Minds & Hearts, Summer 2025

Issue 15 | Summer 2025

COMING TO AUSTRALIA Meet our 2026 U.S. Scholars

Sovereign Information Power | Ancient Stromatolites | Emotional Regulation | + More

The Fulbright Program The Fulbright Program is the flagship foreign exchange scholarship program of the United States of America, aimed at increasing binational collaboration, cultural understanding, and the exchange of ideas.

Born in the aftermath of WWII, the program was established by Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 with the ethos of turning ‘swords into ploughshares’, whereby credits from the sale of surplus U.S. war materials were used to fund academic exchanges between host countries and the U.S. Since its establishment, the Fulbright Program has grown to become the largest educational exchange program in the world, operating in over 160 countries.

In its seventy five year history, more than 370,000 students, academics, and professionals have received Fulbright Scholarships to study, teach, or conduct research, and promote bilateral collaboration and cultural empathy.

Since its inception in Australia in 1949, Fulbright has awarded over 5,000 scholarships, creating a vibrant, dynamic, and interconnected network of Alumni.

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”

Our future is not in the stars but in our own minds and hearts.

Creative leadership and liberal education, which in fact go together, are the first requirements for a hopeful future for humankind.

Fostering these—leadership, learning, and empathy between cultures—was and remains the purpose of the international scholarship program that I was privileged to sponsor in the U.S. Senate over forty years ago. " Senator J. William Fulbright The Price of Empire

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Contents 4

A message from the Executive Director

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Fulbright Scholarships Selection Timeline

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Down Under-Bound:

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Sovereign Information Power

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Transforming Youth Health Education: Dr Belinda An Animation and Empathy

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COVER STORY - Western Australia: Stromatolites of Shark Bay

Artis Henderson

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How to Manage Your Emotions

Dr David Preece

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This Is Not Your Daddy’s Mining Industry

Professor Karin Olson Hoal

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Learning From Others:

Dr Joshua Russell

Meet our U.S. Scholars

How My Fulbright Experience Shaped My Life

Professor Chris Bronk PhD 3

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As we reach the end of 2025, it is a pleasure to reflect on another remarkable year for Fulbright Australia - one defined by renewal, achievement, and the continued strength of the binational partnership at the heart of our Program.

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Across the year, we facilitated educational exchange programs to every corner of Australia and the United States, supported new research collaborations, and celebrated the work of our alumni whose contributions continue to shape policy, strengthen communities, and advance knowledge across disciplines.

From public lectures and alumni gatherings to university visits, research showcases, and regional engagement, the Fulbright community has demonstrated once again the power of exchange to broaden perspectives and build lasting connections.

This year also brought growth within our team and governance. We were delighted to welcome Rebekah Fulop as our new Program Manager. Rebekah brings energy, strategic insight, and deep experience supporting complex international programs, and she has already made a significant impact on the Commission’s work.

We were equally honoured to welcome several distinguished leaders to our Board: Jeremy Cornforth, Consul General, United States Consulate Sydney; Meg O’Neill, CEO and Managing Director, Woodside Energy; Dougal McInnes, Assistant Secretary, United States Branch, DFAT; and Dennis Richardson AO AC, former Secretary of the Department of Defence.

Their collective experience, commitment to public service, and understanding of the Australia–U.S. relationship will strengthen the Commission’s strategic direction for years to come. On behalf of the Fulbright community, I extend my sincere gratitude for their willingness to serve.

As always, one of the most inspiring moments in our annual cycle has been the selection of the next cohort of Fulbright Scholars. In recent weeks, we finalised the 2026 Scholar cohort, a group whose talent, curiosity, and ambition reflect the very best of our two nations.

Their fields span the sciences, arts, humanities, policy, and innovation, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at the 2026 Fulbright Gala Presentation Dinner on 26 February at Parliament House in Canberra.

Looking ahead, 2026 will be a milestone year: the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence and the 80th anniversary of the Fulbright Program, a moment to honour Senator Fulbright’s vision and the enduring spirit of international exchange that continues to guide us.

We look forward to commemorating this anniversary with our partners, alumni, supporters, and friends across Australia and the United States.

To our alumni, scholars, volunteers, supporters, and institutional partners: thank you for your generosity, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to the Program. Fulbright endures because of you—your stories, your scholarship, and your belief in a more connected and peaceful world.

I wish you a restful end to the year and look forward to all that 2026 will bring for our Fulbright community.

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FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS

2025 Selection Timeline 2026 Australian applications close

Jul 25

Aug 25

Technical Review All applications reviewed for eligibility.

2027 U.S. Scholar Interviews Shortlisted U.S. Scholar/ postdoc applicants interviewed

Jan 26 Final Endorsement Received from Fulbright Board 6

Sep 25 Discipline Review & Scoring Applications reviewed by subject matter experts

2027 U.S. Student Interviews Shortlisted U.S. postgraduate applicants interviewed

Feb 26

Mar 26

2026 Fulbright Gala 26 February - 2026 Fulbright Scholar cohort officially awarded (tickets available here).

2027 Australian applications open

2027 U.S. Selections Commence Shortlisted U.S. applicants shortlisted for interview

Oct 25 Student Interviews Shortlisted postgraduate student applicants invited for interview

Apr 26

Nov 25 Scholar Interviews Shortlisted postdoctoral/ professional/research scholar applicants invited for interview

May 26

New Awardee Processing New cohort work with Fulbright Commission staff to secure U.S. Visas, and university placement (students only)

Dec 25 Final Selections Sent to Fulbright Board for final endorsement

Jun 26

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Down Under-Bound Meet Our 2026 U.S. Scholars

Each year, a new cohort of exceptional U.S. Fulbright Scholars travels to Australia to pursue research, foster collaboration, and deepen the ties between our two countries. This year’s group brings a mix of bold ideas, diverse expertise, and genuine curiosity about life Down Under.

Before they begin their Fulbright journeys, we asked a few of them to share what they’ll be working on, what excites them most about their time in Australia, and what they’re hoping to discover along the way. Here’s what they had to say.

STEPHEN L. MEYERS PHD is an Associate Professor of horticulture crops weed science at Purdue University. He conducts research in the areas of weed biology, weed-crop interactions, and integrated weed management to address the needs of fruit and vegetable farmers. His current research interests include exploring the potential of black soldier flies for weed management. In collaboration with scientists at Southern Cross University, Dr. Meyers will confirm the weed suppressive ability of black soldier fly compost tea to weeds of concern in Australia and gain a deeper understanding behind its potential chemical and biological mechanisms of action.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

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My Fulbright research project will explore the weed suppressive properties of black soldier fly frass (insect poop). Black soldier flies have been used across the planet for upcycling organic waste. The end products of this composting process are nutrient dense larvae that can be fed to livestock and frass. Initial research in my lab at Purdue University confirmed that a “tea” made from black soldier fly frass prevented the germination of three weed species that are common and problematic in the United States.

In collaboration with scientists at Southern Cross University (Lismore, NSW), we will confirm the weed suppressiveness of black soldier fly frass tea using a local strain of black soldier fly and tested against weeds of concern in eastern Australia. Then we will analyze the frass tea to determine its mode of action.

What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

It is well documented that some traditional composts can be “phytotoxic” or harmful to plants. A few years ago, a colleague of mine mentioned that applications of cricket and black soldier fly frass were harmful to some direct-seeded vegetable crops.

The impacted crops have very close weedy relatives. So, naturally, my response was, “Can we harness that phytotoxicity and use it for weed control?” When exploring this research question, I knew I wanted to collaborate internationally. In my career, I have been inspired by the fortitude of my international graduate students. I admire their courage to travel to a new country in pursuit of their love of science. I decided it was time to follow their example.

In looking for potential collaborators for this research, I sent Dr. Lachlan Yee an email.

