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Tūwharetoa) receives the 2024 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award and will explore language interference with te reo Māori and the Hawaiian language at the University of Hawai’i. Kathryn Hay from Kapiti will research how neurodivergent learners can be supported to succeed in their work-integrated learning experiences at Drexel University, Philadelphia. Jason Ingham from Auckland will research heritage and sacred architecture with a focus on vulnerability assessment and remediation at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. Mahsa McCauley from Auckland will explore transforming bee welfare with secure AI-enhanced precision apiculture at the Farm Security Operations Centre (FSOC) at North Carolina A&T State University, in Greensboro North Carolina. Mei Peng from Dunedin will research parental decision-making on plant-based food choices at the University of California, Davis, and Washington State University, Pullman. Jesse Pirini from Wellington will research how innovative data visualization can support Indigenous development at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst and Boston). Ashley Shearar, living in Rotorua, will research the emerging field of young adult justice at Columbia University in New York. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says the breadth of research interests is a sign of Fulbright’s wide impact across disciplines.  “At its heart, the Fulbright programme exists to promote mutual understanding and peace between nations, and every year a fresh group of outstanding individuals takes up that challenge,’ said Penelope Borland.  “This year’s cohort of NZ Scholars represent a wonderfully diverse range of research topics and backgrounds. I know they will all make exceptional ambassadors of New Zealand scholarship and culture during their time in the United States.”   The Fulbright Programme of educational exchange is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world.  New Zealand was only the fifth Fulbright Commission in the world, signing up to the programme in 1948. Since then, it has awarded more than 1900 scholarships to New Zealand graduate students, artists, academics and professionals to undertake further research in the US, and welcomed more than 1,600 Americans on exchanges to New Zealand. 

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The 2024 cohort of Fulbright NZ US Scholar and Graduate Award winners

Announcing the 2024 Fulbright US Scholars and Graduates, and Ian Axford Fellows

Wide range of talents in the 2024 cohort of US Scholar and Graduate Award winners Fulbright New Zealand is proud to welcome the 2024 cohort of US Scholar and Graduate Award winners. Fulbright NZ Executive Director Penelope Borland says the calibre and quality of the 2024 grantees is as impressive as ever. “Among this year’s cohort, we have a psychologist, a geologist, an engineer, a sociologist, a composer and conductor, and more. Each of them brings a specialist set of skills and interests, together with a wide array of backgrounds. “And this is the great strength of the Fulbright programme—the breadth and depth of people and subjects travelling between countries. Every Fulbrighter has the opportunity to build and share their expertise and experience, while furthering our understanding in their fields of study and research,” said Penelope Borland. Established in the US in 1946, the Fulbright programme is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. Fostering academic excellence and people to people connection, the Fulbright Programme seeks to ‘bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs.’ This year, Aotearoa will host six US Graduates, four US Scholars, two US Global Scholas and two Ian Axford Fellows. Fulbright New Zealand administers the Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy on behalf of the Ian Axford Fellowship Board. The full list of award recipients is as follows.  US Scholar Award Alexandra Adams, from Bozeman, Montana, will research ‘Examining Models of Māori Indigenous Knowledge Incorporation in Health Promotion Programs’ at The University of Auckland. Sheila Crowell from Eugene, Oregon, will research ‘Enhancing support for pregnant adolescents through a cross-cultural exchange of skills and resources in New Zealand’ at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington. Matthew Lachniet, from Las Vegas, Nevada, will research ‘Fingerprinting the climate controls on Aotearoa New Zealand river water Isotopes’ at NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research). Kira Omelchenko, from Kansas, currently teaching in Ontario, is a music conductor. Her project involves collaborative performances with students, colleagues, and community members, as well as co-creating new music with local Indigenous and Classical composers in New Zealand at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington.  US Global Scholar Award Nancy Ann Neudauer, from Portland, Oregon, will research ‘Connecting far corners of the world through Matroids and Creating a Network of Women in Mathematics’ at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington. Brian Walker, from Fairfield, Connecticut, will research ‘Penguins and Microplastics – a Global Collaboration on Research Techniques and Population Education’ at the University of Otago  Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy Rachel Levinson-Waldman, from Washington, D.C., will research ‘Social Media Surveillance in New Zealand: Landscape, Best Practices, and Guardrails’ while gaining experience at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Megan Seeds, from Hennepin County, Minnesota, will research ‘Strategies to transform digital experience in New Zealand’s social service delivery’ while gaining experience at the Ministry of Social Development.  US Graduate Award Monica Dix, from Chicago, Illinois, will research

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The 2023 Fulbright NZ cohort

Announcing the 2023 Fulbright NZ cohort

Award recipients to be honoured at the 2023 Fulbright New Zealand Awards Ceremony WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, Tuesday 13 June 2023 — Fulbright New Zealand is delighted to announce the 2023 Fulbright New Zealand scholarship award winners. The new cohort will be honoured at the 2023 Fulbright New Zealand Awards Ceremony at Parliament Buildings on the 28th of June, hosted by the Deputy Speaker, Greg O’Connor. Penelope Borland, Executive Director of Fulbright New Zealand said; “This year, as we celebrate 75 years of Fulbright in New Zealand, we’re thrilled to be able to return to our normal programme and to announce a full cohort of New Zealand Fulbright grantees who will be taking up their awards in person in the US shortly. We are also excited to have been able to welcome a cohort of US grantees to New Zealand this year – some who have been waiting almost three years to get here due to the challenges of the pandemic and border closures.” “Every year, it is rewarding to see the wide array of disciplines represented, and 2023 is no exception – from space engineering to climate change policy to arts management and entrepreneurship. I know that whatever the area of research, all the new grantees will uphold the key mission of the Fulbright programme – to enhance global and intercultural understanding and advance public good.” Established in the US in 1946, the Fulbright programme is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. Fostering academic excellence and people to people connection, the Fulbright Programme seeks to “bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs.” This year, there are 51 Fulbright New Zealand Award winners in total. From New Zealand, they are: Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awards These awards are sponsored by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Jennifer BerryJennifer Berry from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will complete a Master of Science specialising in Space Engineering at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Nico HacknerNico Hackner from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a PhD in Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Isabel KellyIsabel Kelly from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master in Public Policy specialising in climate change policy at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nina OpacicNina Opacic from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete an LLM in Environment and Energy Law from New York University in New York City, New York. Andrea (Andi) ShirtcliffeAndi Shirtcliffe from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master of Public Health specialising in Health Behaviour and Society at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Naomi Simon-KumarNaomi Simon-Kumar from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will complete a Master of Public Health specialising in Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University in New York City, New York. Amy SpittalAmy Spittal from Kirikiriroa Hamilton will complete a Master of Arts in Economics at New York University in New York City, New York. Krystal WrightKrystal

