On day two of our year in review, we reflect on our two Austrian Fulbright scholars who departed for the US this year as part of the 2023–24 Austrian Fulbright Scholar Program. Michael Lankes, professor of game art and design at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, completed his grant period at the University of California, Santa Cruz, while Eva-Maria Müller, a professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Innsbruck, completed her grant period at Emory University in Georgia. Another two Austrian Fulbright scholars will depart for the US in early 2024 as part of the 2023–24 cohort.

On day four of our year in review, we reflect on our fourth annual SummerFest. On 25 May 2023, over 90 current program participants, alums, partners, and friends joined us in the Dinosaur Hall at the Natural History Museum Vienna to celebrate the launch of the new “Fulbright Specialists in the Arts” award and our new “Artsraising” initiative and to commemorate the impact our programs and program participants have had on the lives of individuals and communities on both sides of the Atlantic. The evening was kicked off with words of welcome from Hermann Agis, executive director of Fulbright Austria, and Martin Polaschek, Austrian federal minister of education, science and research and honorary co-chair of Fulbright Austria’s board. Emily Gallagher, Carla Harold, and Tricia Achleitner-Goulding, who represented the 2022–23 cohorts of US students, Austrian FLTAs, and US scholars, respectively, also shared words of welcome. A raffle of more than 15 prizes generously donated by our community members—including a personal tour of the Jewish Museum Vienna and nine original drawings representing the Austrian provinces—enhanced our core fundraising and “Artsraising” activities.

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On day six of our year in review, we reflect on our EducationUSA campus visits to six US universities in San Antonio, Texas. In June 2023, EducationUSA educational adviser Katharina Hütthaler was invited to visit Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Trinity University, the University of the Incarnate Word, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. These campus visits provide educational advisers with first-hand knowledge of US colleges and universities, which in turn helps them to speak to their students about life on a US campus and to share more insight into the diverse higher-education landscape in the US.

On day eight of our year in review, we reflect on the eight international exchange and study fairs that Fulbright Austria and EducationUSA Austria participated in this year. We were happy to return to a regular schedule of fairs following an extended pause in operations due to the pandemic. This year, we also included two new fairs in an effort to expand our outreach efforts and reach new audiences, including the PhD Symposium hosted by the Young Scientist Association of the Medical University of Vienna and the regional BeSt3 Messe in Graz. We look forward to visiting more fairs and engaging with more bright minds in the year to come!

On day ten of our year in review, we reflect on ten public lectures, presentations, and exhibitions given by US Fulbright scholars across Austria.

• Phani Tej Adidam, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) Visiting Professor, gave a research presentation at MCI on 26 January entitled “Brand Audits: Case Study of Tirol Brand;”
• Nina Tannenwald, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Diplomatic Academy Visiting Professor of International Studies, presented a public lecture at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna on 1 March entitled “The Russian War in Ukraine and Global Nuclear Order;”
• Richard Lane, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Freud Visiting Lecturer of Psychoanalysis, gave an introductory talk on 2 March entitled “How does psychoanalysis work? Freud’s enduring legacy in light of 21st century systems neuroscience;”
• Corrie Francis Parks, a 2022–23 Fulbright-Q21/MuseumsQuartier Artist-in-Residence, opened a public exhibition inspired by rock glaciers on 19 April entitled “freeze/thaw;”
• Kristina Warren, a 2022–23 Fulbright-Q21/MuseumsQuartier Artist-in-Residence, opened a sound installation in the TONSPUR_passage at the MuseumsQuartier on 20 April entitled “Lavender Lauds;”
• Michael Pratt, a 2022–23 US Fulbright scholar in Czechia and intercountry lecturer, presented a public lecture at the University of Vienna’s Centre for Sport Science and University Sports on 21 April entitled “Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) – strategies, monitoring, and its relevance for the SDGs;”
• P. Terrence Hopmann, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Botstiber Visiting Professor of Austrian-American Studies in Austria, participated in a discussion at the International Institute for Peace on 27 April entitled “The OSCE in Time of War – Can Cooperative Security Be Revitalized?;”
• P. Terrence Hopmann, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Botstiber Visiting Professor of Austrian-American Studies in Austria, gave a public lecture at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna on 30 May entitled “The OSCE at 50: Can it Survive the Russian War in Ukraine?;”
• Brian Hill, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Salzburg University of Applied Sciences Visiting Professor, gave a public lecture at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences on 7 June entitled “Developing a Shared Experience Connection Theory;” and
• Richard Lane, the 2022–23 Fulbright-Freud Visiting Lecturer of Psychoanalysis, participated in a panel discussion at the Sigmund Freud Museum on 29 June entitled “Transference and the Corrective Emotional Relationship: New Perspectives on the Change Process.”