To my surprise, he responded. Lachlan and SCU colleague Dr. Nigel Andrew have been instrumental in making this research a reality.

What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

Weed scientists in the United States have a high level of respect for our colleagues in Australia. Both countries have experienced wide-spread herbicide-resistant weed populations that have changed the way we manage weeds across various cropping systems. The ingenuity and forwardthinking of Australians in managing herbicide-resistance is commendable.

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

Three things: 1.

Meeting new people, making new friends, and learning about Australians and their culture.

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I love agriculture and nature. I’m excited to see agriculture production systems that are new to me and experience some of Australia’s natural beauty.

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Sharing this experience with my family.

I am very thankful that Fulbright provides an opportunity for my wife and two young sons to be part of this journey with me. I hope that it will give them a better sense of the world and greater compassion and empathy for all people.

What are you most nervous about?

My wife and I are most nervous about driving in Australia. Advice from a former US-Australia Fulbright Scholar on this subject is to keep the Beyonce ‘Irreplaceable’ song in my head when driving because it includes the lyrics “to the left, to the left”.

What’s something surprising people learn about you?

The easy response is that I am a twin. My fraternal twin brother flies commercial jets for American Airlines.

Digging a little deeper, people are often surprised that my wife and I own a small farm. We grow warm season vegetables and cut flowers, raise chickens and honeybees, and tap maple trees to make syrup. I have always been fascinated by the science and magic of farming - whether it’s watching a seed germinate or a chick hatch from its egg.

"I've been inspired by the fortitude of my international graduate students.

I admire their courage to travel to a new country in pursuit of their love of science.

I decided it was time to follow their example.

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DR. VIRGINIA KIEFER CORRIGAN

is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Interprofessional Education at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. As a 2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Wellbeing Science, her project explores how positive psychology and systems-informed approaches can foster thriving learning environments and professional flourishing in veterinary education. As a veterinarian, educator, and recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, Dr. Corrigan is passionate about creating a better future for the next generation of veterinary professionals, animals, communities, and the world we share.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

My Fulbright project focuses on advancing systemic wellbeing in veterinary education through a collaboration with the Centre for Wellbeing Science at the University of Melbourne. I will be studying and codeveloping systems-informed positive education frameworks that can be integrated into veterinary curricula.

Positive Education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates traditional academic success with the principles of wellbeing science. Positive Education draws on evidence-based practices from positive psychology and embeds them into curriculum, pedagogy, culture, and systems.

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This work builds on my background in small animal clinical practice, interprofessional education, public health, and applied positive psychology. My broader goal is to cultivate flourishing veterinary learning and working environments and to illuminate the next generation of veterinary professionals to be the leaders and changemakers we need to drive adaptive innovation and positive change in a rapidly changing society and profession.

What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

Rather than a single moment, it’s been an accumulation of experiences over my career that has led me to this project. Over the past decade, I’ve watched veterinary students and professionals navigate increasing systemic pressures that impact wellbeing and sustainability in the field of veterinary medicine.

At the same time, I’ve also seen how intentionally integrating wellbeing science into the educational environment can help individuals, teams, and organizations thrive.

Completing my Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in 2024 and becoming the first U.S. veterinarian with this credential further ignited my passion for this work and solidified my belief that wellbeing efforts must extend beyond the individual to the system as a whole.

The Fulbright Scholar award presented a perfect opportunity to connect my clinical, educational, and wellbeing work with Australia’s world-leading expertise in systems-informed positive education and wellbeing science.

What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

Veterinary medicine as a field is grounded in a deep commitment to serving animals, people, and the environment, and veterinarians are consistently ranked among the most trusted professionals.

In the U.S. and globally, veterinary teams face significant wellbeing challenges, and concurrently there is strong momentum toward creating healthier, more sustainable educational and professional systems.

I hope to share how U.S. veterinary educators are advancing this work, while also learning from Australia’s leadership in wellbeing science. I also look forward to bringing stories and perspectives from my home institution at the University of Tennessee to strengthen our sense of global community and collaboration.

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

I’m most excited to immerse myself in a new culture and approach this experience with a growth mindset, embracing everything it will offer both personally and professionally. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate in person with the team at the Centre for Wellbeing Science.

On a personal note, my family is thrilled to explore Australia’s landscapes and wildlife- and my three young children and I are especially excited about seeing koalas, kangaroos, and all the other remarkable animals that call Australia home!

What are you most nervous about?

Uprooting my family of five for six months naturally brings some stress -- from navigating a new school system, expecting the unexpected, settling into a new routine, and being far from our families, friends, and support systems. At the same time, I have a great deal of excitement, hope, and optimism towards making the most of this extraordinary professional opportunity.

Overall, the positive far outweighs the negative, and I am confident that the experience will be meaningful and enriching for me and my family.

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What’s something surprising people learn about you?

Despite being a small animal veterinarian, my love of animals actually began with horses. I started riding horses at age seven and competed through college in hunterjumper equestrian sports. Horses were my earliest friends and teachers. I’m still waiting for the right moment to own a horse (they are delightfully expensive!), and I still jump at any chance to ride or simply be around them.

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People are also surprised to learn that I have a connection to Antarctica. Through the Homeward Bound program, a global leadership initiative for women in STEMM, I joined an expedition to Antarctica in early 2025.

Experiencing humpback whales, penguins, and other extraordinary wildlife in one of the most breathtaking environments on Earth was truly transformative. It deepened my sense of courage and adventure, strengthened my commitment and sense of responsibility to my work, and crystallized the idea of One Health - the understanding that the wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet are all interconnected. Courage is contagious, and we all need to be the change we wish to see in the world.

And for fun: my close friends and family know that I now dream of becoming an Antarctic expedition zodiac driver and penguin veterinarian when I grow up someday!

DR. RYAN HANSEN

is an Associate Professor in the Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University. His research involves developing novel materials and interfaces that advance microbial biotechnologies in food, energy, and health-related applications.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Ryan will investigate the use of hydrogels that are designed for the controlled release of therapeutic bacteria at a specific time and location in the body.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

Bacteria have unique potential to be used as therapeutic agents to treat intestinal diseases, including gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. However, for safe and effective administration, bacteria must be delivered at a specific time and at a precise location in the GI tract. This is currently a critical technical limitation in microbial therapeutics.

My project focuses on developing stimulusresponsive hydrogels into “microrobots” that can be guided through the intestinal tract and into a tumor, where they then degrade and release bacteria.

The Fulbright award allows me to collaborate with scientists at the Institute of Biomedical Materials and Devices at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) who have complementary expertise in nanomaterial and hydrogel design to enable these capabilities.

If targeted and controlled delivery of live bacteria can be achieved in the gut, it would be a significant step towards improving both the efficacy and safety of microbial therapies that treat GI diseases.

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What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

I have been working on the design of hydrogel materials to encapsulate, protect, and release bacteria for several years, and have long been excited by the potential of applying these materials in biotherapeutic applications. After learning about the synergistic research at the Institute of Biomedical Materials and Devices and then finding a Fulbright opportunity to work UTS, I knew that the timing was right for this project.

What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

Our two countries have a rich history of collaboration in cancer research that I am excited to now be a part of. I am also excited by the opportunity to extend my research capacities into new areas of biomedical research, while establishing a framework for collaborations that could lead to long-term research projects that benefit both the U.S. and Australia. I look forward to learning about similarities and differences in our research enterprises and gaining a deeper perspective of the common, global challenges that we face together.

What are you most nervous about?

In the biomaterials field, hydrogels are being developed such that they are no longer passive but are “living”- meaning that they contain live microorganisms that perform different functions – such as healing or repairing their environments, detecting contaminants, or producing biological molecules. These capabilities open the door to advancements not only in disease treatment, but also in sensing, remediation, and bioproduction, among other applications. While research in this field is nascent, I think many exciting advancements will be occur in the near future.