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Logo of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence

Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2022 Scholar

Dr Will Flavell to research language, culture and identity in Native American youth schooling WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – 22/02/2022 — Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence are delighted to announce that Dr Will Flavell (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whatua, Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto) is the 2022 recipient of the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award to undertake research in the US. Dr Will Flavell from Te Atatū South, Tāmaki Makaurau will take up his award at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he will research how language, culture, and identity feature in the schooling experiences of Native American Youth.   Will is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau where he is Kaihautū Māori at Te Hononga Akoranga COMET and is a board member on the Henderson-Massey Local Board.  Will says, “I was inspired to apply for a Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga award for the opportunity to undertake research in America. This award gives me the chance to work alongside Indigenous communities and to better understand some of the critical issues regarding the schooling experiences of Native American Youth. I am looking forward to strengthening networking opportunities for rangatahi Māori to interact with Native American Youth with possible future exchanges.” The annual Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is valued at up to US$37,500 for three to five months of teaching and/or research at US institutions. “Will is a gifted scholar and changemaker who is already making a significant impact here in Aotearoa. This award will enable Will to further his research, but we also know that he will bring incredible value to the students, scholars and communities that he engages with during his Fulbright tenure,” says Professor Tahu Kukutai, Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says, “We are so pleased to support Will’s research into the key factors influencing the schooling experience of Native American Youth. I have no doubt that his findings will be invaluable to his ongoing research back home in Aotearoa.” Applications for the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar award close annually on 1 October. About Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, is hosted at the University of Auckland comprising 21 research partners and conducting research of relevance to Māori communities. The NPM vision is Māori leading New Zealand into the future. NPM research realises Māori aspirations for positive engagement in national life, enhances our excellence in Indigenous scholarship and provides solutions to major challenges facing humanity in local and global settings. www.maramatanga.ac.nz

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Logo of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence

Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2022 Graduate Award winner announced

Nikki Barrett to research traditional Indigenous birthing knowledge and practices in the US WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – 14 JUNE 2022 Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence are thrilled to announce that Nikki Barrett is the recipient of the 2022 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award which will enable her to undertake research in the United States. Nikki Barrett nee Haereroa (Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Porou) from Kirikirioa is a PhD candidate at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato/ University of Waikato working in the area of the revitalisation of traditional Indigenous birthing knowledge and practices. Nikki comments that her own personal experiences were the motivation for wanting to undertake further study in the US. “I believe solutions can be achieved by sharing knowledge and wisdom with other Indigenous Peoples, particularly in the sharing of traditional birthing practices. As a Māori māmā who has experienced the full spectrum of the health system as both service user and health professional, I have a responsibility to ensure my research will have a meaningful impact and contribute to improved health gains for our whānau.” Nikki’s award will give her the opportunity to spend almost a year with various health professionals, communities and academics in the US who work in Indigenous health traditions and practices. “One of my goals is to support the creation of an international Indigenous birthing space for people to gather, collaborate, and exchange knowledge—an Indigenous birthing wānanga”, says Nikki. NPM Co-Director and Fulbright alumna Professor Tahu Kukutai comments, “Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is really excited to work with Fulbright to enable this opportunity for Nikki. Birthing practices is an important area within Indigenous health research and is receiving more attention as a consequence of the global recognition of the importance of Indigenous knowledge and solutions.” Penelope Borland, Fulbright New Zealand’s Executive Director adds, “Fulbright New Zealand is proud to partner with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga in offering this award and I am delighted that Nikki will have this opportunity to further her work and thinking in the United States. I know that her experience will be transformational and that the work Nikki is doing will be profoundly impactful in the revitalisation of traditional Indigenous birthing knowledge and practices back home in Aotearoa.” Nikki and the rest of the 2022 Fulbright New Zealand cohort will be honoured at a special awards ceremony at the National Library in Wellington on Monday 27 June, hosted by Hon Aupito William Sio, Minister for Pacific People and Minister for Courts. Applications for the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate awards are open now. The closing date is August 1. ENDS MEDIA CONTACTS Josie McClutchieMedia and Communications Advisor, Ngā Pae o te MāramatangaEmail: [email protected] Therese LloydCommunications Manager, Fulbright New ZealandEmail: [email protected]: 021 023 16320                 About Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, is hosted at the University of Auckland comprising 21 research partners and conducting research of relevance to Māori communities. Our mission is to grow and

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Leslie Carol Roberts

ECOPOESIS with Leslie Carol Roberts

Global ecologies captured in collaborative sound collage On March 17, 2022 the Fulbright NZ Good Works Alumni Series was delighted to present Leslie Carol Roberts discussing her ongoing project ECOPOESIS. Leslie (MFA, University of Iowa, MA, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury, BA, University of Michigan) is one of the founders of the ECOPOESIS Project, a philosophy of building creative conversations around climate change through shared meals and shared readings and craft projects – ECOPOESIS is inspired by the spirit of historic community making such as quilting bees, knitting circles and Exquisite Corpse drawings. Our motto: Don’t bet against humans. Through global workshops and lectures, ECOPOESIS brings together humans from across disciplines. During the pandemic, HOW WE HEAR NOW was created to capture, through audio files, the sound of ecologies globally. The collaborative sound collage debuted in San Francisco, July 2021. Roberts was a Fulbright US awardee to New Zealand at Gateway Antarctica at the University of Canterbury and professor and Architectural Ecologies Lab member at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco. She is an essayist, journalist, and author, and has written two books on ecologies, The Entire Earth and Sky: Views on Antarctica (2008); and Here Is Where We Walk: Episodes from a Life in the Forest (2019); a chapter in Performing Ice (2020, Palgrave MacMillan), Creative Activism (2021, Cambridge) and interviews and essays and news reporting for The Believer, the Sydney Morning Herald, Forbes, The Bellingham Review, among many others. She is a member of SCAR-HASS, the United Nations Antarctic humanities and social sciences study group and gave an invited talk at their 2021 conference in Kobe, Japan. She remains immensely grateful for the love and support of Fulbright New Zealand and her many Kiwi mates in Antarctic hijinks.