On day 12 of our year in review, we reflect on our “12 Days of Giving Thanks” social-media campaign in the run-up to our biggest fundraising event of the year, Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving. This year, we placed a special emphasis on exploring the impact of donations by sharing program participants’ perspectives in tandem with donors’ voices.

If you too would like to make a difference in the lives of future Fulbrighters, please give the gift of Fulbright to help our bright minds shine even brighter this holiday season.

Learn more and make a donation

On day 14 of our year in review, we reflect on the launch of the Red, White, and Book Club! 14 readers registered for the inaugural meeting of the Fulbright Austria and EducationUSA book club, which convened on 16 November in celebration of International Education Week. Together with bright minds interested in exploring US literature, culture, and higher education, we discussed themes of racism, diversity, and cultural appropriation in Yellowface by R.F. Kuang while also learning about opportunities to study in the US with Fulbright Austria and EducationUSA. Interested in joining the club? The next meeting of the Red, White, and Book Club will take place in February 2024!

Learn more about the book club

On day 16 of our year in review, we reflect on our spring 2023 cohort of 16 US Fulbright scholars. In the course of our three-day, hybrid orientation, program participants enjoyed expert talks and alum panels on Zoom, a meal at a local Viennese restaurant, and a walking tour around Vienna’s historic Ringstraße.

On day 18 of our year in review, we reflect on our return to the annual ball celebrations in Vienna. This year, Fulbright Austria program participants attended not one, but two Viennese balls! To prepare for the events, 18 program participants learned how to waltz during lessons at the Tanzschule Kraml organized by the Austrian Fulbright Alumni association. On 26 January, Fulbright Austria program participants waltzed their way to Vienna’s regal Hofburg Palace for the TU Ball, which was made possible with generous support from Austrian Fulbright friend Dr. Christine Schwarz and the Austrian Fulbright Alumni association. Two days later, program participants headed to the Rathaus for the Vienna Ball of Sciences, which began with a sparkling reception for current program participants, alums, partners, and friends of Fulbright Austria.

On day 20 of our year in review, we reflect on 20 years of the Fulbright Prize in American Studies.  For two decades, the annual prize has shaped the life of more than 30 academics. Congratulations to Marijana Mikić, winner of the 2023 Fulbright Prize in American Studies! Fulbright Austria and the Austrian Association for American Studies granted the prize for Marijana Mikić's doctoral thesis "Race, Space, and Emotion in Twenty-First-Century African American Literature,” which was supervised by Alexa Weik von Mossner at the University of Klagenfurt.

On day 22 of our year in review, we reflect on the sparkling reception and tour of the exhibition “100 Misunderstanding about and among Jews” at the Jewish Museum Vienna (JMW) held exclusively for the Fulbright Austria community. 22 Fulbright Austria program participants and alums joined a guided tour of the museum exhibit by Caitlin Gura, a 2013–14 US Fulbright student and 2013–15 US teaching assistant and current curator at the JMW. The tour challenged participants to engage with the artwork on an emotional and intellectual level, inspiring thought-provoking questions and conversations far beyond the tour.

Learn more about the exhibition and the tour

Frohe Weihnachten von Fulbright Austria!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow…on your Vanillekipferl!

On day 26 of our year in review, we reflect on the 26 scholar partner awards that Fulbright Austria was proud to offer for US and Austrian scholars this year. These awards are the result of a broad range of strategic partnerships with a wide variety of universities, universities of applied sciences, research centers, museums, and foundations. In 2023, Fulbright Austria also had an opportunity to visit our US partners at the University of Minnesota. We are thankful to our partners for helping us to create opportunities  for our Fulbright scholars on both sides of the Atlantic and look forward to celebrating new and continuing partnerships in the year to come!

On day 28 of our year in review, we reflect on our annual Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving, which took place on 28 November at Waldviertlerhof. Fulbright Austria continued its annual Giving Tuesday tradition and gathered with current program participants, alums, and friends of Fulbright Austria for a traditional dinner to celebrate and recognize the incredible contributions from our community. We are full of thanks that over 70 Fulbright Austria community members joined us for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and made contributions to help future bright minds shine even brighter. As our donation drive continues, we would like to give thanks to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, which will be matching these generous donations 1:1!

On day 30 of our year in review, we reflect on the 30+ representatives of the Fulbright Program who met at the European Fulbright Conference in Prague, Czechia, in May, to discuss the future of the Fulbright Program. The executive directors of the European Fulbright commissions were joined by cultural affairs officers from US embassies across Europe as well as representatives of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs and of the Institute of International Education. The 30+ representatives of the Fulbright Program discussed topics ranging from the impact of war on the Fulbright program to best practices for prioritizing diversity and inclusion among program participants, all while celebrating the strength of the binational character of the Fulbright Program and the value of being part of a global community.