I am nervous about the unexpected ways that my interactions with students and collaborating researchers at an Australian university will differ from what I am accustomed to in the U.S. How will I be able to connect with Australian students effectively in the classroom? What misunderstandings will I have? What things do I take for granted as an American? I am not sure what to expect, but I am sure I will learn a lot from the experience.

At my home institution, Kansas State University, research is driven by our land grant mission to advance the science that has direct, practical benefits to society.

Research across campus is broad and often ties to food-energy-water sustainability, health, land management, and environmental stewardship. Coming from K-State, I expect that I will find that these broad research themes will resonate with colleagues from UTS and other Australian universities that I will meet during my Fulbright period.

My family members are avid birders, and we are all thrilled to see what new and unusual birds Australia has.

What’s something surprising people learn about you?

If targeted and controlled delivery of live bacteria can be achieved in the gut, it would be a significant step towards improving both the efficacy and safety of microbial therapies that treat GI diseases.

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JULIA MACDONALD

holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she conducted research in disease ecology, volunteered with the New England Aquarium’s penguin colony, and worked as an emergency medical technician. These experiences fostered her interest in the intersection of public policy and science.

With the support of her Fulbright Scholarship, MacDonald will undertake a Master’s degree in Marine and Antarctic Science at the University of Tasmania, specialising in governance and policy. Her research will examine how marine protection policies and patterns of ocean use affect endangered species across the southern oceans.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

I will obtain my Master’s degree at the University of Tasmania in Marine and Antarctic Science with a specialization in governance and policy. I hope to complete my research thesis on how marine protection policies impact diseases in endangered populations of the southern oceans.

After completing my degree, I plan to pursue a diplomatic role between the U.S. and Australia on issues like ocean governance and conservation as a scientifically informed policy maker.

What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

During undergrad, I completed an internship in the New England Aquarium Penguin Colony where I learned to care for, feed, and train the penguins which solidified my interest in conservation.

However, it was my trip to South Africa that sparked my interest in public policy and ocean governance. I traveled to Cape Town with my undergraduate research lab where I visited an African Penguin rehabilitation center and learned first hand how international marine policy can protect, or fail to protect, culturally valuable species.

The ocean is a global resource, so those who create policies to utilize and protect it should understand the significance of the ocean on an international scale.

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"The ocean is a global resource, so those who create policies to utilize and protect it should understand its significance on an international scale.

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What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

Growing up in New England, I experienced how dependent coastal communities are on the vitality of the ocean.

During my time in Australia, I hope to highlight the similarities between Tasmania and New England as coastal communities who share the goal of protecting the sea for generations to come.

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

I’m looking forward to seeing the landscape and creatures of Australia. Kangaroos, wombats, and peacock spiders are all very foreign and exciting to me. I’m eager to see these creatures in person and learn about their wildlife management policies and conservation.

What are you most nervous about?

As I look ahead at my two years of Fulbright, I am most nervous about fulfilling all of my goals.

I’ve made plans to pursue research at the university, volunteer opportunities with conservation groups and schools, and trips to fully experience Tasmania’s culture and landscape. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to achieve all that I’ve set out for during my time in Tasmania, but my to-do list is growing quite rapidly.

What’s something surprising people learn about you?

People that know me have been shocked to learn that I’m moving to Australia. I’m very close with my family and deeply connected to my home community. I adore living in New England! Earlier today, I laughed at how well I fit the stereotype of a “New Englander” as I used a hockey stick to wipe snow off my truck while sleet piled up on my Bruins hat. However, nothing makes me appreciate my home more than travelling.

I can’t wait to experience Tasmania and share my New England culture with my new community.

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ABBY MOORE

is a graduate of Washington & Lee University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. Through independent study and fellowship experiences, she developed a strong interest in translational cancer research and plans to pursue an MD–PhD to integrate research with clinical practice.

With the support of her Fulbright Scholarship, Moore will spend ten months at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre working under the supervision of Dr Shom Goel. Her research will investigate the functional role of a novel cell-cycle protein inhibitor in breast cancer.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

With the help of the Fulbright Scholarship, I will be conducting cancer research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. Under Dr. Shom Goel, my project will focus on investigating the effects of CDK4 - a cell cycle protein inhibition in HR+/HER2- breast cancer.

Not only will I dissect the effects of pharmacological CDK4 inhibition on the tumor microenvironment, but I will also focus on characterizing the CDK4-inhibitor resistant phenotype found in breast cancer patients after prolonged treatment.

What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

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To be quite honest, there was not one definable moment that pushed me towards a career in cancer research.

Rather, my passion for the career has grown through several small experiences.

From being diagnosed with skin cancer at 17, to pursuing a summer cancer research fellowship during college, I attribute the inspiration for my Fulbright project to the experiences I've gained in the field.

What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

I would love for Australians to know that my research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is not only actively being applied to clinical trials in cancer patients in Australia, but in the U.S. as well.

Metastatic cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 1 in 6 deaths in 2022. There has been substantial progress made in cancer research in recent decades driven by labs that have targeted cell cycle and immune cells to prevent cancer metastases. This is precisely what I aim to accomplish with my Fulbright project.

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

I am most looking forward to learning about the Australian healthcare field.

As an aspiring Md-PhD, I am eager to understand the cultural differences that present themselves in both research and medicine during my time as a clinical cancer researcher at Peter Mac. Perhaps equally important, as a vegetarian, I am just as intrigued to try a Vegemite sandwich.

What are you most nervous about?

I am most nervous about navigating and working in a big city. I have only ever known small towns and rural areas growing up, and truly love farm fields and mountain towns! I am hoping to find a bit of nature while spending time in Melbourne.

What’s something surprising people learn about you?

People are often most surprised when I mention my favorite sport: deep water soloing. It is best described as a form of outdoor rock climbing, but over steep, overhanging cliffs. No ropes are involved, and when the climber takes a fall, it is into a body of water below!

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Metastatic cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 1 in 6 deaths.

There has been substantial progress made in cancer research in recent decades driven by labs that have targeted cell cycle and immune cells to prevent cancer metastases."

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"I was drawn to bioengineering for its broad range of skills and applications, and I look forward to applying my engineering background to environmental challenges, particularly at the intersection of bioengineering and honey bees.

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NOVA MENG

graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024 with a BSE in Bioengineering.

She is passionate about developing accessible technologies in both healthcare and environmental contexts. At Penn, she conducted research in rehabilitation robotics, was the president of the Penn Beekeeping Club, and spent a summer in Germany studying honey bee disease propagation. This experience inspired her current Fulbright research, where she investigates honey bee foraging patterns. She is conducting this work at the Australian National University under the mentorship of Dr. Sasha Mikheyev.

Outside of research, Nova loves completing or attempting to complete random art projects.

Can you tell us a little about your Fulbright project?

I am studying honey bees at the Australian National University in the lab of Dr. Sasha Mikheyev. My main focus is on using vibration sensors to analyze bee dances within the hive. This could help predict the movement of bees since the bee dance encodes the foraging locations and swarming locations which would allow for better tracking and optimization of honey bee foraging patterns within the pollinator network. This has the potential to limit disease spread between honey bee hives and the spread to wild bees.

What inspired you to pursue this project now — was there a moment or experience that sparked it?

I was the president of the Penn Beekeeping Club during undergrad and I loved teaching the community about the importance of pollinators and spreading love for bees.

This also led me to studying bees under the DAAD Rise Scholarship in Halle Saale, Germany for a summer where I studied the effects of a high density of honey bees on disease spread.

What do you want Australians to understand about your field, your home community, or the U.S. more broadly?

During my time in Australia, I would like to communicate the wonderful diversity within my field, my community, and the US. I was drawn to bioengineering for its broad range of skills and applications, and I look forward to applying my engineering background to environmental challenges, particularly at the intersection of bioengineering and honey bees.

