Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin Named a Fulbright Scholar for 2025-26
Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin KC (Hons), Regent Professor, Robina Chair in Law, Public Policy and Society, and faculty director of Minnesota Law's Human Rights Center, has been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2025-26 in the Fulbright-Schuman European Union Affairs Program.
Ní Aoláin's research will focus on surveillance technologies, particularly the European capacity to regulate the use of commercial mercenary spyware, which poses both human rights and security threats to European democracy and the rule of law. In light of global multilateral challenges, addressing Europe's regulatory role is crucial to advancing the rule of law and maintaining the integrity of the multilateral system.
“Minnesota Law is extraordinarily proud that Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin has been named a 2025–26 Fulbright Scholar," says Dean William McGeveran, William S. Pattee Professor of Law. "She is a globally engaged scholar who draws on her expertise in human rights law to address real-world challenges. This award recognizes the vital importance of her work on surveillance technology as a tool for oppression, as well as her commitment to helping society respond to the threat. It's just the sort of high-impact scholarship we strive for at Minnesota Law.”
In addition to her primary research commitments, Ní Aoláin will present public talks, mentor colleagues, and engage with European Union institutions on key policy and legal issues. Her research will primarily be conducted at the law school of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, Spain.
"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be a Fulbright-Schuman Fellow," says Ní Aoláin. "Having the time and resources to undertake cutting-edge research on some of the most compelling legal challenges at the interface of human rights and human security is very gratifying."
The Fulbright-Schuman Program is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Belgium. It is jointly financed by the U.S. Department of State and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture. The fellowship is awarded to scholars and policymakers who address topics relevant to U.S.-EU relations, EU Policy, or EU institutions. In addition to being a prestigious exchange program, the Fulbright-Schuman Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the United States and Europe, promoting international understanding and cooperation.
Congratulations, Professor Ní Aoláin!
Fionnuala Ní Aoláin
Honorary Kings Counsel
Regents Professor
Robina Chair in Law, Public Policy, and Society
Faculty Director, Human Rights Center
Professor, Queen's University of Belfast, School of Law, Northern Ireland