2026 Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award winner and University of Otago law and politics graduate Hansaka Ranaweera. Photo: Supplied Two University of Otago graduates are off to top universities in the United States after winning Fulbright New Zealand Awards. Flynn Struckmann, of Auckland, graduated with an LLB (first class honours) and a bachelor of arts in politics, philosophy and economics this year. The Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award will allow him to complete a master of arts in security policy studies at the George Washington University, in Washington DC. Hansaka Ranaweera, of Wellington, graduated from Otago with an LLB (first class honours) and a bachelor of arts in politics in 2022. He plans to complete a master of laws at Harvard Law School, in Boston. The prestigious awards enable New Zealand graduate students to undertake postgraduate study or research at US institutions. Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award winner and University of Otago law, politics, philosophy and economics graduate Flynn Struckmann. Photo: Supplied Fulbright New Zealand executive director Penelope Borland said the duo were among 15 graduate awardees and part of ‘‘an outstanding cohort’’. ‘‘Every year I am amazed by the array of research interests represented by our latest crop of Fulbright graduates. ‘‘The subjects they will cover range from the use of AI methods for antibiotic discovery to security policy, robotics and indigenous design. ‘‘These remarkable individuals have so much to offer the world and we are thrilled to be opening doors for them to develop their talents and research while in the United States.’’ The awardees were recently honoured at the Fulbright New Zealand Annual Awards Ceremony, in Wellington.
