Fulbright scholars welcomed to New Zealand

American Fulbright scholars welcomed to New Zealand

Fulbright New Zealand last week welcomed 23 Americans (18 American Fulbright grantees and five Ian Axford Fellows in Public Policy) and their families to New Zealand, where they will study, research or teach over the next 3-12 months. The visitors were welcomed with a week-long orientation programme introducing them to New Zealand, Mäori and Pacific history, culture and language, with the aim of providing valuable background context for their academic exchanges in New Zealand.

The incoming grantees were welcomed with a pöwhiri at Waiwhetü Marae in Lower Hutt alongside the new American Ambassador to New Zealand, David Huebner, on his first official visit there. “It was an honour and pleasure for me to be included in this welcome to Waiwhetü,” said Ambassador Huebner about the visit. “Our cultural and people to people exchanges nurture the warm friendship between New Zealand and the United States.”

The orientation programme also included visits to Te Papa Tongarewa The Museum of New Zealand, Ötari-Wilton’s Bush and Parliament. A complementary series of lectures and seminars throughout the week by field-specific experts (many of whom were Fulbright alumni) covered subjects including the peopling of the Pacific, New Zealand’s flora and fauna, the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand politics.

Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director, Mele Wendt, says that the orientation is an important and enjoyable introduction for American grantees, so much so that departing grantees often remark that it was the highlight of their whole New Zealand experience. This year’s marae visit was extra special with the US Ambassador’s involvement.

This year’s cohort of American grantees includes 12 Fulbright US Graduate Students and 6 Fulbright US Senior Scholars who will study, research or teach in a variety of academic disciplines at universities throughout New Zealand, and five Ian Axford Fellows in Public Policy who will conduct policy research at relevant government agencies in Wellington. Their topics of study and research vary from forestry management, groundwater denitrification and livestock conservation to nutrition, grandparenting and social lending.

ENDS

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