News
Sam Mulopulos (2023 Axford Fellow) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) – lessons from the US applied to NZ
November 2023
We hear a lot these days about artificial intelligence (AI) – the potential and the opportunities as well as the risks. 2023 Axford Fellow Sam Mulopulos’ core project in Aotearoa focussed on supply chain resilience policy, but AI is something that he has also been thinking about a lot. And when he was in New Zealand earlier this year, he wrote an article about it which has just been published in the November ‘Policy Quarterly’ (the journal of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington).
“This was a side project I did for fun… which lays out some ideas to inform the development of New Zealand-specific AI policy,” says Sam.
“It’s exciting to contribute in this small way to debates about technology in New Zealand.”
Read Sam’s full article: An AI Agenda for New Zealand: Lessons from the United States
Please note that any opinions expressed are Sam’s own and do not represent those of the Ian Axford Fellowship.
Final Reports from 2023 Ian Axford Fellows, Sam Mulopulos and Rachel Wolbers
An enthusiastic audience turned out at the Treasury on 1 August to see the 2023 Ian Axford Fellows, Sam Mulopulos and Rachel Wolbers, present their final reports. Sam and Rachel have recently completed their Fellowships which gave them both six months of first-hand experience of public policy research in New Zealand. The Ian Axford Fellowships are administered by Fulbright New Zealand, which organised the report back sessions in conjunction with the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ).
Sam Mulopulos
Sam was previously at the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, US Senate, and has spent his time in Aotearoa based at the Treasury and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His research has been in the area of Supply Chain Resilience. Read Sam’s full report Supply Chain Resilience Policy: Theory, Practice and Action.
Rachel Wolbers
Rachel, from the Oversight Board (for Meta) has been based at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in New Zealand, researching the next steps for the Christchurch Call to Action. Read Rachel’s full report The Future of the Christchurch Call to Action: How to Build Multistakeholder Initiatives to Address Content Moderation Challenges.
2023 Ian Axford Fellows Report Back Seminar – 1 August (Wellington)
The 2023 Ian Axford Fellows, Sam Mulopulos and Rachel Wolbers, will be presenting on their final reports at the Treasury (Wellington, NZ) on 1 August 2023. Please visit the IPANZ website to register for this event. We look forward to seeing you there!
Applications for the 2024 Ian Axford Fellowship have now closed.
Axford Annual Function in Washington DC
A double celebration of the Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships and Fulbright New Zealand’s 75th anniversary was held recently at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC. Axford alumni and friends attended, as well as some current Fulbright grantees. It was great to see the return of this event in 2023, after a few years’ break due to the pandemic. This function was held just prior to the interviews for our 2024 Fellows – who we look forward to announcing in the coming months!
Guests, including Dianne Sika-Paotonu (Fulbright NZ Scholar) and Axford alumna Lisa Lunt, listening to the speeches.
L-R: Hariata Tai Rakena (Fulbright NZ Science and Innovation Graduate), Penelope Borland (Fulbright NZ Executive Director) and Dianne Sika-Paotonu (Fulbright NZ Scholar).
Roy Ferguson (Chairperson of Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships Board), Dianne Sika-Paotonu (Fulbright NZ Scholar), and Dawn Ferguson.
His Excellency Mr Bede Corry (NZ Ambassador to the US) speaking about the importance and value of international exchanges.
L-R: Melody Kim (Fulbright NZ Science and Innovation Graduate), Penelope Borland (Fulbright NZ Executive Director) and Sophie Oliff (Fulbright NZ Science and Innovation Graduate).
Awards 2023
We are pleased to announce that two Fellows have been selected this year for Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy. The Fellows will arrive in February 2023 and spend six months in New Zealand to carry out the following research projects:
Rachel Wolbers from the Oversight Board (for Meta) will research “Next Steps for the Christchurch Call to Action” while gaining experience at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Sam Mulopulos from Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, U.S. Senate, will research “Supply Chain Resiliency: A comparative Analysis of Policy Solutions in New Zealand and the United States” while gaining experience at the Treasury and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
Congratulations, Fellows, we are looking forward to meeting you upon your arrival!