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2021 Fulbright New Zealand Graduate award winners

Creative Arts alive and well amongst this year’s Fulbright NZ winners

2022 Fulbright New Zealand Graduate award winners announced WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, Tuesday 14 June, 2022 – Music and poetry are well represented amongst this year’s Fulbright New Zealand Graduate award winners. The Fulbright Programme of educational exchange is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. Since the New Zealand Fulbright Commission was established in 1948, it has awarded more than 1900 scholarships to New Zealand graduate students, artists, academics and professionals to undertake further research in the US, and welcomed more than 1,600 Americans on exchanges to New Zealand. This year, of the 27-strong cohort, four are musicians and two are poets, a marked increase from previous years. Professor Sally Jane Norman, Director of Te Kōkī—New Zealand School of Music at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, said, “It’s wonderful to see recent Te Kōkī graduates being celebrated at this high level of achievement; the institutions they go to in the US, their learnings, and the networks they consolidate across our respective regions will be profoundly impactful.” Two poets, Bronte Heron and Jordan Hamel, will also enjoy the benefits of studying in the US. “Fulbright is such a terrific door opener,” said Professor Damien Wilkins, Director of Te Herenga Waka’s International Institute of Modern Letters. “I’m so pleased to see poets making the most of this opportunity.” Amongst this year’s Fulbright awardees, the following will be studying music and poetry in the US: Isabella Gregory from Christchurch will complete a Master of Music in Flute Performance at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Isabella graduated with a BMus (Hons First Class) in Classical Performance and a BA in Religious Studies in 2021 from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Jack Harré from Christchurch will complete a Master of Music in Jazz Performance at New York University, New York City. Jack graduated with a BMus (Hons First Class) in Jazz Performance from Te Kōkī—New Zealand School of Music at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in 2021. Dexter Stanley-Tauvao (Vailoa Faleata, Tāga i Savai’i) from Wellington will complete a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College in New York City. Dexter graduated with a BMus (Hons First Class) in Jazz Performance in 2018, and a BA in German from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University. Liam Wooding (Ngāti Hinearo, Ngāti Tuera/ Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) from Whanganui will research music performance at the University of California San Diego, California towards a DMA at the University of Waikato. Liam graduated with a BMus in Classical Performance from the University of Auckland in 2013, an MMus (Hons First Class) from the University of Waikato in 2017 and completed the Professional Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music in 2019. Jordan Hamel from Timaru will complete a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jordan graduated with a BA/LLB in 2015 from the University of Otago. Bronte Heron from Taranaki will complete

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Fulbright New Zealand 2022 awardees

University of Auckland staff, students and alumni a strong presence amongst 2022 Fulbright NZ award winners

Fulbright New Zealand 2022 awardees announced WELLINGTON, 14 June, 2022 – University of Auckland staff, students and alumni feature prominently in the lineup of recently announced Fulbright New Zealand 2022 awardees. The Fulbright Programme of educational exchange is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. New Zealand was only the fifth Fulbright Commission in the world, signing up to the programme in 1948. Since then, it has awarded more than 1900 scholarships to New Zealand graduate students, artists, academics and professionals to undertake further research in the US, and welcomed more than 1,600 Americans on exchanges to New Zealand. This year, of the 27-strong Fulbright New Zealand cohort, 12 have affiliations with the University of Auckland. University of Auckland Vice Chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater said, “I am pleased to see so many UoA staff, students, and alumni have received Fulbright awards this year. There is no question that a Fulbright award offers a lifechanging experience that will continue to open doors throughout a recipient’s career. It’s exciting to see our people making the most of this opportunity.” The University of Auckland associated Fulbright awardees for 2022 are: Zoë Henry (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Makefu – Niue) from Auckland will research Indigenous conceptions of punishment at the University of California, Los Angeles towards a PhD at the University of Auckland. Zoë graduated with a BA in 2014, BA (Hons Second Class) in History in 2016, and an MA (First Class) in History in 2018 from the University of Auckland Bronte Heron from Taranaki will complete a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the New School, New York City. Bronte graduated with a BFA (Hons First Class) in 2016 from Elam School of Fine Arts, and an MA in Creative Writing in 2021 from the International Institute of Modern Letters at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Melody Yunjeong Kim from Auckland will research childhood trauma and youth mental health at the University of Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts towards a PhD at the University of Auckland. Melody graduated with a BSc in Psychology in 2020, and a BSc (Hons First Class) in 2021 from the University of Auckland. Rayhan Langdan from Wellington will complete a Master of Laws in electoral law at the University of California, in Berkeley, California. Rayhan graduated with an LLB (Hons) and a BA in History and Politics in 2018 from the University of Auckland. Alehandrea Raiha Manuel (Ngāti Pōrou) will research equity and telehealth in Indigenous ear and hearing healthcare at the University of Arizona in Tucson Arizona, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas towards a PhD at the University of Auckland. Alehandrea graduated with a BHSc and PGDipPH (Distinction) in 2012 from the University of Auckland, and an MAudSt in 2014 from the University of Queensland. Sophie Oliff from Wellington will complete a Masters of Science in Clinical Service Operations at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. Sophie graduated with a BHSc

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2023 Ian Axford Fellowships for Rachel Wolbers and Sam Mulopulos

2023 Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy announced

Two Fellows to visit New Zealand in 2023 Two Fellows have been selected this year for Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy. The Fellows will arrive in February 2023 spend six months in New Zealand to carry out the following research projects: Rachel Wolbers from the Oversight Board (for Meta) will research “Next Steps for the Christchurch Call to Action” while gaining experience at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Sam Mulopulos from Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, U.S. Senate, will research “Supply Chain Resiliency: A comparative Analysis of Policy Solutions in New Zealand and the United States” while gaining experience at the Treasury and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Reposted from News (axfordfellowships.org.nz)

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The 2022 Fulbright NZ Scholars

Congratulations to the 2022 Fulbright NZ Scholars!

2022 Fulbright Scholars tacking challenging issues WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 22 February 2022 — Fulbright New Zealand is proud to announce the 2022 Fulbright New Zealand Scholar and Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award recipients. Each scholar will head to the US to pursue independent research at various US institutions, forming international collaborations to solve some of the world’s most challenging issues. The 2022 cohort joins the Fulbright NZ Scholars from 2020 and 2021 whose travel was delayed by Covid.  The 2022 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars are: The 2022 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar is: Will is the Kaihautū Māori at Te Hononga Akoranga COMET Auckland and elected to the Henderson-Massey Local Board.

