Summer/Autumn 2020 BRIGHT SPARKS Cover Story: Life and Learning in Washington DC with Abbas Nazari Feature Story: Global Impact – New Research on the Tea Party and the Rise of the Alt Right Also In This Issue | Fulbright In the News | Awards of Note | Artistic Achievements | In Publication | Grantee Experience – Grace Francis | Fulbright Experiences: Thanksgiving and Orientation | Grantee Experience – Carrie Clifford | Fulbright presents: Dr Anita Sands | Alumni Spotlight – Nicola Daly | Around the Office | Kai and Korero | THE TEAM FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As 2020 began, the Fulbright NZ team returned The COVID-19 global pandemic has created PIP CLIMO JAMIE ROBERTSON from our various summer holidays energised extraordinary circumstances around the world PROGRAMME MANAGER EXECUTIVE AND CORPORATE [email protected] SERVICES ASSISTANT and looking forward to the year ahead. We and big challenges for the Fulbright Programme. [email protected] discussed our plans for the upcoming Orientation Our highest priority has been the health and Programme welcoming our full 2020 US cohort of safety of all Fulbright participants. Despite Fulbright US grantees to Aotearoa, Outreach, and these difficult days, the future of the Fulbright Mid-year Programme, and shared thoughts about Programme between the United States and New JENNIFER LEE JULIE WILLIAMS what our End of Year Programme might consist Zealand is bright. While there have been some OPERATIONS MANAGER CORPORATE SERVICES MANAGER [email protected] [email protected] of. We celebrated the newly announced 2020 timeline disruptions to our programme of awards, cohort of Fulbright NZ Scholars. we remain positive that we will find the best solu- At that time, talk of a highly contagious virus tions to resume our upcoming in-person awards spreading through the Wuhan region of China subject to travel availability, the operating status was barely a mention in international news. of universities and other institutions, and evolv- THERESE LLOYD MAGNOLIA WILSON SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR PROGRAMME MANAGER PENELOPE None of us, at that point, could have predicted ing travel and health advisories. It’s a constantly [email protected] [email protected] BORLAND the enormous upheaval to all of our lives that was changing jigsaw puzzle right now as the entire on its way. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has world tries to envisage the way ahead to operate EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR been one of the most disruptive events in recent safely and with optimism for the future. In these history. We are truly living through a momentous uncertain times, it may be helpful to remember SARITA MAGAN time, a period of history that will come under that throughout its 75-year history, the Fulbright EVENTS AND ALUMNI ADVISOR much scrutiny and hopefully provide lessons for Program has persisted and flourished despite [email protected] the future as the ‘normal’ we knew back at the myriad challenges. beginning of the year may never return. We are enormously grateful to have continued Yet as we watch our global community both support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and suffer and display extraordinary resilience, Trade, the U.S Department of State’s Education generosity and cooperation on a vast spectrum and Cultural Affairs, Institute of International in these most challenging of times, I believe that Education and all of our partners. Thank you to Senator Fulbright’s original vision for mutual our wonderful staff and board of Fulbright New STAY IN TOUCH understanding and empathy in our world is more Zealand for your unflappable energy and enthu- crucial than ever. With so much uncertainty and siasm during these challenging months under- anxiety, building lasting connections for a more pinned by the overriding desire to do our very @fulbrightnz peaceful world is and must be fundamental as the best to support our grantees, their safety, health impact of this pandemic is all over the world. The and welfare. We also want to say thank you, from generosity of spirit and empathy between people the bottom of our hearts, to our current grantees around the globe and sense of shared destiny and alumni, many of whom have had to leave facebook.com/fulbrightnz during this crisis will provide an illuminating their host countries to return home. Thank you light for the path ahead for all of us. for keeping cool heads in the face of so much At the time of writing, New Zealand is in Level uncertainty. Your strength and kind hearts have 2 alert with the hopes of moving to Level 1 later embodied the spirit of the Fulbright Programme in June. The Fulbright team are phasing back into and we are so grateful that you are part of the @fulbrightnewzealand the office gradually in small teams after having Fulbright whanau. worked remotely since March 25. We kept up morale and contact through regular online meet- PO Box 3465 ings and get-togethers to enjoy the weekly quiz Wellington 6140 