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International Relations Online: Classes Start in May 
SIS will hold the first classes of its new, innovative, online Master of Arts in International Relations (IRO) in May 2013. Professors are developing the inaugural classes, "International Studies: History, Theory, Practice" and "Intercultural Communication." Through state-of-the-art technology, IRO classes are delivered live on an engaging online learning platform. Students will meet weekly with classmates and professors at designated times in the virtual classroom for live coursework discussions. Applications for May admission are accepted until March 11. To learn more about the IRO program and the inaugural classes, visit ironline.american.edu/. MORE HEADLINES - 2/26/2013
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Eligible for New Grad Scholarships Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Eligible for New Grad Scholarships
A new initiative that builds on American University's strong ties with the Peace Corps will provide graduate school scholarships to returned Peace Corps volunteers, enabling a new generation of peacemakers to combine academic and professional endeavors with their continued desire to give back. Now, the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program, a partnership between the Peace Corps and American University, will support students pursuing graduate degrees in eight designated areas of study within AU's School of International Service. Qualifying fellows will be offered six credit hours of remitted tuition to apply toward their master's degree programs. For the 2012-2013 school year, this totals $8,394. "The Peace Corps is delighted to have AU as a partner in the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program," said acting Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet. "This new partnership enables returned Peace Corps volunteers to continue their work in public service through meaningful internships in underserved American communities. Experience overseas and graduate studies position Peace Corps Fellows to launch a career by combining coursework with service." Peace Corps volunteers can apply their scholarship funds in the following master's programs in the School of International Service: Comparative and Regional Studies; International Economic Relations; International Politics; International Peace and Conflict Resolution; International Development; International Communication; Global Environmental Policy and U.S. Foreign Policy. "For generations, our students have pursued public service - a distinct hallmark of our university. With this program we reconfirm our commitment to educate the next generation of thoughtful citizens as they seek to create meaningful change both here and abroad," said American University Provost Scott Bass. All fellows will complete a degree-related internship in an underserved community, allowing them to expand the skills they learned as Peace Corps volunteers. Fellows selected to American University's program may elect to complete their internships at the Woodrow Wilson High School, the One-on-One mentoring program, Columbia Heights Educational Campus and other D.C.-area organizations. Graduate student Bob Schlehuber, SIS/MA '13, is one of several fellows who started their graduate program at American University this past fall. When not in class working on his graduate degree, Schlehuber goes to another class twice a week with students at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School teaching lessons on global citizenry. "These were my favorite lessons to teach while in the Peace Corps, and I was so lucky to continue my Peace Corps work at home," Schlehuber said. This new effort builds on an existing program that American University and the Peace Corps offer that consists of three Master's International graduate programs in TESOL and public anthropology, as well as an integrated School of International Service offering. MI students combine Peace Corps service with graduate studies at AU. Earlier this month, American University ranked second on Peace Corps' top volunteer producing college list in the medium category. Nearly 900 American University alumni have served as volunteers overseas since the Peace Corps was established in 1961. The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program started in 1985 at Teachers College, Columbia University and now includes more than 80 university partners in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The program is specifically reserved for students who have already completed their tenure abroad with the Peace Corps. Pre-College Program Attracts Future SIS Students
When Caroline Brazill, SIS/BA '15, was in eighth grade, she attended a mock career fair dressed in a pantsuit, and carried an American flag and a U.S. passport, indicating her desire to become a Foreign Service officer someday. Kiera Russell, SIS/BA '15, knew from her college search that "AU was definitely my number-one choice. I knew that for a fact. I visited campus for the first time and said, 'I belong here.' " Both students - one who was destined to study international relations and another who couldn't wait to get to AU - enrolled as high school students in SIS's pre-college Community of Scholars program in 2010. The Community of Scholars program allows high school students to take a three-week summer course in international relations for college credit. The hybrid course - one week participating online from home and