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Jenni Tupu

Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2021 Graduate Award winner announced

Jenni Tupu to research Indigenous identity at two key institutions in the US WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – 06/07/2021 — Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) are thrilled to announce that Jenni Tupu (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Hine, Samoa) is the recipient of the 2021 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate award which will enable her to undertake research in the US.   Jenni Tupu from Tāmaki Makaurau/ Auckland is a PhD candidate at the University of Otago and her main area of research is Indigenous identity development of Māori who were adopted under the closed adoption practice in Aotearoa. Her work considers the identity journeys of Māori who were adopted and raised without connection to whakapapa (genealogy) and the influence adoption has made on their children and subsequent generations. Jenni says, “I have been inspired by the emerging scholarship about the practice of closed adoption of Māori children, and I want to learn more about the identity journeys of Indigenous people where disconnection has been a key factor.” Jenni has a Graduate Diploma in Leadership (Māori Development) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management from Unitec Institute of Technology, and graduated with a Master of Indigenous Studies with Distinction from the University of Otago in 2012. The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga award will allow Jenni to pursue further research into Indigenous identity at two key institutions in the US: Amara, a non-profit child welfare organisation in Seattle; and the National Native American Boarding School Coalition in Minneapolis. Amara’s “Adoption Files Initiative” launched in 2019 is of particular interest to Jenni. Its aim is to review over 3700 adoption files and ensure adoptees receive information they were unable to access previously due to former laws and social work practices. “Being an adoptee and being able to contribute to this work is an honour. I have sought all my life for my true identity and have faced many hurdles where there were either no records or limited information was stored in my adoption files. Working in this field provides an opportunity to help other adoptees fill in the many gaps that exist in our childhoods.” At the National Native American Boarding School Coalition, Jenni will have the opportunity to work alongside staff whose mission is to address the ongoing trauma caused by the Indian Boarding School policy, which was in effect in the US from 1860 to the early 1970s. When she returns to New Zealand, on completion of her PhD, Jenni plans to continue her work. Her overall goal is to help the restoration of whanau and to support the practice and legalisation of whāngai (traditional Māori kinship adoption and fostering practice). “My hopes and aspirations have always been that tamariki and mokopuna don’t experience the insecurities that I have felt when questioned about my cultural identity and whakapapa.” NPM Co-Director and Fulbright alumna Professor Tahu Kukutai comments, “Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is really excited to be able to work with Fulbright to enable

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Pounamu Aikman

Fulbright 2021 Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar announced

Dr Pounamu Aikman to work on comparative study of Indigenous experiences of settler colonialism WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – 06/07/2021 — Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence are delighted to announce that Dr Pounamu Jade Aikman (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Awa) is the 2021 recipient of the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award to undertake research in the US. Dr Aikman is currently based in Wellington. He will take up his award at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he will be based in the History Department. His project builds on his doctoral research which examined the nexus between Indigenous sovereignty and settler state violence in Aotearoa/ New Zealand. While at Harvard, Dr Aikman will work on a comparative study of Indigenous experiences of settler colonialism in Aotearoa and the United States. Dr Aikman says, “I’m excited to kōrero and wānanga with other Indigenous scholars working in their ancestral landscapes, in building whanaungatanga and collaborating with them on similar experiences of settler colonialism and Indigenous sovereignty.” The annual Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is valued at up to US$37,500 for three to five months of teaching and/or research at US institutions.   “Pounamu is a great Māori scholar. We are incredibly proud to help enable the furtherance of his significant research in this international comparative manner,” says Professor Tahu Kukutai, Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director, Penelope Borland, says “We are so pleased to support Pounamu’s research and look forward to hearing more about his findings particularly as it pertains to Indigenous experiences of state violence and how this differs between Aotearoa and the US.” Applications for the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar award are open now. The closing date is October 1. For more details, please visit the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar award page. END Media contacts Josie McClutchie Media and Communications Advisor, Ngā Pae o te MāramatangaEmail: [email protected] Therese Lloyd Senior Communications Advisor, Fulbright New ZealandEmail: [email protected]

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The 2020 cohort of New Zealand Scholar Award Grantees

Announcing the 2020 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars

2020 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars will study a wide range of topics in the US Monday 10 February, 2020 — Fulbright New Zealand is proud to announce the 2020 cohort of New Zealand Scholar Award Grantees. Representing five different universities and research institutions in New Zealand, each scholar will travel to the United States as early as July 2020 to pursue independent research and form international connections. Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says, “We are very pleased to announce this year’s Fulbright New Zealand and Fulbright Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholars, and we are excited to be supporting the variety of research areas being pursued, and the institutions this year’s scholars represent.” The 2020 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars are: The 2020 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is: The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is for a New Zealand academic, artist or professional to lecture and/or conduct research at a US institution in the field of indigenous development. The Fulbright programme operates in over 155 countries and is one of the largest and most significant movements of scholars across the face of the earth. Fulbright Scholar awards are unique in that they are available for research in any field, but are united in their common goal to forge international collaboration. “Dr Tuaupiki, Professor Jahnke and Dr Love are outstanding Māori scholars who are conducting vital research central to mātauranga Māori knowledge.  We are incredibly proud to see these scholars receiving these preeminent awards to further their work in this international comparative manner” says Professor Jacinta Ruru, Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga.  “I was inspired to apply for a Fulbright Award because the philosophy of Fulbright focusses on fostering intercultural relationships. It provides an opportunity for academic exchange with other like-minded scholars and their communities. This focus appeals to my indigenous sensibility”, says Huia Jahnke. “Social and cultural engagement is at the heart of dance practice and aligns well with the Fulbright mission to engage with and develop shared understandings”, says Karen Barbour. The 2020 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars will be honoured at the annual Award Ceremony in June. For more information or for interviews with any of our scholars, please see contact details below. Contacts Fulbright New Zealand Therese Lloyd, Senior Communications AdvisorPhone: 04 472 2065, Email: [email protected] Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Josie McClutchie, Media and Communications AdvisorEmail: [email protected] For Karen Barbour please contact [email protected]  For Huia Jahnke please contact [email protected] For Tyron Love please contact [email protected] For Shona Munro please contact [email protected] For Dianne Sika-Paotonu please contact [email protected] For Haki Tuaupiki please contact [email protected] For Stuart Young please contact [email protected] About Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards are for New Zealand academics, artists or professionals to lecture and/or conduct research at US institutions. A small number of awards valued at up to US$37,500 are granted each year, towards three to five months of lecturing and/or research. These awards are available for lecturing and/or research in any

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Daneille Lindsay researching the Kaikoura earthquake

