Abdulbaset Alazhare, a PhD candidate in Trinity’s School of Engineering, focuses on developing data-driven digital models for wind farms using artificial neural networks. These models aim to enhance real-time monitoring of wind turbine structural integrity. As a Fulbright Awardee, Abdulbaset will spend six months at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) working on numerical simulations and machine-learning applications for wind farm controllers.

L-R: Fulbright Ireland Board Chair Prof Paul Donnelly & Abdulbaset Alazhare.

Mairéad O'Donnell, a PhD candidate in Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, researches co-design and urban rewilding. As a Fulbright-EPA Awardee, she will study at The New School in New York City, examining co-design methods and developing an urban rewilding framework.

L-R: Fulbright Ireland Board Chair Prof Paul Donnelly & Mairéad O'Donnell.

The Fulbright Programme, established in 1957, facilitates academic and cultural exchanges, enhancing Ireland-US relations. It selects outstanding candidates across various disciplines for research, study, and teaching in the US.

Awardees serve as cultural ambassadors, fostering global understanding and sharing their expertise upon return. Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education, and the Gaeltacht, praised the program for strengthening US-Ireland ties through innovative research and cultural exchange.

Professor Paul Donnelly, Chair of the Fulbright Commission Ireland Board, congratulated the awardees, highlighting the program's tradition of excellence and its impact on public good. The 2024-2025 awardees join a distinguished network of Fulbright alumni known for their contributions across all fields.