two weeks in residence at SIS - attracts students from the United States, and around the world, from Belgium to Bulgaria; Puerto Rico to the Philippines. "I wanted to know what SIS was like, and Community of Scholars was a chance to find out," said Russell. "I knew it would give me a chance to meet great professors and other students to work with." Students spend mornings in class and participate in afternoon workshops led by members of the AU community; they learn about studying abroad, library research and career prospects as AU Career Center representatives discuss internships. Evenings are filled with films, discussions or field trips - such as a Washington Nationals baseball game or monument tour. "The Community of Scholars program is an excellent opportunity to get a leg up on the college experience," said SIS's Director of Pre-College Programs Page Hogan. "Finding e-reserves at the library, writing a résumé or participating in model United Nations sessions are tools to prepare students for college." As in Russell's experience, many Community of Scholars students begin with an interest in SIS, or, like Brazill, learn more about the university from the program and later decide to apply. Many participants eventually become full-time students. About three-quarters of students who participated in the 2011 Community of Scholars program applied to AU that fall, and 72 percent of those who applied were accepted. "I was attracted to the brand new SIS building and the school's reputation of establishing excellence in the field," Brazill said. Russell and Brazill are both members of SIS's Delta Phi Epsilon foreign service sorority and their experiences in the Community of Scholars have far-reaching effects. Brazill interned with the nonprofit Search for Common Ground last fall, after meeting the group's representatives during a Community of Scholars field trip. Russell's enthusiasm for the program attracted her younger sister, Hailey, to last summer's session, and she hopes to attend SIS. "The Community of Scholars program appeals to a wide range of students interested in international relations," said Russell. "This is a great program if you're coming to learn, because the classes and the material are so rewarding." Griffith Scholarship Honors Former Dean and Assists Students
Many university scholarships are begun by alumni donors. One special SIS scholarship, however, The Ernest S. and Margaret D. Griffith Scholarship, was started by the very people it was meant to benefit. The SIS student council established the scholarship to honor Dean Griffith, the founding dean of SIS, on his 100th birthday. "It was decided that SIS would give a celebration and invite the SIS alumni to participate and make contributions in my father's honor," said Lawrence Griffith, M.D., Dean Griffith's son. "SIS students and alumni raised over $125,000 in that one event. That was the start, and the initial funding that came from that big reception." However, the family asked if SIS could make one small change. "My family and I were interested in honoring both of our parents," said Griffith. "Around that same time, I was back in touch with Dean Emeritus Louis Goodman, and asked if they would be willing to expand the name to include my mother. In those days, my mother really was a very large part of how things got started at SIS, and the dinners and things that she hosted for faculty wives. She was into it up to her eyeballs, in terms of wanting to do things." Griffith was always interested in the lives of students. "He loved students. He came to Washington in 1932 from Syracuse University to be dean of graduate studies, and he and my mother started attending Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, right across the street. He had a Sunday School class of high school students for 16 years. He had a basketball league organized for them. For SIS orientation, he thought that a hike up Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park was a good way to have new students come together." Sara Kokkelenberg, SIS/CAS/BA '13, is in her third year of Griffith funding, a renewable prize awarded annually to support freshmen who best exemplify the School of International Service's commitment to public service and exhibit academic excellence. "I was able to stay here in many ways because of the Griffith Scholarship," she said. "I was happy about that, since I've had a great experience." Kokkelenberg demonstrates the commitment to community service described by the wording of the fund. As a high-school student, she visited the Dominican Republic twice to work with Orphanage Outreach, co-led her high school chapter of Amnesty International and visited a Native American reservation in South Dakota to build bunk beds. As an AU freshman, Kokkelenberg participated in the Freshman Service Experience, spending two days cleaning Rock Creek Park. Brandy Pech, SIS/BA '15, a junior studying abroad in London and pursuing her BA/MA dual degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, has received the Griffith Scholarship for four semesters. Pech has been self-sufficient since age 16, and has accumulated extensive student loans to pay for her AU tuition. "The Griffith will be one of several grants which will reduce that large overall sum," Pech said. Griffith felt strongly about creating scholarships, said his son, and Pech hopes to make a similar impact on SIS students. "AU and SIS are very dear to me," Pech said. "They have shaped who I am. There is no doubt in my mind that one day I will also set up a scholarship fund that will enable students with special circumstances, who normally fall through the cracks, to receive funds that will allow them to live their dreams, just like me." Undergraduate Curriculum Changes Implemented