2019 Fulbright-EQC award winner, Danielle Lindsay, heading to UC Berkeley to complete PhD

Thursday 13 June, 2019 Fulbright-EQC award winner talks about her journey to understand how earthquakes shape our land (video below) Dropping out of a helicopter to research the impact of the Kaikōura earthquake was one of many adventures for geophysics graduate Danielle Lindsay. The Wellington researcher will soon be heading to the University of California, Berkeley to complete a PhD in Geophysics and use that knowledge to help prepare her fellow Kiwis, as this year’s recipient of the Fulbright-EQC Graduate Award in Natural Disaster Research. Danielle says that during her graduate studies, it has been sobering to realise how vulnerable people can be to devastating natural disasters. “During my graduate studies, I have realised how important understanding the fundamental geological forces driving these events is, and how this knowledge helps society better prepare for and mitigate the effects of natural disasters.” The $US44,000 ($NZ66,000) Fulbright-EQC Award is funded by the Earthquake Commission and will enable Danielle to undertake her PhD research that focuses on earthquakes, slow slip events and how they interact. Slip events and possible links with large earthquakes “Some of the big questions facing New Zealand at the moment relate to the interactions of locked and slipping patches of the Hikurangi Subduction Zone, and how ruptures could propagate between them and their potential magnitudes,” says Danielle. “I want the research I complete to have a real impact on the society I live in,” says the Victoria University of Wellington student. EQC’s Hilary Blake says Danielle’s research will add to the body of scientific knowledge about slow slip earthquakes. “This is a very important area of research for New Zealand as we know slow slip earthquakes are involved in some of our biggest risk areas, like the Hikurangi subduction zone. The more we can understand the link between slow slip events and larger earthquakes, the better information we can give communities to help prepare.” Applications for all New Zealand Graduate Awards, including the Fulbright-EQC Graduate Award in Natural Disaster Research, are due 1 August annually. About the Earthquake Commission (EQC) The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is a Crown entity, established under the Earthquake Commission Act 1993. The Earthquake and War Damages Commission began in 1945 following the 1942 Wairarapa Earthquake. In the years since, the role of EQC has changed significantly. Today, our core functions are as follows and our statutory functions are set out in section 5 of the Act. These three core functions are essential for New Zealand to effectively manage natural disaster risk. Find out more on the EQC website. About Fulbright New Zealand Fulbright New Zealand opens doors for tomorrow’s leaders and thinkers through life-changing educational and cultural exchanges between New Zealand and the United States. The Fulbright Forum is a speaker series aimed at addressing topical areas of research that affect our world. The recent Fulbright Women in STEM panel in May 2019 included Fulbright alumnae Helen Ferner, Technical Director in Structural Engineering at BECA New Zealand, and is available as a podcast audio. Fulbright

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Science teacher Dianne Christenson with her students on the mat in class

NZ science teacher shares ‘unbelievable experience’ – Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching

Stokes Valley teacher has ‘incredible experience’ in Syracuse, New York Dianne Christenson is the lead teacher for science at Koraunui Primary School in Stokes Valley where she teaches a Year 3–5 class. In 2018 she was selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Programme and in early 2019 traveled to Syracuse University in New York for the four-month professional development programme. Experience shared with the EdGazette Dianne describes her time spent in the US as ‘an unbelievable experience’. She recently spoke to the EdGazette about the experience. Read the full article printed in issue 19, or online here. “I visited three schools where their complete learning was based on locally based projects. It was so different from what many schools do in New Zealand,” she says. The professional development programme introduced Dianne to new concepts in teaching science and writing and she was able to work with a fellow Fulbright recipient, Ranielle Miranda-Navarro from the Philippines. Ambitious Science is a science teaching framework she learnt about which emphasises project-based learning and provides a way to scaffold writing about science while looking at big science ideas to engage children. “In our classroom, we started to develop a model. We do an experiment and we talk about the kids’ ideas; you put up everybody’s ideas, which builds equity as everybody feels their ideas are valued. Then you move on to do additional experiments that are going to draw out the things you want to learn. It builds vocabulary and oral language brilliantly – it’s about integration – linking reading and writing with science,” she says. Read the full EdGazette article. Award Information The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Programme is for highly accomplished New Zealand teachers in primary or secondary schooling to participate in an intensive professional development programme in the US. Two awards are granted each year for this programme. The recipients of the 2019 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Programme for NZ Teachers will travel to the US in January 2020. The 2019 award recipients are Michelle Ballard, Deputy Principal at Mount Maunganui College, and Dr Susan Peoples, Head of Sciences at Fiordland College. Applications for the 2020 awards are open now! Apply by 15 March 2020. Find out more. Feature photo by Mark Tantrum.

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Part of Campbell Patterson's exhibition at Pah Homestead in September 2019

Campbell Patterson receives Fulbright NZ Scholar – Visual Artist Award – ten-week artist residency in California

Campbell to explore the effect on mental health and the underlying discomfort that springs from not having a solid or reliable foundation Media Release 17 October 2019 — Fulbright New Zealand is pleased to congratulate this year’s recipient of the Fulbright NZ Scholar – Visual Artist Award, Campbell Patterson from Dunedin. The annual award is for an outstanding New Zealand visual artist to undertake a ten-week residency at Headlands Center for the Arts in Sausalito, California, United States. While on the residency next year, Patterson will explore and expand his art practice with film, performance and temporary sculpture and plans to investigate ideas surrounding housing insecurity and the discomfort resulting from not having a reliable home foundation. Patterson received the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship in 2017 and was Artist in Residence at McCahon House in 2015. He graduated with a BFA from University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts in 2006. Patterson’s work explores issues related to time, repetition, discomfort, humour and routine – and he works in many mediums, painting, sculpture, sound/music, writing and film. He regularly exhibits at Michael Lett Gallery in Auckland and has a new short film at AURA Festival of Artists Moving Images in Wellington in October 2019. Other recent exhibitions include ‘call sick’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery (2017), ‘Art as a Verb’, Artspace, Sydney (2015) and ‘Made Active: The Chartwell Show’, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki (2012). Penelope Borland, Executive Director of Fulbright New Zealand, says the Headlands Center for the Arts in California is renowned for being a supportive and creative environment and she is excited to see how Patterson’s work will develop while on the residency. Patterson is looking forward to developing his work in an unfamiliar place, and building new relationships with other artists and professionals while on the residency. The Fulbright NZ Scholar – Visual Artist Award is granted to one recipient each year and is valued at US$24,000 towards a ten-week artist residency at Headlands Center for the Arts. Past alumni of the award are Emma Fitts, Rebecca Swan, Steve Carr, Simon Morris, Phil Dadson, Ruth Watson, Brydee Rood, Mark Braunias and Richard Maloy. Fulbright New Zealand also welcomes applications from artists for the annual Fulbright Graduate Awards and Scholar Awards. This year Emma McIntyre is undertaking an MFA at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, on a Fulbright Graduate Award and Fiona Amundsen is undertaking a research project at CalArts in Santa Clarita, California on a Fulbright Scholar Award. About Headlands Center for the Arts Headlands Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary, international arts campus in Northern California dedicated to supporting artists, the creative process, and the development of new innovative ideas and artwork. The Headlands campus comprises a cluster of artist-rehabilitated military buildings located at historic Fort Barry in the Marin Headlands, just north of San Francisco in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Visit www.headlands.org About Fulbright New Zealand Fulbright New Zealand opens doors for tomorrow’s leaders and thinkers through life-changing

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Ambassador Brown, Carrie Clifford and the Rt Hon Winston Peters.

