Fatimah Tuggar Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for 2026-27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – APRIL 15, 2026 
University of Florida, Gainesville 
US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Contact: ECA-Press@state.gov 

Fatimah Tuggar, a Professor of AI in the Arts and an innovator in Art and Technology at the University of Florida, College of the Arts, has received a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award in Visual Arts Research for [2026-27]. Her work in New Zealand aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and artistic innovation, demonstrating how international collaboration enriches the arts community and broadens perspectives.

While at Massey University in New Zealand, Tuggar, with three decades of experience creating sculptures that are both functional and aesthetic, blending indigenous and conventional materialities and technologies, inspired by Western and West African objects, plans to explore how indigenous Māori culture blurs the line between function, communication, and utility in objects, challenging perceptions of contemporary visual art. Her work will be divided into investigation, experimentation, testing, conceptualizing and planning for artistic production based on old and new discoveries.

A key aspect of Professor Tuggar’s research involves a comparative analysis of archives and living perspectives on objects held by the New Zealand Māori and the Fulani of the Sahel Region of West Africa. This investigation and engagement aim to spark new ideas and discussions, inviting the academic and arts communities to see this research as a catalyst for innovative collaborations and creative explorations.

Professor Tuggar will be at Massey University’s Toi Oho Ki Apiti, the first ‘Indigenous’-focused art school recognized internationally. Her workshops in sculpture, art theory, and technology will focus on respectful integration of indigenous art and contemporary practice, fostering appreciation for indigenous cultures and artistic approaches.

Fulbright U.S. Scholars are faculty, researchers, administrators, and established professionals teaching or conducting research in affiliation with institutes abroad. Fulbright Scholars engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for future institutional partnerships. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. 

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges. The program fosters interdisciplinary leadership of US scholars worldwide.