New Zealand and support our US grantees who had chosen to EDITOR’S NOTE remain in New Zealand. www.fulbright.org.nz While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material in this newsletter, Fulbright New Zealand does not accept liability for any SEND STORY IDEAS TO errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of [email protected] Fulbright New Zealand. ISSN 2463-3917 (print), ISSN 2463-3925 (online) Fulbright grads Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle, Carrie CONTENTS Clifford, Abbas Nazari in NYC. page 4 In the News page 5 In Memoriam page 5 Awards of Note page 6 Artistic Achievements page 7 In Publication page 8 Grantee Experience – Cover story: Abbas Nazari page 10 Alumni Spotlight – Feature story: Paul Spoonley page 12 Grantee Experience – Grace Francis page 14 Fulbright New Zealand Events Thanksgiving Orientation Presentation by Dr Anita Sands page 16 Alumni Spotlight – Nicola Daly page 17 Grantee Experience – Carrie Clifford page 18 Around the Office page 19 Kai and Korero 02 03 • Congratulations to Eloise Gibson on her new AWARDS OF NOTE role as climate change editor at Stuff. Eloise received a Fulbright Science and Innovation • Congratulations to Fulbright alumna Ineke Crezee who was Graduate Award in 2015 and completed a Master appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the of Arts in Journalism specialising in science, 2020 New Years Honours List for services to interpreter and health and the environment at Columbia translator education. Ineke was a 2013 Fulbright New Zealand University in New York. Scholar. • We also congratulate the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours List recipients Dr Sarah Leberman (Fulbright New Zealand Scholar 2007) for services to women, sport and tertiary education; and Tusiata Avia, (Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer's Resident 2005) for services to poetry and the arts. You can read • Recipient of the 2020 Fulbright-Creative New more about Tusiata's successes on page 6. Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency, Oscar Kightley hasn’t let Covid-19 dim his sense of humour. Kightley has recently resigned as a columnist for Radio New Zealand and we will miss his tongue-in-cheek humour. “When this is over, those who surf can go back to riding the waves with gay abandon and not feel like Augustus Gloop from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, as they try to ignore daggered stares from people on the beach.” • We've been thrilled to have climate scientist Professor Andrea Dutton in New Zealand as a 2020 Fulbright US Scholar. Prof Dutton is currently based at the Antarctic Centre in IN MEMORIAM Wellington and was recently interviewed by Kim Hill on RNZ’s Saturday Morning show. You can Fulbright New Zealand received notice of the passing of the following alumni. We are listen to the full interview here. saddened by the news of their passing, and are deeply proud of their contributions to the Fulbright community. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ saturday/audio/2018744897/climate- scientistandrea-dutton • You may recall seeing Dr Mataroria Lyndon presenting on TVNZ’s series Check Up last year. Dr Lyndon (Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awardee, 2016) is currently the Director of Medical and Health Services for Tend, a digital healthcare app. Dr Lyndon IN THE NEWS was regularly called upon by TVNZ to provide medical expertise at the apex of Covid-19. Gavin Munro Terrence Crooks New Zealand Graduate Award, 1960 New Zealand Graduate Award, 1969 04 05 IN PUBLICATION • The Walters Prize is held every two years Hinemoana Baker (2010 and is one of the most prestigious art Fulbright Travel awardee) has awards in New Zealand. We were thrilled recently published a new poetry to see 2019 Fulbright New Zealand Scholar collection, Funkhaus (Victoria Fiona Amundsen selected as one of the University Press). Hinemoana four finalists in this award. A wonderful has been living in Berlin for the achievement Fiona, congratulations! past 5 years and Funkaus is her fourth collection. The collection • It was fantastic to see Victor Rodger is described as a home to “big, (Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific punchy poems and shimmering Writer’s Residency alumnus) named as delicacy, as well as Hinemoana’s Honoured Writer at the Auckland Pride trademark humour.” Festival. Over his career Victor Rodger has worked in the press, performed on stage and screen, and written several award-winning plays. His work often deals with issues of sexuality, race and Joshua Block received a identity, and has been praised for its Fulbright US Distinguished boldness, candour and freshness. Award in Teaching in 2016 and • Tusiata Avia, poet, playwright and was hosted by Victoria University Fulbright alumna, recently returned from of Wellington. New York where the stage adaptation (adapted by Victor Rodger) of her book Wild Dogs Under My Skirt was performed off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse.