The list of Australian academics receiving prestigious Fulbright Scholar awards is out – and the range of successful applicants represents a mix of city and regional tertiary institutions across the country.
Fulbright is the United States’ (US) government’s flagship international educational exchange program. It is also among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world, with an aim to broaden cultural understanding and the bilateral exchange of research and ideas.
But as well as enabling roughly 850 faculty and professionals from around the world to experience the opportunity of travelling to American universities, the Fulbright Program also sends US Fulbright Scholars to Australian universities – and the benefits of that can leave an impact on students for a lifetime.
Sharing knowledge is a powerful thing
Macquarie University is proud to announce it will host two distinguished Fulbright scholars who will contribute their expertise to the University’s academic community and underscore what the university says is its “commitment to fostering global collaboration and excellence in education and research”.
András Komaromy is a Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at Michigan State University. He brings his research background in vision and ophthalmology to Macquarie University to collaborate on a project to develop an innovative gene therapy treatment for glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible vision loss.
Virginia Gilliland recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Davidson College, North Carolina, specialising in Marine Science. She will work with the Marine Ecology Group at Macquarie University, using cutting-edge technologies, including aerial drones and remote underwater vehicles, to understand the effectiveness of zoning on the Great Barrier Reef and better inform marine management and conservation initiatives.
“We are honoured to welcome Professor András Komaromy and Virginia Gilliland to Macquarie University,” Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) says.
“Their exceptional accomplishments and dedication to advancing knowledge align seamlessly with our commitment to fostering a culture of research excellence and a globally connected academic community.”
Sydney researchers bound for Harvard and Georgetown
Five University of Sydney academics and alumni will travel to the US as part of the Fulbright Scholarship Program.
Their areas of research range from history to bioinformatics, journalism, and medical science, with the researchers sponsored to travel and stay in the United States at host institutions while completing research projects designed to further connections between the two countries.
“I’m delighted to congratulate the five members of the University community recognised with Fulbright Scholarships this year who will be hosted by prestigious institutions like Georgetown University, Harvard, and the Mayo Clinic,” says the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Emma Johnston.
With research into areas including data journalism, geopolitical history, cancer treatment & quality of life, prenatal alcohol exposure and organ transplant health, Professor Johnston believes their impact will be broad – with the potential for each awardee to make a meaningful impact in their individual fields.
The university will also host an academic as part of the exchange.
Exploring responses to conflict
One of this year’s awardees at the university is Lecturer in History in the School of Humanities Dr Niro Kandasamy.
She teaches histories of conflict, refugee resettlement, and international relations and will use her Fulbright research – hosted by Georgetown University in Washington DC – to identify and assess how the US and Australia have responded to conflicts in the Indian Ocean region during the twentieth century. The findings from the project will help to advance contemporary historical understandings of the region and offer important insights to Australian policymakers.
Strengthening investigative journalism skills
Fulbright Postgraduate Student Scholar Justine Landis-Hanley is a New York Times-published journalist and award-winning podcaster, currently reporting on federal politics from the Australian press gallery for The Canberra Times. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Saturday Paper, and Crikey. In 2022, she co-hosted Left Right Out, a Spotify-exclusive podcast that answered young people’s questions about Australian politics. It was the #1 news show on the platform in Australia throughout the federal election. Ms Landis-Hanley graduated from the University of Sydney in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) majoring in Philosophy.
With her Fulbright scholarship, she will undertake a Masters of Science (Journalism) specialising in investigative data journalism. Her goal is to help pioneer new ways that journalists can tell data-driven political investigations through emerging mediums to expose political corruption and hold governments to account.
Understanding the evolution of human health
Visiting US Fulbright Scholar Dr Maggs X is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Missouri being hosted by the University of Sydney.
They received their PhD in Comparative Biology from the Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History. Their research focuses on using phylogenetics, single-cell technologies, and comparative genomics to better understand how complex traits evolve at the molecular level.
Dr X’s Fulbright research aims to utilise the rare comparative framework of two reproductively bimodal species that are endemic to Australia to identify genomic features that influence the evolution of egg-laying and live-birth.
A proud history of nurturing international opportunities
In 2024, the Australian-American Fulbright Commission celebrates its 75th year and offers scholarships to Australian citizens across all career stages, with applications for all awards for Australian applicants open annually between March-July.
Three academics and alumni from the University of Tasmania are among those from many Australian universities who have been honoured in this latest round.
In areas across climate change communication, artificial intelligence in medicine and contemporary voice, the researchers will be sponsored to travel and stay in the United States at host institutions while they conduct new research.
The 2024 Fulbright Scholarship recipients from the University of Tasmania are:
- Dr Gabi Mocatta – Climate change communication
Dr Mocatta will visit the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She will work with Professor Ed Maibach and the Virginia Climate Center on a case study to better understand health systems and communities’ climate-health information needs.
“Climate change is the leading global health threat of the 21st century, but health systems almost everywhere are unprepared,” Dr Mocatta says.
“My Fulbright scholarship will create new insights into how we best translate complex climate science information for health systems and the communities they serve, so they can plan for and adapt to a future under climate change. It’s an absolute dream to be able to collaborate with and learn from top experts in my field.”
She says communicating climate change for action in all sectors of society – including the health sector – “is so crucial for the transformative change we need to see”.
“We have little time to get this right,” Dr Mocatta says.
- Saleem Ameen – Artificial intelligence in medicine
Saleem Ameen is completing a PhD at the University of Tasmania’s School of Medicine and a Master of Biomedical Informatics at the Harvard Medical School. He will travel to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to research how AI technologies can help pioneer a preventative approach to colorectal cancer screening. His research aims to improve colon cancer outcomes in marginalised communities.
“The Fulbright Future Scholarship provides a rare opportunity to work alongside leading health AI scientists in Boston, Massachusetts, the global epicentre for bioinformatics and biotechnology research,” Mr Ameen says.
“For me, this experience transcends merely contributing to innovative research; it’s about engaging in a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives, which will empower me to drive meaningful, positive change in the lives of vulnerable populations across Australia and the world, particularly in the critical fight against colorectal cancer.”
Dana Badcock – Contemporary voice
Dana Badcock hails from Devonport and is an RnB singer who graduated from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music on the Honour Roll in 2021. As an experienced producer, and an accomplished music tutor, she currently serves as Head of Voice at Hobart College.
Ms Badcock’s journey bridges performance, education and research, including her Fulbright project focused on unravelling timeless vocal techniques within the Great American Songbook.
“Studying my favourite music genres in their country of origin has always been a dream of mine,” she says.
“This opportunity would not have been possible without the exceptional musical education I received during my undergraduate studies, particularly from Maria Lurighi at the Conservatorium of Music.
“It’s a privilege to represent Australian musicianship, and I aspire to showcase that world-class music can emerge from any corner of the globe, even our little island.”
