TU Dublin's Prof. Paul Donnelly presents Fulbright awards to Nancy Pelosi and Anthony Fauci
In his capacity as Chair of the Fulbright Commission Ireland, Professor Paul Donnelly (School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship) presented the Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award last week to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi at a ceremony in the Residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, and to Dr. Anthony Fauci at a ceremony in Dublin Castle, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to public service throughout their careers.
The Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award is conferred by the Fulbright Commission in Ireland to a person who demonstrates outstanding commitment to public service, education and cultural exchange, and cross-cultural collaboration and/or who contributes to finding solutions to global problems.
Receiving the inaugural Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said: “Senator Fulbright’s name is synonymous with global leadership, public service and pursuit of peace. His towering legacy of defending democracy continues to inspire us today, as we strive to preserve the Good Friday Agreement, address the climate crisis, win the fight for freedom in Ukraine, and counter the forces of tyranny in our time. It has been my profound honour to work with so many distinguished leaders in the global arena on these priorities and more – and it is with immense gratitude that I accept the inaugural Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award."
Pictured (l-r): Fulbright Board Chair, Professor Paul Donnelly; Fulbright Ireland Public Service Awardee, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi; U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Claire D. Cronin; Fulbright Board Chair Emerita, Professor Diane Negra; and Fulbright Executive Director, Dr. Dara FitzGerald. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.
Receiving the 2024 Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award, Dr Fauci said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the 2024 Fulbright Ireland Public Service Award. I and my Irish-American wife, Dr. Christine Grady, have very much enjoyed our visit to Ireland, which we were very pleasantly anticipating.”
Pictured (l-r): Fulbright Executive Director, Dr. Dara FitzGerald; Fulbright Ireland Public Service Awardee, Dr. Anthony Fauci; Fulbright Board Chair Emerita, Professor Diane Negra; Fulbright Board Chair, Professor Paul Donnelly. Picture Conor McCabe photography.
The Honourable Nancy Pelosi served as the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 2007, she was elected the first woman to serve in the role, and in January 2019, she regained the position. She led the House Democrats for 20 years and served as House Democratic Whip. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Currently, she serves as Speaker Emerita of the House and as the Representative for California’s 11th Congressional District.
Dr. Anthony Fauci served as U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director from 1984 to 2022. He oversaw an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola, Zika and COVID-19. He also led the NIAID research effort on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma, and allergies. Dr. Fauci was awarded the 2008 U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 2022 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding.
The Fulbright Commission in Ireland is a bilateral partnership supported by the Irish Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State. The Commission annually awards grants for Irish citizens and E.U. citizens resident in Ireland for over five years to study, research, or teach in the U.S. and for Americans to do the same in Ireland. Since its formation, over 2,500 postgraduate students, scholars, professionals, and teachers have participated in the Fulbright Program between the U.S. and Ireland.