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UCC researcher named amongst Fulbright Irish Awardees

A University College Cork (UCC) researcher has been introduced among the many Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2025-2026.

Dr Lisa Kiely MD is a Dermatology Specialist Registrar and an Irish Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) Fellow on the INFANT Research Centre at UCC.

Currently pursuing a PhD, her analysis focuses on utilizing superior imaging methods to enhance detection and monitoring of illness exercise in morphea, a uncommon inflammatory pores and skin situation. Her work goals to enhance how this situation is monitored and managed in medical follow.

As a Fulbright Irish Student Awardee, Lisa will journey to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, the place she is going to collaborate with Professor Heidi Jacobe, a world chief in morphea analysis. Lisa is happy on the alternative to foster long-term transatlantic collaboration in morphea analysis.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and the Embassy of the United States of America in Dublin are happy to announce the 18 Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2025-2026 at a ceremony within the U.S. Embassy final week.

Founded in 1946, the Fulbright bilateral change programme has served to strengthen worldwide relations by facilitating tutorial and cultural exchanges globally for over 79 years. The Fulbright Program in Ireland has awarded grants to greater than 2,500 Irish and American residents since 1957, contributing to enduring Ireland-U.S. relations and a world tradition of understanding.

Fulbright alumni embrace 44 present or former heads of state, 62 Nobel Laureates, 90 Pulitzer Prize-winners, and 82 MacArthur Foundation Fellows. Each 12 months, gifted and noteworthy candidates from throughout Ireland are chosen to analysis, examine and educate with main consultants at high establishments throughout the U.S. in disciplines starting from enterprise, regulation, well being and know-how to tradition, heritage, the humanities, and the Irish language.

From August 2025 to August 2026, Fulbright Irish Scholars, Students and Professionals will attend establishments starting from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Kansas to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Maxine Greene Institute, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Awardees will analysis, innovate and collaborate throughout a various vary of fields together with multimedia arts, philosophy, medication, agriculture, training, artwork historical past, AI know-how in medication, AI know-how in training, visible arts, and well being.

Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) will educate the Irish language and attend Irish language Immersion weekends on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Our Lady of the Elms, University of Montana, and the University of Notre Dame.

Awardees function cultural ambassadors throughout their time within the U.S. and share their data, concepts and expertise upon their return, creating lasting impacts for society. Fulbright awardees, impressed by the mission, ethos and legacy of the Fulbright Program of making a world tradition of mutual understanding, proceed the essential work of strengthening ties between the U.S. and Ireland and advancing a lot wanted empathy in in the present day’s more and more divided world.

The Fulbright Irish Awards will open on 28^th August 2025. Interested candidates ought to go to www.fulbright.ie for extra data.

Speaking on the awards ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Edward S. Walsh, mentioned:

“The Fulbright Program plays a crucial role in strengthening ties between the United States and Ireland. Through educational and cultural exchanges, Fulbright awardees work toward fostering mutual understanding and finding solutions to global issues, ensuring that our extraordinary transatlantic relationship continues to flourish. I congratulate this year’s awardees on their success.”

Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence, Simon Harris T.D., mentioned:

“I warmly congratulate the Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2025-2026. The Fulbright Program – spanning 14 presidential administrations – has been an important initiative in sustaining the unique and special relationship that Ireland and the United States share. At the dawn of the age of artificial intelligence, there is still no substitution for the personal engagement, which sustains our deep and rich people-to-people connections. As such, Fulbright Awardees serve as cultural ambassadors for Ireland in the United States, sharing their knowledge, expertise and learnings upon return. I am proud that my Government has supported Fulbright to maintain and strengthen ties between the U.S. and Ireland and build on our transatlantic academic and cultural connections.  I want to wish the Fulbright Irish Awardees 2025-2026 every success as they embark on this exciting journey.”

Speaking on the awards ceremony, Chair of the Fulbright Commission Ireland Board, Professor Paul Donnelly, mentioned:

“On behalf of the Fulbright Commission Ireland Board, I am delighted to congratulate the 18 Fulbright Irish Awardees on their success. At a time of global change and uncertainty, the mission, values and legacy of the Fulbright Program of leadership, empathy, understanding, and collaboration endure, embodied by a new cohort of excellent Fulbright awardees embarking on academic and cultural exchanges in the United States. We take pride in their achievement and wish the awardees a rich and rewarding experience.”

Speaking on the awards ceremony, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland, Dr Dara FitzGerald, mentioned:

“As Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland, it’s gratifying to see a brand new cohort of thriving Fulbright Irish Awardees embark on Fulbright awards to the United States. Awardees be part of a rising world community of Fulbright alumni, mates and colleagues who’ve achieved accolades throughout all disciplines. While the Fulbright Program is synonymous with leading edge analysis, innovation, educating and tutorial excellence, it’s equally identified for its essential function in strengthening worldwide relations and fostering mutual understanding via cultural change. As Senator J. Fulbright mentioned, ‘The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs.’

“I wish to spotlight the continued and sterling assist of our companions, the Irish Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and the U.S. Department of State via the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

“We are deeply grateful to our Irish award sponsors and companions: Research Ireland, the Health Research Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey Ireland, National University of Ireland, Teagasc, the Creative Ireland Programme, the Heritage Council and notable U.S. Institutions such because the Exploratorium, the Smithsonian, the Harry Ransom Center, Florida Polytechnic University, the University of Southern California, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; and Irish establishments similar to University College Cork, Technological University of the Shannon, Technological University of Dublin, AMBER Research Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Galway, Maynooth University, University of Limerick and the Kemmy Business School, Atlantic Technological University, and the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies.”