From my community in Philadelphia, I hope to convey the city’s diversity—from people in neighborhoods like Bella Vista and Kensington to interests spanning the arts, such as the Philly Asian American Film Festival, and sports (Go Birds!)—and how these connect with the diverse people and activities in Canberra. More broadly, the cultural diversity of the United States fosters a rich exchange of ideas, and I hope my perspective as an Asian American will resonate with and contribute to the diverse perspectives in Australia, including those of Asian Australians.

What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Australia?

I look forward to exploring the unique wildlife of Australia. Beyond the bees, I would also love to observe the birds of Canberra like cockatoos and magpies as well as other animals I’ve only ever seen photos of like kangaroos and koalas.

What are you most nervous about?

I am most nervous about leaving my family and friends for so long. This will be the longest and farthest from home I have ever been and I will miss my friends and family and the community of Philadelphia.

Although I will likely feel homesick at times, I am sure I will love the community I am able to build in Canberra.

What’s something surprising people learn about you?

I am a little scared of bees! Although I love honey bees and am pursuing research to help preserve both honey bees and wild bees, after being stung more than five times, I have vowed to always wear a full bee suit while at the beehives.

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Sovereign Information Power

Australia can make an enormous contribution to regional stability through its information strategy Professor Chris Bronk PhD

Since the arrival of the second Trump Administration, the United States has rapidly moved away from investments in both cybersecurity and information operations.

The US Army closed its information operations command; the Department of Homeland Security gutted its cybersecurity bureau; all sorts of federal grant programs on information and computing, including the Pentagon’s Minerva (404) and others at the National Science Foundation, have evaporated.

What this means is that the US no longer wishes to know how these rapidly evolving levers of cyber and information power work, and that it is willing, unwittingly or not, to cease making use of them or protecting its citizenry from them. This is a lead that Australia must not follow.

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Strategic dialog here has come to emphasize an independent defence for Australia. This is something the country might have reckoned with after the fall of Singapore in February 1942.

Fortunately, the United States was able to intervene in the Coral Sea a couple months later, and it assumed a most significant role in protecting Australia’s security, which has continued until now.

In two lectures here in Adelaide this week, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and strategic thinker Hugh White delivered lectures on “surviving the new world disorder” and the “hard new world” in which we now reside.

For each of them, US idealism has come to an end. As Liberal MP Andrew Hastie opined, believers in the rules based order on which we have grown accustomed since 1945 are “being nostalgic.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio agrees, offering in his confirmation hearing that, “The post-war global order is not just obsolete, it is now a weapon being used against us.”

There are manifold implications contained in this change. Turnbull and White’s remarks shared two assumptions: (1) Australia can no longer depend on the US or any other power for security guarantees; and (2) it must develop an independent security strategy and concomitant capabilities (including intelligence, law enforcement and diplomacy).

These are reasonable beliefs and need a response from government.

If the rules based order that arose in the wake of World War II is indeed finished, and I’m reluctant to say it is, then Australia probably needs to think about how security works in other middle powers. This probably prompts most security thinkers to wonder about supplementing air and naval capabilities, but information programs in the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) need attention as well.

If Australia is going to coexist with three of the world’s largest economies—China, India and the rapidly rising Indonesia—it needs a dramatic rethink on its strategies for employing the information dimension of power.

It is what we are paid to do, to collect it, to transmit it, communicate it and present British government views.” Information is the lifeblood of diplomacy and with it the exercise of power in the international system.

Such thinking needs to be done while the infrastructure of information is undergoing tremendous change. Information is not an inconsequential sideline for defencerelated strategic thinking. Information power is real and matters quite a lot; just ask Vladimir Putin.

Due to the shakeup in the United States, how power is exerted has become a top of the pile question for the Albanese government.

Of his 42 years in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Lord Peter Ricketts reflected, “for me as a diplomat, information has been my life really.

Time is short, but fortunately investments in information programs are quite cheap in comparison to buys of military hardware.

For the cost of one F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, or about US$80 million, a great deal of information operational capacity can be bought.

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PROFESSOR CHRIS BRONK

is the inaugural Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Cyber Information Influence, Sponsored by Adelaide University. An Associate Professor at the University of Houston with an appointment at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Chris' research covers the politics of cyberspace, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection, supported by organizations such as the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Chris’s Fulbright project examines the role of information power in the international system.

The US State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), which did exactly that kind of work, ran on about US$120 million before it was defunded by Congress in late 2024 and shuttered by Marco Rubio earlier this year.

So, what should the investment look like?

At DFAT this would involve the creation of new capacity in a significant uplift for the Strategic Planning and Coordination Group.

First and foremost, Australia’s government, at national and local levels, needs to build a defensive information strategy.

For less than A$100 million, DFAT could build its own disinformation defence capabilities, much like the now defunct GEC. Protecting the Australian population from foreign interference, largely delivered by the internet, requires time and investment.

This will be a process that takes decades to mature, as it depends on everything from developing intelligence capabilities to putting media literacy curriculum in schools and universities. Unlike the submarine program, it requires very little from treaty allies or friends to develop.

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What also needs to be understood in this defensive effort is defining what my colleague Keith Ransom calls a healthy information ecosystem.

The Government of Australia has all sorts of programs in place on societal wellbeing and is rapidly moving to protect youth from harms online with its eSafety Commissioner and other initiatives. Information defences can be an important part of this larger effort.

Then there is Australia’s offensive information strategy. Can Australia combine cyber and information influence tools to construct cyber-enabled influence operations? It most likely can.

While such attacks have produced some interesting results and revealed then Hillary Clinton campaign chief John Podesta’s recipe for risotto, are they the right tool? I would say probably not.

But that doesn’t mean that information programs of the sort shut down by the Trump Administration, including the gutting of the US Agency for Global Media and its journalistic outlets, the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia.

Australia, either alone or with democratic allies, should work to fill the gaps left by the disappearance of US soft power tools such as these. Other programs could finance and educate local journalists for outlets in the rapidly growing urban areas of Indonesia, Malaysia and beyond.

Can this be achieved? Some countries seem to do awfully well in developing outsized capabilities in areas of unique importance.

In international information dissemination, Qatar has developed a media enterprise that belies an enormous belief in information power. Israel, on the other hand, has chosen to become a cyber power, punching above weight both on offence and defence as an extension of its military capabilities. Singapore has its own unique information position as a global tech and innovation hub that is a fusion of economic and information power.

Ask any politician in this country as to which course it should take, the answer would no doubt be an enthusiastic “All three!” An example of this is The Strategist’s recent call from Jason Van der Schyff for the creation of an “Australian Silicon Valley.”

If Australia wants innovation, government can subsidise it, but the outcome of such an effort may take a decade or more to bear fruit.

This does not suggest that a cybersecurity heavyweight like Israel’s Wiz will spontaneously emerge. Better is to think about government’s role in an information strategy rather than it driving massive, transformational, techno-economic initiatives.

This strategy won’t be free, but it also won’t involve costs stretching into billions of dollars per year. The people of Australia need to know that amassing new tools for information power will have a cost, but one well worth it.

That is why government should consider something aligned with the strategy outlined above and let the business of business in technology sort the rest out.

"Can Australia combine cyber and information influence tools to construct cyber-enabled influence operations?

It most likely can.

"

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Transforming Youth Health Education: How Animation and Empathy Are Revolutionising Global Health Dr Belinda An When I first applied for the Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Media, Medicine and Health at Harvard Medical School, I understood that I was signing up for advanced coursework, collaborative research opportunities, professional development in an innovative field, and cultural exchange.

What I didn't anticipate was how profoundly this experience would transform not just my academic trajectory, but my entire understanding of identity, community, and the power of cross-cultural collaboration in addressing global health challenges.

It began at 3am on an obstetrics and gynaecology night shift in Sydney, as I diagnosed a 22-year-old woman with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID); a severe but relatively straightforward case. This was not the first, and definitely not my last, of these encounters.