Carrie Clifford awarded 2019 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Award

Carrie to research Indigenous conceptualisations of child development, mental health, and treatment Fulbright New Zealand and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) are pleased to announce Carrie Clifford (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) as the recipient of the 2019 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award. Carrie Clifford, from Gore, graduated from the University of Otago with a BSc in Psychology in 2015 and a BSc (Hons First Class) in 2016. Carrie was honoured alongside other 2019 Fulbright Award recipients at the Fulbright New Zealand Awards Ceremony on 17 June, hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon Winston Peters at Parliament Banquet Hall in Wellington. Carrie leaves for the US in July, and will be there for over ten months to undertake research in to Indigenous conceptualisations of child development, mental health, and treatment at two US institutions – the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado and John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Her research is towards a PhD she will complete with the University of Otago. “As a young Māori scholar, being supported to visit the US for research really appealed to me – this award allows me to travel overseas and gain international experience, and to then complete a PhD in Aotearoa, alongside Māori communities and academics.” The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga award will allow Carrie to spend time with leading clinical psychologists in the US who are focused on child and adolescent development. At the University of Colorado she will be working alongside Professors from the Centers for American India and Alaska Native Health. When she returns to New Zealand, Carrie will be focusing her research on improving culturally-responsive clinical practice and developing Māori approaches to mental health, and has been exploring using pūrākau (storytelling) in clinical settings with children. “My mahi aims to move away from a deficit approach to mental-health, with a current focus on diagnosis and labels, towards empowering our whānau to understand the difficulties they are facing. We must build upon the strengths and resources whānau have, and allow whānau to reconnect with their culture,” she says. Carrie Clifford at the Fulbright Awards Ceremony in Wellington, with family and friends. Carrie grew up in Gore, in a farming family. She says that in recent years she has learned more about her Waitaha tipuna, which has inspired her through her education journey. “My tipuna, Waitaha chief Haimona Rakiraki gifted land to establish a school in the late 19th century at Kaka Point, in the hope that his descendants would be educated and stand strong in both Te Ao Māori and western world” she says. “My parents hope too was that their children would be the first generation to finish school and go to university.” Waitaha chief Haimona Rakiraki (1800-1895) at Karoro Creek near Kaka Point in Southland. Photo circa 1860. NPM Co-Director and past Fulbright alumni Professor Jacinta Ruru comments “Everyone here at Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga wishes Carrie all the best. She is an outstanding graduate and awardee and we have

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The 2019 Fulbright General Graduate cohort

Meet the 2019 Fulbright Graduate Award winners

Meet our awardees This year, eleven exceptional New Zealand graduates from across Aotearoa have been granted a 2019 Fulbright General Graduate Award. Congratulations to you all. Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle Hitaua (Ngāi Tahu, Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi) from Christchurch, has been awarded a Fulbright award to support his planned research at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Hitaua will undertake research into positive educational outcomes through use of brief social psychology interventions towards his PhD at the University of Otago. He graduated with a BA (Hons First Class) in Psychology and a BCom in Marketing Management from the University of Otago in 2015. Grace Francis Grace, from Cambridge, will complete a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano at the Julliard School in New York City, New York. Grace graduated with a BMus (Hons First Class) in Classical Performance from the University of Auckland in 2014. Abbas Nazari Abbas, from Christchurch, will complete a Masters of Security Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Abbas graduated with a BA (Hons First Class) in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Canterbury in 2016. Emma McIntyre Emma, from Auckland, will complete a Master of Fine Arts specialising in Contemporary Painting at ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles, California. Emma graduated with a BVA in Painting from Auckland University of Technology in 2011 and an MFA from the University of Auckland in 2016. Jessica Stubbing Jessica (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngai Takoto) from Auckland, will research adolescent suicide at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, towards a PhD at the University of Auckland. Jessica graduated with a BA in Psychology and Drama (Hons First Class) from the University of Auckland in 2018. Melanie Puka Melanie, from Wellington, will complete a PhD in Geography at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Melanie graduated with a BA/LLB conjoint in Development Studies in 2017 and a MDevStud in 2019 from Victoria University of Wellington. Auckland Law Graduates heading to Harvard University Sarah Alawi Sarah, from Auckland, will specialise in Dispute Resolution for a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sarah graduated with a BA and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 2015. Fuimaono Dylan Asafo Dylan, also from Auckland, will be specialising in Critical Race Theory and Minority Rights for a Master of Laws at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dylan graduated with an LLB/BHSc conjoint in 2017 from the University of Auckland and an LLM (First Class Hons) from the University of Auckland in 2019. New Zealanders off to New York Robert Schultz and Jack Davies, both from Auckland and graduates of The University of Auckland, will be heading to New York City in 2019. Robert Schultz Robert will specialise in Dispute Resolution for a Master of Laws at Columbia University in New York City, NY. He graduated with a BA and an LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 2014. Jack Davies Jack is specialising in International Business Regulation,

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The Fulbright New Zealand Science and Innovation Award recipients

