2020 Postgraduate Research Grant recipients named


The Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 round of Postgraduate Research Grants. The grants are awarded to young New Zealand academics whose research involves Asia-related topics.

Congratulations to Emma Campbell, Marcus Coll, and Jeremy Taylor.

Marcus Coll

Marcus Coll sitting above a cliff overlooking the sea

Marcus Coll is a doctoral candidate at the University of Canterbury, working on his dissertation “Punching Above: A Narrative of Bottom-Up Agency by New Zealand Civil Society Actors for Nuclear Disarmament”. His research explores the historical and social context of New Zealand’s position on nuclear issues, comparing domestic perspectives with the significance of Japanese hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and nuclear test veterans. Marcus will utilise his Japanese language ability through personal interviews, transcription and translations of primary source material.

Emma Campbell

Emma Campbell

Emma Campbell is a doctoral candidate at Cambridge University, examining “The Creation of National Narratives in Post-Colonial Singapore, 1955-2015”. Emma is an accomplished historian tracing the evolution of Singaporean national identity over sixty years. Her topic is very timely as New Zealand seeks closer engagement with Singapore through an increasing number of bilateral and regional connections, partnerships and agreements. Emma will be using her funding to help gather archival information from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

Jeremy Taylor 

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor is a doctoral candidate at Otago Polytechnic, conducting “A Comparative Study of Teaching Pedagogy for Two Chinese Tertiary Institutions Sending Students to New Zealand and the United Kingdom”. His project will be of great interest to the export education sector as it looks to recover from the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will help with domestic travel as Jeremy assesses possible ways for New Zealand academic institutions to remain attractive and competitive once borders re-open.

About the Foundation's Postgraduate Research Grants

The Foundation would like to get more emerging scholars to ‘Think Asia’ when it comes to their choice of future academic and career options. The next round of postgraduate research grants, together with a wider suite of offerings (watch this space!) will launch on 1 February 2021 (and remain open until 31 July). For more information on the postgraduate research grants and other NextGen opportunities, please contact James To (Senior Adviser, Research and Engagement) jto@asianz.org.nz