However, when we met, I found myself incredibly moved. She was an international student, studious, active, and outgoing. In some ways, she seemed just like me. When I explained her diagnosis to her, she paused, and then her hand flew to her mouth.

“Will this affect my fertility?”

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I no longer remember her name, but I remember her face when I explained this like it was yesterday. There was no comfort in the explanation. No comfort in the uncertainty of what this could mean until she simply tried to fall pregnant one day. A tear fell when she told me that she’d never heard of this condition before — and neither had I, until I went to medical school. What an incredible systems failure.

That moment, buried amongst countless similar clinical encounters, crystallised a truth I had been circling around: we are failing young people when it comes to sexual health education. PID is a preventable condition affecting over 100,000 women annually in Australia alone, placing them at high risk of chronic pain, ectopic pregnancies, and infertility — yet we are still not empowering our youth with essential information and care options before it is too late.

The Fulbright experience offered something rare in today’s increasingly specialised academic landscape: the opportunity to exist at the intersection of multiple disciplines.

Through the MMH program, I found myself navigating courses that spanned social medicine, creative writing, animation, youth education, and community organising.

This interdisciplinary approach didn't just broaden my knowledge base — it fundamentally changed how I think about problem-solving in healthcare.

My Capstone project, Pleasure Planet, exemplifies this transformation. What began as an academic requirement evolved into something far more ambitious: a five-minute comedic narrative featuring anthropomorphised genitalia that I handanimated frame by frame.

When I jest to new acquaintances that “I came to Harvard to animate uteruses and penises,” there is some quintessentially Australian self-deprecating humour — but also profound purpose — behind every one of the 4,008 frames I shot, drew, and edited.

The barriers to effective sexual health education run deep. From the Victorian era’s confinement of sex to secretive reproductive tasks, to the medicalisation and stigmatisation of sexuality, we’ve inherited a legacy of shame that makes it difficult to talk about and access care.

Traditional approaches — whether classroom programs influenced by institutional policies or online resources where young people struggle to discern trustworthy information — all face significant obstacles, including stigma, access barriers, and lack of diverse representation.

Through my examination of the literature and existing approaches, animation emerged as the perfect medium for breaking through these barriers.

DR BELINDA AN

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is a doctor at the Royal Hospital for Women with a passion for health literacy education, particularly relating to sexual health, pelvic inflammatory disease and its long-term impacts on fertility and reproductive health. In addition to her clinical work in obstetrics and gynaecology, Belinda volunteers as the lead medical advisor for the not-for-profit consent and sexual education organisation Consent Labs. She is a fertility researcher with first-authored publications in international journals such as Human Reproduction, and also teaches as a Conjoint Associate Lecturer in Women’s Health at the University of New South Wales.

As the 2024 Fulbright Sir John Carrick Scholar, Belinda completed a Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health at Harvard University.

Research has identified key goals for improving sexual health education: credible sources, nonjudgmental language, diverse representation, and content addressing not just STIs and pregnancy, but pleasure, communication, and emotions.

Animation offers unique barrier-breaking abilities through its approachable visual language that simultaneously engages and disarms — exactly what we need to meet young people where they are.

Under the mentorship of Professors Ruth Lingford and Joseph Blatt, I learned animation and formal design principles for youth education. This was a steep, exhilarating learning curve that felt almost explosive in its expansiveness. Creating my short film in three months was deemed “rather ambitious” by some and “downright insane” by others.

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But throughout the process, I could only think of my patient; of myself and peers giggling through banana-and-condom demonstrations at 14; and of all the young people never given space for real understanding of the complexities of sexual health.

The professional impact of my work has been immediate and far-reaching. Since presenting my work to the Harvard Medical School community, I’ve been approached by the Global Health Research Coordinator to collaborate on reducing HIV-related stigma through social media, entered discussions with clinical teams in Australia about expanding educational media across women’s health communities, and begun preparing my research for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

However, the most significant transformation was personal and communal. The Fulbright and MMH programs connected me with an extraordinarily diverse cohort spanning fields from audio journalism to physical therapy, representing continents from North America to Africa to Asia.

These are not just classmates; they have become collaborators, friends, and chosen family who transformed Cambridge from my exchange destination into my home.

This community taught me that the world contains a beautiful paradox: it is enormously expansive, yet remarkably intimate once you reach across it and discover how readily connection awaits.

Through shared meals featuring flavours from our respective homes, late-night conversations, adventures rowing and running along the Charles, and countless collaborations, we proved that meaningful cross-cultural exchange happens when we approach new spaces with openness and curiosity.

Under the mentorship of Professors Saeed Jones and Ricardo Perez Gonzalez, I crystallised my identity as a writer, leading to additional projects like Spilt, a dramatic play exploring birth trauma. These works represent my early contributions to a rising movement in health education and youth empowerment that feels far, far bigger than me.

As I return to Australia with plans to test Pleasure Planet with its intended audience (coming to you soon, teens), I carry with me not just new skills and knowledge, but a fundamentally expanded understanding of what is possible when we bridge disciplines, cultures, and communities.

Today’s most pressing health challenges require more than clinical solutions. They demand storytellers who can make complex information accessible, artists who can create culturally resonant education, and collaborators who can build bridges across difference.

My Fulbright experience didn't just advance my academic goals — it fundamentally reshaped my understanding of belonging, creativity, and collaborative possibility. That young woman’s tears continue to propel me forward, reminding me that behind every health statistic is a human story.

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COVER STORY

Western Australia: Stromatolites of Shark Bay Pictures: Daniela Tommasi Photography

Artis Henderson, Fulbright-National Geographic Scholar Join me as I explore Western Australia on a quest to tell the story of the world’s oldest living microorganisms—the marine stromatolites of Shark Bay.

January 2, 2025 Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay (Gathaagudu), Western Australia As a Fulbright-National Geographic Fellow, I’m in Western Australia for eight months to study the effects of climate change and sea level rise on the stromatolites of Shark Bay. Living marine stromatolites—knee-high, boulder-like layers of sediment and cyanobacteria—are analogous to the world’s oldest microorganisms, hugely important for our understanding of both early life on Earth and the potential for life on Mars. They exist in only a few places on the planet.

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But because of climate change and sea level rise, the stromatolites of Shark Bay in Western Australia are in danger of disappearing—and quickly. Preliminary research suggests in as little as 30 years.

I’m here to tell the story of these stromatolites through the lens of a trio of scientists—an oceanographer, a paleontologist and an astrobiologist—as well as the traditional custodians of this land.

Why me? Because I grew up on a beach in the Bahamas where stromatolites lived just offshore. My earliest memories are of these astonishing organisms.

When I wasn’t snorkeling with stromatolites, I was tucked away in a corner, reading.

My favorite books were the ones that championed nature and those who fought to protect it. As I grew older, I dreamed of becoming a writer and defending the wild places I loved. Today, I’m grateful that my dream has become my career.

March 12, 2025 Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay (Gathaagudu), Western Australia My team arrives in Shark Bay in mid-March, bunuru in the Noongar language tradition, second of the six seasons, when the days are hottest and there is no rain. Dry clumps of spinifex dot the red sand, and the turquoise water of the coast glimmers in the sun. Emus stroll beside the road, and we watch for kangaroos as we drive. People tell me Western Australia is an acquired taste, but once you acquire it you’re hooked.

We’ve been in Shark Bay less than 24 hours, and I already know I’m a goner.

On this first expedition, my team is joined

by Thalles Araújo, an oceanographer and Forrest Scholar at the University of Western Australia. Thalles has worked on research related to the stromatolites of Shark Bay, and he has an in-depth understanding of the hydrodynamics of Hamelin Pool, where the stromatolites are located.