The SIS administration has implemented changes in the undergraduate curriculum as part of an evolving process to focus on challenges and issues in international affairs in an interdisciplinary way, said Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Patrick Thaddeus Jackson. "The degree as a whole is grounded in a liberal arts philosophy," said Jackson. "This is a 'how to think critically and creatively about pressing global challenges' kind of degree. It will prepare students to live in the world rather than training them how to do particular things in the world." One of the highlights of the revised curriculum was the introduction of first-year seminars in fall 2012. The classes, which will be capped at 19 students in fall 2013, are designed by professors teaching a topic "near and dear to their hearts," said Jackson. Professor Elizabeth Cohn hopes to emphasize the importance of critical thinking in her course, "Reflections: U.S. in a Mirror." "Students must begin with a text and fully understand what that author is saying," said Cohn. "Then they compare different authors' views on a subject, and then, only thirdly, do they bring in their own views. I think critical thinking is a hugely important skill, given the blog-filled world we live in." Academic skills aren't the only ones Cohn wants her students to pick up throughout the course. "I'm using the seminar as an opportunity for them to either develop or hone the skills necessary to be a successful student," she said. "In addition, they need to have a safe space to ask questions of faculty members." Other changes to the undergraduate curriculum include developing a second-level research methodology course to allow the material presently covered in SIS-206 to be addressed over the course of a full year and thematic areas based on eight broad themes: Peace, Global Security and Conflict Resolution; The Global Economy; Foreign Policy and National Security; Global Inequality and Development; Environmental Sustainability and Global Health; Identity, Race, Gender, Culture; Justice, Ethics, and Human Rights; and Global and Comparative Governance. Another notable offering is the proposal of a public diplomacy certificate, which will be the first offered in an American university, according to Jackson. Committees, groups and task forces worked for over two years to design and recommend the changes. The SIS Undergraduate Council discussed the alterations and eventually presented their recommendation to the SIS faculty. "We liked that the curriculum had a set pathway for students," said Miso Juhnn, SIS/BA '15, the Undergraduate Council president. "A lot of SIS students come in knowing what they want to study, so the themes seem like an easier road to get them there." "The way I like to think about it is developing critical thinkers rather than training people in particular technical skills." said Jackson. "We want to pursue this goal of growing that kind of intellectual disposition in our students. That's what we'd like to have happen." Professor Lauded by Honors Program
SIS Professor Pek Koon Heng recently received the 2012 - 2013 Outstanding Faculty award from the University Honors Program. Program Director Michael Manson said that Heng was the "obvious choice" for the honor. "Students frequently discuss how brilliant and engaged her teaching is, and they also praise her work as a mentor in the Honors 101 Program," said Manson. "I have seen firsthand how she raises the rigor of student work and drives students to think critically about what they read and hear." Heng also serves as the director of American University's ASEAN Studies Center, which focuses on the politics and policy of Southeast Asian states. The center is the first of its kind in the U.S. "Professor Heng has served as both a teacher in the Honors program and as an Honors 101 faculty mentor, which demonstrates not only her interest in and enthusiasm for teaching, but her dedication to the individual student experience," said Dean James Goldgeier. "I am delighted to see that she has been recognized for her tremendous efforts on behalf of the Honors students." In the award citation, Manson also credited Heng's connection with the students. "She has served as a faculty mentor for Honors 101 three times, gaining a reputation for being witty, approachable and caring," he said, adding that students requested her return as a mentor each year. Heng's influence and enthusiasm extend beyond SIS. From Feb. 23 - March 2, with other faculty and administration from AU, she will join a delegation of ten U.S. universities traveling to Myanmar. This delegation will learn about the current state of higher education in Myanmar, explore potential partnership opportunities and represent U.S. higher education's interest in building connections with the host universities. Students Earn Public Policy Fellowships