2019 Science & Innovation Graduates

Congratulations to this year’s Fulbright New Zealand Science and Innovation Award recipients We’re delighted to introduce the following New Zealand graduates who are heading to the US in a couple of months to pursue further study and research in areas of innovation, science and technology. The annual Science and Innovation graduate awards are offered in partnership with the Science and Innovation group at MBIE and are valued at up to US$40,000 (plus NZ$4,000 travel funding) for up to one year of study or research in the US. Students undertaking multi-year Masters or PhD degrees have the opportunity to apply for additional funding of up to US$30,000 towards their second year of study. Marise Stuart Dr Marise Stuart (Ngāpuhi ki Taiamai, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa) – will be supported over two years, to complete a Master of Medical Science in Global Health Delivery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Marise is from from Te Tai Tokerau, and grew up in Wairarapa. She gained a bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery in 2014, from the University of Otago. Nandini Nair Nandini Nair from Wellington has also been granted a Fulbright award to support two years of a Master in Design for Interactions at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She will be focusing on services and social innovation. Nandini graduated with a BDes (Hons) in Visual Communication Design from Massey University in 2012. Ema Hao’uli Ema Hao’uli from Auckland will complete a Master of Public Administration specialising in Economic and Financial Policy at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  Ema graduated with an LLB (Hons) and a BA in History and Political Studies from the University of Auckland in 2014. Injy Johnstone Injy Johnstone from Dunedin will complete a Master of Laws specialising in Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Injy graduated with a BSc in Physical Geography from the University of Otago in 2017 and an LLB (Hons First Class) from Victoria University of Wellington in 2018. Oliver Armstrong-Scott Oliver Armstrong-Scott from Wellington will complete a Master of Public Health specialising in Global Health at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Oliver graduated with an MBChB from the University of Otago in 2016. Mitchell Chandler Mitchell Chandler from Nelson will complete a PhD in Physical Oceanography at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California San Diego in San Diego, California. Mitchell graduated with a BSc in Oceanography from the University of Otago in 2017 and a BSC (Hons) in Geophysics from the University of Auckland in 2018. UC Engineering grads to California Ribu Dhakal and Nicholas Goodson are both Engineering graduates from University of Canterbury and are both headed off to California in 2019. Ribu Dhakal Ribu will research liquefaction of reclaimed soils at the University of California Berkeley, in Berkeley California, towards his PhD at the University of Canterbury. He graduated with a BE (Hons First Class) in Civil Engineering from the University of Canterbury in 2017. Nicholas Goodson Nicholas

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Oscar Kightley

Oscar Kightley receives 2019 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency

Plans to write screenplay and reconnect with writers in Hawai’i Wednesday 12 June 2019 WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — This year’s Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency at the University of Hawai’i has been awarded to Oscar Kightley. Oscar is an award-winning journalist, writer, playwright, actor, presenter and director from Auckland. He was a 2006 Arts Foundation Laureate Award winner and was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 for services to theatre and television. As part of the Pacific Writer’s Residency he plans to write a screenplay for a movie which is set within the Samoan community of the US. Oscar was born in Samoa and immigrated to New Zealand with his mother when he was four years old. Oscar spent one week as an artist residence at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa over ten years ago, shortly after the hit movie Sione’s Wedding was released in 2005. He says he looks forward to reconnecting with the writers and community in Hawai’i in 2019. “Those networks are still there. I would be looking to reconnect and deepen not only those links, but I’d like to encourage collaboration with writers from different mediums,” he says. Oscar Kightley, 2019 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency recipient. (Image from 2016 Arts Pasifika Awards, Photo CC Creative NZ, Photographer Sarah Hunter) Oscar co-founded Pacific Underground and the Island Players theatre company and won the Bruce Mason playwrights’ award in 1998. His plays include: He was one of the Naked Samoans, and has worked as a performer and writer for a number of television shows. He co-wrote the popular Bro’Town which won Best Comedy at NZ Screen Awards 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2013 Oscar wrote and directed his first dramatic short, Tom’s Diary which won best short at a film festival in Belize. He also wrote for the gritty television police drama Harry, in which he played the dramatic lead. “As a Pasifika writer, director and story teller I am lucky to live in a country like New Zealand whose institutions have helped grow and develop Pasifika storytelling. I’ve been able to enjoy a long career during which I’ve written for the stage, small and big screens,” he says. “While in Hawai’i I would like to attend and give talks in which I can draw on my professional experience, to help indigenous writers based in Hawaii, in any small way that I can.” Oscar will be based at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in Honolulu for three months later this year. Hawai‘i has been identified as a strategic location for artists and is considered the hub of Pacific writing with numerous universities, library resources, networks, writers’ forums and publishers. It is also an important link to the mainland US and has a strong indigenous culture. Oscar and the other 2019 Fulbright Grantees will be honoured at the annual Fulbright New Zealand Awards Ceremony at Parliament on Monday 17 June 2019, hosted by Deputy

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Fulbright New Zealand logo

New Logo & Brand Refresh

Renewed commitment to the Fulbright mission made visible 23 May, 2019 Fulbright New Zealand has a new logo and visual identity. Our refreshed Fulbright identity shows how the Fulbright Program innovates to meet complex global challenges and increase mutual understanding. It demonstrates Fulbright’s renewed commitment to its mission: to forge lasting connections, counter global misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals. The updated Fulbright identity better enables Fulbright’s broad network of alumni, supporters, and partners to attract the most talented and passionate applicants from all backgrounds from across New Zealand and America. Input gathered from global Fulbright connections To undertake the Fulbright brand strengthening work, the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the Fulbright Program’s Leadership at the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) gathered input from around the world – from Fulbright alumni, current Fulbright students and Scholars, private sector and NGO partners, binational commissions around the globe, leaders in higher education, potential Fulbrighters, and many others. The new Fulbright logo and visual identity communicate the unique attributes that contribute to the Fulbright Programme’s impact around the world. Brand elements The three main brand elements and colours communicate the Fulbright brand and values succinctly and in a compelling way: Educational and Cultural Exchange International educational and cultural exchange programs for passionate and accomplished people of all backgrounds to study, teach, or pursue important research and professional projects in the United States and in more than 160 partner countries worldwide. Lasting Connections Lasting connections among your global network of scholars, alumni, global partners, and educational communities that lead to lifelong collaborations. Mutual Understanding Mutual understanding that counters misunderstandings and helps nations and people solve pressing problems and work together toward common goals. Sustainable roll out in New Zealand We are excited to begin using the new logo in Aotearoa to support our communications goals and the Fulbright New Zealand mission. The new logo is immediately in use on our digital channels and will be rolled out across our physical collateral in a sustainable way over the coming weeks.