As a conservation journalist, I’ve tracked rattlesnakes through pine scrub, visited cypress domes in hip-deep swamp water and poled dark rivers at night. I’ve explored a shipwreck at 100 feet underwater and ridden an airboat through the waving sawgrass of the Everglades. No matter where my reporting takes me, the end discovery is always the same. We are all— people, planet—interconnected.

Now, I’m diving into this new adventure in Shark Bay for the National Geographic Society with one goal in mind: to protect the wonder of our world. I’ll be joined by one of Western Australia’s most talented photographers, Daniela Tommasi, and up-and-coming filmmaker Noah Bachman.

Hydrodynamics—the movement of water—falls under the field of fluid mechanics, and it’s considered to be one of the most difficult disciplines.

Because a number of physical phenomena affect how water moves, including wind, tides, salinity, ground water and bathymetry (underwater topography), water’s movement is difficult to predict.

“Tiny changes in an initial condition might lead to drastic changes that evolve over time,” Thalles says.

“We call that the butterfly effect, and it’s very real in natural environments. When you look down on Shark Bay from above, we see a complex mix of all of that.”

This view from above is crucial, he says. So in order to gain a deeper understanding of the hydrodynamics at play, I arrange for my team to have an aerial view.

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The season’s hot wind is already blowing across the tarmac when we arrive at the airstrip outside Shark Bay. The wind sock at the edge of the runway whips back and forth, then holds steady. A single-engine Cessna 206 waits for us outside the hangar.

The back doors to the plane are already off so that my photographer and videographer can get a clear shot of the landscape.

“You’ll need to put your seatbelts on,” the pilot tells them. “But they’re just for show.”

They look at each other, their eyebrows raised.

The pilot holds up a pair of harnesses.

“Don’t worry,” he says, reading their expressions. “You’ll be harnessed in.”

They dutifully step into the harnesses, and he clips them into the plane. I climb into the front seat of the aircraft, and the pilot sit nexts to me. He runs a final check on the engine and instruments, and then we taxi down the runway. He takes off into the wind.

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We head east toward Hamelin Pool, and I have to catch my breath at the sweeping expanse of water below.

March 19, 2025 Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay (Gathaagudu), Western Australia “Sea snakes are some of the most venomous snakes in the world,” Luke tells my team as we bump over the red sand track that runs through the southern tip of Shark Bay. “And they love snorkels.”

We glance nervously at each other.

At this height, the hydrodynamics of Shark Bay are more visible, and it’s possible to gain a deeper appreciation for the interplay of factors that influence the continued existence of the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool.

I look back at my team, who work to capture everything as the wind through the open side of the plane pulls at their clothes and hair.

The pilot points to spit of land below and asks over the headsets if we want him to make a turn for the best view. Yes, we say. He banks the plane sharply and pivots on the tip of one wing in a tight circle, so tight that the plane is nearly parallel to the ground. I swallow nervously, glad for the harnesses holding my team in place. When they’ve gotten their shots, the pilot levels out the Cessna and points the nose toward the airstrip. I watch the ground below and follow the shadow of the plane as we come in for a landing.

The flight has given us a better understanding of the hydrodynamics of Shark Bay, but to fully understand this unique and complex environment—to weigh all the factors at play in the stromatolites’ continued survival—we’ll need more than the view from above.

We’ll need the view from within the water itself.

There are four of us on this expedition to Shark Bay: Thalles Araújo, an oceanographer and Forrest Scholar at the University of Western Australia; Daniela Tommasi, wildly talented adventure photographer; Noah Bachman, filmmaker and drone specialist; and myself, a conservation journalist here to tell the story of the living marine stromatolites of Shark Bay, nearly the last of their kind and at risk of disappearing over the next 30 years because of sea level rise.

On this particular trip we’re headed to a remote location where most people never visit. It requires a four-wheel-drive and an experienced driver—that’s Luke. “Sea snakes are more curious than anything,” he says as he navigates the sand drifts.

“They’ll swim at you. Maybe wrap themselves around your snorkel. Don’t panic. Take a deep breath. Pretend you’re just part of the landscape.”

I swallow hard as the Land Cruiser bumps over the arid terrain, thinking how far we are from the nearest medical facility. Empty acres stretch in ever direction. This land was once a sheep station; before that, it belonged to the Malgana, traditional custodians of Shark Bay. We drive a long way through spinifex and acacia scrub, across salt pans and mounds of red dirt until we crest a hill and see the turquoise waters of Hamelin Pool. The sun beats down from a cloudless sky, and the air is dry and salt-tinged.

I’ve been planning this expedition for years; in some ways, my whole life. It feels like a dream to finally be in the water with the living marine stromatolites of Shark Bay, so similar to the stromatolites off the beach in the Exumas, in the Bahamas, where I grew up. It’s a gift to be able to swim in the warm, shallow, hypersaline waters of Hamelin Pool, to see up-close the living organisms that tell us so much about early life on earth.

I’m imagining that world—early earth, when all of the planet was covered in a warm, shallow sea—as we arrive at the beach and tumble out of the ute.

The sand is so white it makes our eyes hurt.

It’s covered with the shells of cockles, one of the few organisms that can withstand the intense salinity of Hamelin Pool.

There are no other humans. Just the five of us, our vehicle, our camera gear and a bag full of snorkeling equipment.

I’m the first one in the water. It’s as clear as a spring. Rain hasn’t fallen in this northern pocket of Western Australia for months, which keeps the sediment on the bottom undisturbed. There’s also limited turbidity from tidal movements, as variations in tidal flow are largely slowed by the Faure Sill just to the north, a raised spit of land and sea grass that has protected Hamelin Pool for millennia. It’s what also keeps the waters here so salty, a key factor in the survival of the stromatolites.

The water is strikingly warm as I wade in, like amniotic fluid. It’s impossible not to think of the earth 3.5 billion years ago, when life began on this planet and the first layers of sediment and cyanobacteria that would become stromatolites— the ancestors to these living marine stromatolites in front of me—were formed.

I slip on my fins and pull my mask down over my face, then I lean forward into the water. I see my first stromatolites of Hamelin Pool and let out a whoop that travels up my snorkel and into the bright morning air.

Scientists date these stromatolites to the last two thousands years. They contain both history and possibility in their unique geologic record.

I’m floating, buoyant and exuberant, taking in the stromatolites through my mask, when I see a sea snake two meters to my left. It glides above the sandy bottom, headed in my direction. I hold my breath, pretending I am simply another part of this wild and beautiful seascape, a speck of sand in the span of deep time.

The sea snakes passes below me and continues on its way, weaving between the stromatolites.

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July 17, 2025 Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay (Gathaagudu), Western Australia Today, living marine stromatolites exist in only a few places on the planet. But they once covered most of the Earth’s surface.

The warm, shallow, salty seas of early Earth provided optimal conditions for these nascent lifeforms, and layers of sediment and cyanobacteria built up over time.

In some locations this created microbial mats, while in others it formed stromatolites—knee-high, boulder-like structures similar to what we see in Shark Bay today.

The warm, shallow, salty seas of early Earth weren't destined to last. Conditions on the planet changed as temperatures dropped and the salinity of the seas decreased. The extreme environment that had allowed stromatolites to flourish for millions of years grew less extreme, and conditions became more hospitable for other lifeforms.

This was great news for eukaryotes— organisms with a membrane-bound nucleus that include plants, animals, fungi and many unicellular organisms. But it was detrimental for stromatolites, whose microbes found themselves outcompeted by eukaryotes in places where they had previously thrived.

Yet a handful of locations remain across the Earth’s surface where stromatolites still have the upper hand, biologically.

In each of these places, environmental factors restrict the ability of eukaryotes to compete with the microbes that form stromatolites. These factors include salinity, temperature and currents. And they all have one thing in common.

“Hostility,” says Dr. Rick Fenny.

