19 Outstanding Fulbright Irish Awardees Announced for 2026-27

Chair of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange Boards, Professor Derek O’Keeffe with Dr Suzanne Kelly

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy of the United States of America in Dublin are pleased to announce 19 Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2026-2027. Recipients were presented with Awards at a ceremony in Iveagh House last night. The 2026 Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award was presented to Dr Michael J. Ryan, former Deputy Director General of the World Health Organization, for his commitment to public service.

Managed by the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (IUSCEE) since 1957, the Fulbright bilateral exchange programme has played an essential role in strengthening the special relationship between the U.S. and Ireland and building lasting ties between both nations by facilitating academic and cultural exchanges. 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 80th anniversary of the Fulbright Program. The programme selects outstanding candidates across disciplines ranging from health, technology, science and business to the arts, heritage and the Irish language.

From August 2026 to August 2027, academics, professionals, artists, students and Irish speakers will attend leading U.S. institutions to research, study, teach and collaborate with experts in their fields. Awardees will attend a diverse range of institutions such as the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Centre for the Visual Arts, Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, Artspace, Stanford University, and the American Film Institute Conservatory.

Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs), sponsored by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, will teach Irish and attend Irish language Immersion weekends at Indiana University-Bloomington, the University of Notre Dame, Villanova University, Davidson-Davie Community College and The College of Our Lady of the Elms.

With an emphasis on building long-term academic and professional connections, Fulbright Irish Scholars, Students, Professionals and FLTAs will represent Ireland in the U.S., promoting Irish culture and serving as cultural ambassadors.

Awardees will exchange knowledge, research, and ideas and share their learnings on return, embodying the Fulbright ethos of exchange, empathy and collaboration to strengthen connections, build friendships and create a global culture of understanding needed in today’s increasingly polarised world.

The Fulbright Irish Awards competition will open on 27^th August, 2026. Interested candidates should visit www.fulbright.ie for more information.

 Fulbright-Teagasc Scholar

There is one Fulbright-Teagasc Scholar this year supported by Teagasc

Dr Suzanne Kelly is a lecturer in Marketing at Ulster University whose research focuses on agrifood systems, rural innovation, social capital, and knowledge exchange within agricultural communities. Living in Donegal, Suzanne’s interest in rural and agrifood research is shaped by her upbringing around a family business and farming, alongside her academic work with Teagasc, where she completed her PhD on social capital and innovation within agri-food systems. Her more recent research has also explored local food systems, healthy eating, and food-based behaviour change initiatives. As a 2026–27 Fulbright-Teagasc Scholar, Suzanne will undertake a three-month research and teaching residency at Purdue University, working with the Purdue University Center for Food and Agricultural Business. Her project will explore how trust-based networks and advisory relationships influence agribusiness innovation and technology adoption across Irish and U.S. agricultural systems.