Derry doctor receives prestigious 'Fulbright Award' to Washington

Dr Gerard Walls, an Academic Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Oncology at the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre and Queen's University Belfast, has been named as one of 37 Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2023-2024.

As a Fulbright - HRB Health Impact Scholar, Gerard will join the world-leading Cardio-Oncology research team at Washington University St. Louis to conduct further analysis on the interaction between radiotherapy and cardiovascular health in patients with lung cancer.

The Fulbright bilateral exchange program is known for selecting outstanding candidates from across the island of Ireland to study and work with U.S.

Institutions across all disciplines ranging from health, science, technology and business to the arts and culture. As the Fulbright Awardees forge ahead on these exciting opportunities, the breadth of their U.S. engagement is diverse and impressive. 

Awardees will travel to 17 states across the USA embedding themselves in institutions ranging from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Poets House New York and The University of Hawaii to The Smithsonian Institution in Washington and East Los Angeles College, the largest community college in California.

Fulbright Irish Scholars, Students, and Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) will also engage with U.S. society and share their knowledge and expertise when they return home.

In a year that saw Irish American President Biden visit Ireland, when ties between Ireland and the U.S. have increased, the 37 Irish awardees will head to the U.S. to exchange ideas and knowledge and serve as cultural ambassadors.

By doing so they strengthen connections between the U.S. and Ireland to foster much needed understanding and empathy in today’s increasingly polarised world.

In his clinical practice, Magherafelt's Dr Gerard Walls specialises in radiotherapy and systemic therapy for all stages of lung cancer. Gerard seeks to improve the prognosis of patients with lung cancer by greater personalisation of treatment.

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and at the Department of Education, Thomas Byrne TD said: “The warmth of the relationship between Ireland and the United States is underpinned by our shared history and common values.

"The Fulbright Commission and the Fulbrighters, past and present, are a testament to the best traditions of academic and cultural exchange, and have an outstanding record in representing Ireland.

“The Government of Ireland is proud to support this programme, which plays an essential role in building transatlantic understanding and fostering extraordinary academic links, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media."