Dr. Fenny owns Carbla Station, a working sheep station that abuts the east side of Hamelin Pool and offers some of the best access to the stromatolites of Shark Bay. Dr. Fenny is a prominent veteran with offices across Western Australia. He was famously the vet for Red Dog, the Pilbara pup in the Louis de Bernières novel.

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Dr. Fenny’s character even makes an appearance in the movie based on the book. Though Carbla Station is closed to visitors, Dr. Fenny allows a handful of scientists and researchers to visit each year. My team was granted the privilege of spending the day there.

It’s the middle of July and deep winter in Australia. Shark Bay is warmer than Perth, the capital of Western Australia, which sits eight hours to the south, but the morning is still cold as we navigate the narrow dirt track to the empty beach at Carbla. It’s not the the coldest weather I’ve ever been in, but it’s cold for snorkeling—especially as someone who grew up in the warm waters of the Bahamas and coastal Florida.

The sky overhead is a deep blue, nearly the same shade as the water, and the bright sun does nothing to warm the day. My videographer, Noah, shivers as we climb out the of the truck. But he’s staying on dry land with the drone. It’s Daniela, the expedition’s photographer, and me who’ll be in the water.

Daniela checks over the underwater housing on her camera while I step into my 3 mm wetsuit, wishing I had a 5 mm. We walk to the edge of the channel through the stromatolites and slowly wade in. The water is so cold that it sends an electric jolt up my spine. Hamelin Pool is clear as crystal, and I can see straight to the bottom.

I pull my mask over my face and kneel down.

The water slowly soaks through my wetsuit and I’m fine, totally fine, until—all at once— I’m freezing.

Daniela, on the other hand, is unfazed.

She’s already ahead of me, a weight belt around her waist to pull her beneath the surface, capturing images of the stromatolites.

I try to submerge myself, but I’m laughably buoyant in the hypersaline water. Our last expedition was during the summer, when Hamelin Pool was warm as a bath.

I didn’t need a wetsuit then. Now I’m a neoprene cork bobbing on the surface.

Daniela tries to snap a few photos of me, but I can’t manage to get more than my face underwater. We’re both shivering and laughing. Noah, on shore, has his drone in the air to capture the beautiful spectacle of these pristine stromatolites beneath the morning sun. He waves at us; he doesn’t seem to mind the cold. We’re surrounded by wild acres, empty but for sheep and dingoes.

It occurs to me—briefly, happily— that we are here at the intersection of deep time and the present moment, all of us thriving at the extremes.

-- Read more of Artis' Field Notes on National Geographic.

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How to Manage Your

EMOTIONS

to Create a Happier and Healthier Life Dr. David Preece Emotions are central to life. We feel happy seeing our friend open a gift, we feel sad at our grandparent’s funeral, we feel anxious about that test we have coming up, and we feel angry at that car that cut us off. Emotions bring important texture to our lives.

Often, emotions are very helpful—they help to tell us things about the world and drive our behaviour in adaptive ways.

However, sometimes, emotions can happen at the wrong times, be too strong or too weak, or last for too long or not long enough. These types of problems with emotions characterise many common mental health difficulties, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and burnout.

Because emotions can be helpful or unhelpful depending on the context, we often need to regulate or control them. This process is known as emotion regulation, where people try to change the way their emotions are experienced or expressed.

Emotion regulation can involve increasing or decreasing an emotion. While people often aim to increase pleasant emotions (e.g., happiness) and decrease unpleasant ones (e.g., sadness), this is not always the case.

All emotions—even the ones that don’t feel very nice—have moments where they are useful and important to feel.

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Decades of psychological research tell us that there are many different strategies people can use to regulate emotions, and some approaches tend to work better than others for achieving long-term wellbeing.

What Not to Do Problematic emotion regulation styles often involve a lot of avoidance—avoiding situations that might be unpleasant (even if it stops us doing things that matter), excessively distracting ourselves to keep our mind off things, trying to suppress upsetting thoughts, withdrawing from our social circles, and “bottling it up” instead of talking to others about how we feel.

While some avoidance is normal and occasionally necessary, problems arise when we rely on it too much. It may give shortterm relief, but it tends to create long-term pain, because the emotions and situations stressing us out are not properly resolved.

What to Do Instead Here are three strategies that are often very helpful—reappraisal, behavioural activation, and problem solving.

Let’s add them to our emotion regulation “toolkit.”

1. Reappraisal Reappraisal involves changing the way you think about a situation to alter its emotional impact. People often become stuck in negative thinking patterns, viewing situations in unrealistically or excessively negative ways (e.g., catastrophising, jumping to negative conclusions, or placing extreme expectations on themselves).

These thinking patterns can drive intensely distressing emotions.

With reappraisal, we reflect on whether our thinking is balanced and accurate. If not, we try to come up with a more balanced “reappraised” thought.

One way to do this is to ask yourself: “If a friend were in this situation and having this thought, what advice would I give them?”

The answer often provides a new, more balanced perspective that can help us feel better over time.

2. Behavioural Activation Behavioural activation involves scheduling pleasant or meaningful activities throughout your week. The aim is to expose yourself to situations that are likely to generate positive emotions and fulfilling experiences.

Start by reflecting on what matters to you in different areas of life (e.g., free time, work, relationships, personal development). Then set concrete goals that move you closer to where you want to be. Plan specific activities at specific times each week.

Start small and build momentum over time.

3. Problem Solving Problem solving involves systematically addressing the situations in your life that cause stressful emotions. It includes identifying the issue, brainstorming a large list of possible solutions, weighing the pros and cons of the most promising options, then choosing one to implement and mapping out the steps required.

Sometimes the stressful situation is not entirely within your control, which can make problem solving more challenging. However, there are often still elements you can influence or improve.

These strategies are commonly taught in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the most widely used psychological therapy in the world. By having these strategies in our emotion regulation tool kit—and practising them over time—we can build stronger emotional health and move closer to the life we want to live.

Good luck on the journey!

DR DAVID PREECE

is a Clinical Psychologist and the Director of the Perth Emotion and Psychopathology Lab at Curtin University. His research focuses on the understanding, assessment, and treatment of emotional problems like depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Different mental health issues often occur together, so David is particularly interested in identifying common factors that underlie a range of mental health symptoms.

David’s Fulbright project at Stanford University aimed to uncover new insights into how people understand and control their emotions, and what causes issues in these areas. These insights ultimately help us develop more advanced treatments for emotional disorders.

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This Is Not Your Daddy’s Mining Industry Professor Karin Olson Hoal

Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Science, Technology, and Innovation, funded by CSIRO On a boat in Shark Bay, Western Australia, in an ocean setting of clear blue sky, turquoise waters, and green seagrass alive with sea life, I overheard young marine tour operators share how gloomy the future looked.

They were not going to have children, they said, because children would inherit a world of climate disaster.

As a geologist in the minerals sector, I know well the industry they blame. And as an educator, I have heard this before. Yet the very sector they fear provided the materials for the plane that got them to that beautiful place, their phones, electronics, and the very boat they were on. That sad voice is all the more distressing because it quits: it does not seek to, or know how to, make change. My job has been to see how we can.

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The new mineral resource sector is not your father’s mining industry. That industry was driven by a few commodities and operators focused on revenues ahead of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns. While industry does still operate much as it did in the past century, small innovations in geoscience, processing, robotics, data, and ESG have brought it close to being a positive force for human sustainability. Close.

It now works from many angles and across most of the periodic table in a holistic minerals value chain.

The outputs could be a multitude of products, recyclable materials, no waste, and better ecosystems. This is how extraction of resources on the Moon is being developed: robotic, small-impact, focused keyhole operations, with every component tracked, recycled, and without waste. Why not on our land and seafloor?

