From May 5 to 7, on the occasion of the renewal of its partnership with the Regional Government of the Azores to support grants for Portuguese and U.S. research students, the Fulbright Commission had the opportunity to visit this year’s U.S. researchers and follow the progress of their projects as they enter the final month of their stay in the Azores archipelago.
Representing the Commission on this visit were Executive Director Otília Reis and Program Coordinators Dora Arenga, for the U.S. side of the Program, and Sofia Wahnon, for the Portuguese side.
Visual artist Champ Turner, together with his host Professor João Paulo Constância, Director of the Museu Carlos Machado, provided a guided tour of the museum and, in particular, of Turner’s exhibition Out of the Ashes — Catastrophe and Adaptation in the Azores. At the heart of the exhibition is a dialogue between objects from the museum’s collection and new works created by Turner. Historical objects, specimens, and documents are presented alongside artworks, encouraging visitors to see the past in new ways and to reflect on how communities adapt to change.
Following the museum visit, the Commission was welcomed to a reception at the residence of the U.S. Consul General in Ponta Delgada, Rita Rico, held in honor of U.S. exchange participants. On this occasion, Fulbrighters Alyssa Botelho, Champ Turner, and Priya Talreja shared insights into their experiences living in the Azores over the past seven months, reflecting on the lessons learned and the experiences they will take with them upon returning home.
The visit also provided an opportunity to reconnect informally with the Fulbrighters over dinner in Ponta Delgada on May 6, in a moment of good conversation, reflection, and community.
Finally, before returning to Lisbon, the Commission visited researcher Priya Talreja’s host institution, the University of the Azores’ Center of Applied Economic Studies of the Atlantic (CEEAplA), and met with Professor Teresa Tiago. During the visit, Professor Tiago presented the center, its research projects, and team, while we explored potential avenues for future collaboration.
The Commission hopes that this visit to the Azores will contribute to strengthening the cooperation between both sides of the Atlantic under the aegis of the Fulbright Program. We also thank our Fulbrighters Alyssa, Champ and Priya for their continued engagement with the Fulbright community and look forward to following their future work and achievements.