9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Bul ma hn ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁sp okes w oman ▁of ▁the ▁SP D ▁parliament ary ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁Sub - Com mit te e ▁on ▁Civil ian ▁Cris is ▁Pre vention ▁and ▁Integr ated ▁Conf lict ▁Management . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁her ▁parliament ary ▁group ' s ▁rapp orte ur ▁on ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁In ▁addition , ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁sp okes w oman ▁of ▁the ▁SP D ▁parliament ary ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁Study ▁Commission ▁on ▁G row th , ▁Well be ing ▁and ▁Qu ality ▁of ▁Life . ▁ ▁Federal ▁Minister ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁Research , ▁ 1 9 9 8 - 2 0 0 5 ▁Bul ma hn ’ s ▁ten ure ▁fell ▁in ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁significant ▁changes ▁in ▁Germany ’ s ▁education ▁system . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁amid ▁a ▁he ated ▁debate ▁surrounding ▁the ▁German ▁parliament ’ s ▁vote ▁on ▁allowing ▁human ▁emb ry o ▁stem ▁cells ▁to ▁be ▁imported ▁for ▁medical ▁research , ▁she ▁vo iced ▁her ▁support ▁for ▁allowing ▁the ▁import ▁of ▁emb ry o ▁stem ▁cells ▁under ▁strict ▁conditions . ▁When ▁Bul ma hn ▁first ▁proposed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁an ▁initi ative ▁to ▁fost er ▁an ▁el ite ▁circle ▁of ▁univers ities ▁with ▁significant ▁funds ▁from ▁the ▁federal ▁government , ▁she ▁drew ▁heavy ▁criticism