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Fulbright Awards for DCU
Professor Gary Murphy, Associate Professor of Politics in the School of Law and Government at DCU, has received a Fulbright Award to pursue his research into Lobbying Regulation in the United States of America: Lessons for Ireland at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The Fulbright Awards are presented on an annual basis to Irish students, scholars and professionals to undertake postgraduate study and research at higher education, cultural and related institutions in the United States.
The announcement was made at an official ceremony on Thursday 9 June, when awards totalling €285,000 were announced by the Deputy Chief of Mission from the US Embassy in Ireland, Mr. John Hennessey-Niland. The awards are jointly funded by the Irish and US governments under the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange. Fulbright scholarships have provided Irish and US students, scholars and professionals with the opportunity to study, lecture and research at top universities and institutions in the US and Ireland respectively since 1957.
Out of the 25 scholarship awards, 8 are for research and study in the areas of science, technology, environment and health. This year 6 Irish awardees will spend time teaching the language and lecturing in Irish culture as Fulbright FLTA. The remaining 10 recipients will conduct study and research in the areas of law, music, writing, politics and other humanities and social science disciplines.
Commenting on the awards, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Eamon Gilmore, TD, congratulated the recipients and said, “The Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange represents not just a commitment to the best educational standards for the successful recipients but also a joint investment by both governments to ever closer ties between our two countries, supporting, as President Obama put it recently in Dublin, the people who make the future happen.”
Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission, John Hennessey-Niland of the US Embassy in Ireland said: “The Fulbright Awards are one of the most important collaborative initiatives between our two countries. I wish this year’s 25 Irish recipients every success during their term in the U.S. In addition to the important academic and professional experience you are about to embark on, I trust you will make friendships that will remain long after you return to Ireland.”
Una Halligan, Chairperson of the Fulbright Commission of Ireland concluded, “Each of these 25 successful candidates was chosen not only on the basis of their individual merits but also because they displayed exceptional leadership ability which is inherent to Fulbright. Great ideas are borne out of people’s ability to think creatively, to collaborate well with others and to follow through in order to make things happen. These recipients are some of the finest in their disciplines; I have no doubt they will be outstanding representatives for this country and will thrive and make the most of every opportunity that comes their way.”
Earlier in the day, Gary and Oisin attended a Fulbright orientation and briefing in the offices of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland with the other 2011 awardees. The celebrations concluded with a Fulbright Scholar's dinner in the Dylan Hotel, organised by the Irish Fulbright Alumni Association (IFAA). This was attended by the new Awardees and their families, along with IFAA University sponsors, a representative from the US Embassy, a representative from the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Irish Fulbright Commission as well as many IFAA alumni and their guests.