With the current global expansion of critical elements, the minerals sector now has a louder voice and a bigger choice: whether to grasp innovation and transform, at some cost, or whether to operate the same old way in expanded jurisdictions provided in the name of criticality. The latter is more likely. More promising is that real change will probably come from the outside — away from traditional mining schools and towards the people most impacted: the approximately 70 per cent of lands that critical minerals industries are eyeing which are Indigenous lands.

In contrast to the move towards robotics and data, the future of the industry may be one of people — different people, more voices, new perspectives, and different knowledge capabilities. In Namibia, a Damara woman said they would like to know why foreign companies are taking their rocks — and whether they were valuable. This is a simple request: what is going on in our land, and why aren’t we gaining economic parity?

In most countries, minerals are owned by the state, and companies negotiate with governments for access to land. In democracies, at least, if governments own the minerals and people own the governments, perhaps the people should oversee whether best practices are being used and how access is granted. While people may not yet be formally informed to make such decisions, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) requires Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): that people be fully informed before giving consent.

In reality, Indigenous communities are very informed — but from a different perspective. They know the landscape, the rocks, and the ores in ways Western science does not. Through Fulbright Australia, a science-to-people approach has begun that bypasses the sticking points of innovating traditional mining and instead focuses on informing Indigenous people directly.

While many legal, social science, and anthropological initiatives focus on social licence to operate, community buy-in, or job creation, these often exclude technical knowledge transfer and assume that the goal is consent. A different view is not community buy-in, but community in the driver’s seat. Language, communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and technical know-how are key.

Noongar Boodjar people in southwest Australia trace scientific knowledge of Country back tens of thousands of years — so much so that CSIRO refers to Aboriginal people as Australia’s first scientists. There are oral histories of Pleistocene climate change, ancient songs of whales (later “confirmed” by Western science), stories of falling stones from the sky, spiritual granite kants or heads, and mapped Songlines and Dreaming that encode landscape knowledge.

Noongar science calls for two-way science: knowledge sharing between Indigenous and Western systems. Knowledge sharing requires common ground, common goals, and a common language. Anyone can learn Western methods and the language of industry with training; the question is whether Western engineering can also learn from Indigenous science, beyond the constraints of what has always been done.

The Fulbright project begins by breaking down elements of the sector, removing barriers of science and engineering vocabulary, and translating them into something communicable and demonstrable. This is what is done, and why. This is how you can participate and help make decisions.

PROFESSOR KARIN OLSON HOAL

is a geologist and the Wold Family Professor in Environmental Balance for Human Sustainability at Cornell University. She has worked across industry and academia in the US, southern Africa, Australia, Canada, and Chile in the area of geomet, linking science and engineering to transform mineral resources.

Karin’s Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Science, Technology, and Innovation, funded by CSIRO, brought her to Australia to develop a science-based connection between communities and resource managers, recognising that innovations in the minerals sector will come from well-informed stakeholders. Combining geomet understanding of mineral resources with their own extensive knowledge, communities can more effectively participate in this expanding and impactful sector.

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Just as maps and art tell stories of history, heritage, events, and direction, so too do mineral textures and rock fabrics, crystal orientations, and growth patterns tell stories of time, formation, and deformation. False-colour mineral images are powerful communicative tools — a form of art — and they closely resemble Aboriginal paintings, offering one shared visual language for talking about Earth materials.

Music, too, is a tool for communication. In music, we seek the sublime moment when every instrument, in its own role, blends into something exquisite — when each different voice unites and the dancers dance. In science, this becomes interdisciplinary collaboration, with different capabilities working together. From this idea, we developed geomet: an interdisciplinary, integrated, multi-perspective space for collaboration across the minerals sector.

Expanding this concept to people, the idea of playing together with different instruments helps all sides — Western and Indigenous — work together.

Two-way science brings the knowledge we all hold together like a band making new music: new opportunities for economic sharing and, hopefully, better practices.

On that boat in Shark Bay, one voice finally piped up. She had just seen David Attenborough’s film Ocean, and suddenly she had hope. She was optimistic that things can change — that nature can heal itself if we find different ways of operating.

In truth, Earth has been everything from a magma ocean to a giant snowball. It has survived extinctions, giant impacts, and tectonic cataclysms far worse than today’s climate change. Earth will be fine.The question is whether humans will also be fine.

To answer that, we should turn to the humans who have been around the longest — and ask them.

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Learning From Others: How My Fulbright Experience Shaped My Life Dr Joshua Russell Most of what we learn comes from other people—how we view the world, how we set personal goals, how we understand different cultures, how we discover new science, and how we distinguish what seems possible from what seems impossible.

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This belief leads me to think that one of the most important things in life is to surround yourself with people from diverse backgrounds, fields, and cultures, so you can discover things you might otherwise have gone a lifetime without knowing.

Looking back on my Fulbright Scholarship, the thing I am most grateful for is the opportunity to learn from people I would otherwise never have met. I was fortunate to have welcoming lab mates and friends who invited me to board game nights, parties, and Friendsgivings. Friends from India, Argentina, the USA, the UK, China, and South Korea—and my advisor from Israel—taught me about their cultures, their values, the foods they love, and what their lives were like growing up. They widened my perspective on the world and on what I value in life, for which I am truly grateful.

In research, I have had the chance to be exposed to what I consider some of the most exciting and inspiring work.

My advisor, Hava T. Siegelmann, and my lab mates taught me how to think like a computer scientist: the importance of generalising ideas, creating formal frameworks, and questioning every assumption. The freedom my advisor gave me in my research also allowed me to discover a subfield I am excited to continue developing.

As a computer scientist, being in an environment full of aspiring students, professors who have made significant contributions to the subjects they teach, and collaborators who are both brilliant and creative has helped me mature far more than I could have hoped for.

A special highlight of my scholarship—made possible by my advisor—was attending the 2024 Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop in the summer of 2024. It was a three-week project-based meeting hosted in the breathtaking mountains of Telluride, Colorado.

Groups worked on understanding the auditory brain with neural networks, language and thought, neuromorphic systems for space applications, and neuromorphic integrated circuits. There was also a week of computational neuroscience talks from speakers I could hardly believe I was sitting in the same room with.

I shared a condo with four brilliant, kind, and inspiring people from the UK, Germany, Romania, and Canada. We played beach volleyball as the sun rose, hiked mountains together, and shared many meals and unforgettable conversations. Beyond them, I met many others from around the world (including Australia) and learned about their inspiring research, cultures, and lives— experiences that left me in awe.

And, of course, the science was incredible.

We captured the 4th-of-July fireworks and drone show on event-based neuromorphic cameras from a mountainside, looked at the moon through telescopes under a starlit sky, learned firsthand how novel circuit designs are brainstormed and brought to life, and experienced countless other extraordinary moments.

As I said at the beginning, I believe that most of what we learn is from other people.

My Fulbright Scholarship has allowed me to meet, be advised by, and work with so many incredible individuals from around the world, each with their own cultures and ideas. It has truly changed the trajectory of my life and given me lifelong friends and memories that I will cherish forever.

DR JOSHUA RUSSELL

completed a Bachelor of Computer Science at Griffith University in 2019, majoring in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. A lover of strategy and problem solving, he went from playing chess at a young age to competing in a professional esports league for over a year. He founded the Griffith Artificial Intelligence Society and is passionate about applying artificial intelligence within interdisciplinary fields, having conducted research under the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University, one of Australia’s leading biomedical research institutes. As a Fulbright Future Scholar, Joshua completed a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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Fulbright Scholarship Sponsors Core Sponsors

Scholarship Sponsors

Visit Fulbright.org.au to apply for a scholarship Annual Deadlines: Australian candidates (all)........................1 January – 5 July U.S. Postdoctoral/Scholar/Distinguished Chair candidates........6 January – 15 September U.S. Postgraduate candidates....................31 March – 6 October Fulbright Specialist Program.................1 July – 30 September

Australian-American Fulbright Commission +612 6260 4460 | www.fulbright.org.au