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Aerial view of Wellington City showing the Beehive in the foreground

2020 Axford Fellows in Public Policy to undertake research at Oranga Tamariki & Ministry of Social Development

Recipients of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships in Public Policy for 2020 announced The Ian Axford Fellowships Trust and Fulbright New Zealand are pleased to announce the recipients of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships in Public Policy for 2020. Congratulations to Rachel Galanter (North Carolina) and Melissa Favreault (Washington DC) – we look forward to welcoming you to New Zealand early next year. Rachel Galanter Rachel Galanter is Executive Director of Exchange Family Center in Durham, North Carolina. She will be based with Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) for 3.5 months conducting research in to prevention of child maltreatment and early intervention to ensure child wellbeing. “Focusing on Prevention/Early Intervention would include exploring what early intervention includes, assessing gaps in services, and determining how to measure outcomes.  My experience working in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programs will assist me in a thoughtful examination of the available research,” Rachel says. “I have practical experience delivering interventions, assessing implementation drivers to determine capacity for adopting new practices, planning summits, credentialing providers, providing professional development to providers, evaluating interventions, leading continuous quality improvement, creating manuals, and participating in community conversations about next steps.” “Both the US and NZ would benefit from a deeper understanding of how to best identify early signs of need, the service array required to address needs, and the potential outcomes to anticipate from investments in early intervention and prevention.  As a local leader who serves on county and state planning committees, advisory boards, and task forces to determine how to best support children’s health, development, resilience after adversity, and educational success, my capacity would be enhanced by this fellowship.” Rachel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Columbia University and her Master’s in Public Health (Maternal and Child Health) at the University of North Carolina. She joined the Exchange Family Center in 2000 as the Family Support Program Manager. In 2013 Rachel was presented with the prestigious Donna Stone Award by Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, recognising her significant contributions to supporting and her efforts to bring evidence-based family strengthening programs to agencies throughout the area. Melissa Favreault Melissa Favreault is Senior Fellow in the Income and benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC. She studies social insurance and social assistance programs and has written extensively about Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income. She evaluates how well these programs serve Americans today and how various policy changes and ongoing economic and demographic trends could alter outcomes for future generations. While on the Axford Fellowship in 2020 she will be hosted in New Zealand by the Ministry of Social Development for six months to conduct a comparative study of participation in government income support programmes for working-age adults with disabilities. “I propose to undertake a comparative study of the policy challenges of supporting working-age adults with disabilities and high health care needs in New Zealand and the United States,” Melissa says. “After describing each country’s systems of government programs, my project will

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A photo montage of the 2019 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars

2019 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars Announced

Scholars to head to US for research in 2019 WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, 19 February, 2019 — Fulbright New Zealand is proud to announce the 2019 New Zealand Scholar Award Grantees. Representing six different universities and research institutions in New Zealand, each scholar will head to the US as early as August 2019 to pursue independent research in the United States, forming international collaborations to solve some of the world’s challenging issues. The 2019 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars are: The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is for a New Zealand academic, artist or professional to lecture and/or conduct research at a US institution in the field of indigenous development. The 2019 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar is: Fulbright Scholar awards are unique in that they are available for research in any field, but are united in the common goal to forge international collaboration and have a transformational impact in their area of expertise. “I was initially inspired by Senator Fulbright’s original aims of establishing a greater sense of mutual understanding of one another’s cultural difference, along with promoting peace and friendship.  While this Fulbright award allows for valuable and concentrated time to develop a significant new body of artworks, it also provides connections to an established whanau network,” said Fiona Amundsen. “I have known a number of Fulbright alumni, and every one of them have all spoken of their Fulbright experiences as having been really significant in terms of making important networks and connections, while providing them with a much broader perspective on the common issues,” said Rangimarie Mahuika. The 2019 Fulbright New Zealand Scholars will be honoured at the annual Fulbright Award Ceremony in June. For more information or for interviews with any of our scholars, please contact Fulbright New Zealand Communications Manager Rachel Tilghman on Ph. 04 494 1507 or at [email protected]. ENDS. About Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards are for New Zealand academics, artists or professionals to lecture and/or conduct research at US institutions. A small number of awards valued at up to US$37,500 are granted each year, towards three to five months of lecturing and/or research. These awards are available for lecturing and/or research in any field, at any US institute. Applications for Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Awards close 1 October annually. About Fulbright New Zealand Fulbright New Zealand was established in 1948 to promote mutual understanding througheducational and cultural exchanges between New Zealand and the United States of America. The Fulbright programme offers a range of prestigious awards for New Zealand and American graduate students, academics, artists and professionals to study, research and teach in each other’s countries. More than 3,000 people have benefited from a Fulbright exchange between New Zealand and the United States to date. The programme is jointly funded by the US and New Zealand governments with additional funding from award sponsors, private philanthropists and alumni donors.

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Rangi Matamua

Connections written in the stars

Dr Rangi Matamua (Ngai Tuhoe), lecturer in Māori and Pacific Development at University of Waikato, received the 2014 Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award. He used the grant to research how astronomy is embedded within the cultural practices of indigenous peoples at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. When Hamilton-based lecturer Dr Rangi Matamua travelled to University of Minnesota Duluth to research indigenous astronomy, he expected there might be the odd similarity between how Māori and Native American peoples see the stars. Talking with people in the United States on his exchange, he was struck by the deep connections these communities from opposite sides of the world share when it comes to the night sky. Dr Matamua set out to tackle a project titled ‘Ngā tātai arorangi taketake, Indigenous Astronomy’. His initial project was to explore the connections between astronomy but the scope grew to become a larger study of indigenous astronomy. The original goal was to understand the place of traditional astronomy within Native American peoples and to compare this to the Māori situation. “My own research is based on the revitalisation and regeneration of Māori astronomy and for the past 20 years has involved a detailed search of all remaining Māori astronomical literature, a Māori language based exploration of songs, chants, prayers, phrases, proverbs that reference astronomy, a rediscovery of precious manuscripts that contain Māori astronomy and a series of interviews with Māori language and cultural experts who know aspects of Māori astronomy,” Dr Matamua says. Rangi and family at the Statue of Liberty His research resulted in the creation of a large and extensive body of work based on Māori astronomy, which contradicts the beliefs of early New Zealand ethnographers and some currentresearchers who believe the record on Māori astronomy is limited at best. “At the time I made the application for the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga Award I assumed that the Māori situation would mirror that of the Native American peoples. However, what I came to realise during the course of my research, especially when I interviewed and interacted with elders and knowledge holders from the various communities, is that the record in America is extensive indeed.” While it is possible to group Māori astronomy into one body of work because the beliefs are so similar across the many tribal groups, this is not the case in America. Due to the extensive land mass and the cultural differences between the different nations, there are many astronomical records and a host of different beliefs and practices. “Even with the variety of peoples and beliefs there are a number of similar principles and approaches in the astronomical knowledge of the Native American people that mirror that of the Māori,” Dr Matamua says. “Issues such as embedding astronomical knowledge and science within cultural understandings and cosmology, the importance of heliacal stars, the belief that people descend from the stars, theinfusing of astronomical knowledge within cultural practise, seasonal activities, the landscape, religious beliefs and even within the language

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