Undergraduates Antonio Rivera-Martinez, SIS/CAS/BA '14, and José Ramirez-Rivera, SIS/BA '14, have received Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowships for 2013. The PPIA Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, helps students achieve a master's degree or joint degree, typically in public policy, public administration, international affairs or a related field. Accepted students attend an intensive Junior Summer Institute, where they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in graduate school and, ultimately, in influential roles serving the public good. The PPIA's partnerships with universities and alumni networks connect these students with nearly 4,000 individuals who share the same interest in public service. SIS's winners, both natives of Puerto Rico, will attend the summer institute in 2013. Rivera-Martinez will study at Princeton University, and Ramirez-Rivera will go to Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.). "The PPIA fellowship represents our precise goals for undergraduate education in international affairs: the movement of committed students into public service, in which they take what they have learned in the classroom and use it in addressing critical global issues," said Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Patrick Thaddeus Jackson. "We are very proud of these awardees." Rivera-Martinez studies economic development policy and law and has held multiple internships with non-profit groups in Puerto Rico, a Virginia state-senate campaign, the Puerto Rican Popular Democratic Party and with the Organization of American States . At AU, he is active in Model United Nations. Antonio is currently studying abroad at King's College, London. At SIS, Ramirez-Rivera focuses on the international relations of the Americas. In fall 2012, he held a full-time internship with the State Department in the Office of Caribbean Affairs. He participated in the first Latino Leadership Summit, organized by Teach for America. Ramirez-Rivera received the Killam Fellowship for study abroad in Canada and is spending the spring 2013 semester at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. "I think the PPIA is an incredible opportunity that will prepare me for graduate school and help me with a possible career in public service," said Ramirez-Rivera. "It is surreal that I will be attending Carnegie Mellon University this summer, and I am very excited about it. The PPIA opens the door for a graduate education for me." Jane Lai, SIS/KSB/BA '14, has been accepted as an alternate for the summer institute at Princeton University. To learn more about the PPIA Fellowship, click here. Alumnus Receives Award and Delivers Lecture
Associate Professor of Linguistics at Swarthmore College K. David Harrison, SIS/BA '88, spoke at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Feb. 21 on "Saving Dying Languages: Why it Matters." The talk was co-sponsored by the University Honors Program and SIS. The night before, Harrison was named AU's 2013 Outstanding Honors Alumnus for "his deep commitment to spread the word about the need to preserve endangered languages that serve as repositories for the accumulated knowledge of their cultures," said University Honors Program Director Michael Manson in the award's citation. SIS faculty also praised his efforts. "The AU Africa Council organized a hugely successful event with him a few years ago, and I found his book, When Languages Die: The Extinction of the World's Languages and the Erosion of Human Knowledge, inspiring enough to teach a few classes on threatened African languages in the Civilizations course," said Professor Carl LeVan. "He goes into dangerous rebel-held territories to find the elders who know the grammar and songs." Harrison described these experiences during his lecture, in which he discussed his travels to "language hotspots" - the 24 National Geographic-designated areas across the globe of high language endangerment and low scientific documentation. The planet is home to over 7,000 languages, Harrison said, yet 83 languages are spoken by almost 80 percent of the population. Alternatively, 3,586 languages are spoken by less than one percent of the population. "These numbers are a snapshot of an accelerating trend and why linguists see the problem of saving the languages as urgent," Harrison said. During his visits to Siberia, Papua New Guinea, Oregon and India, Harrison discovered that languages can be saved through technology. The one remaining speaker of Siletz in Oregon contributed over 1,000 words and phrases to an online talking dictionary. Panau speakers in Papua New Guinea had heard about the internet and wanted their language to have a similar presence there. "Small languages want to cross the digital divide," said Harrison. "These communities view technology not as a threat, but as a huge opportunity. An internet presence provides vitality and prestige to the language." But the best argument made for saving languages came from an indigenous speaker of a threatened Indian language, who said, "Loss of culture is loss of diversity."
Alumni, we need your help! We are in the planning stages of creating the most exciting reunion weekend ever, and there is something missing - you! Building excitement among fellow alumni, inviting friends back to campus and encouraging attendance for class events are just a few of the important duties of class committee members. This year, we are celebrating the anniversaries of the classes of 2003 and 2008. As a member of the reunion planning committee, you can play an important role in shaping your class reunion experience. Volunteering to help with your reunion is also a great way to reconnect with AU and the friendships that began here on campus. To find out more about becoming a reunion committee volunteer or to sign up, please click here. Calling all alumni: Have you moved or changed jobs? Be sure to update your information to ensure you continue to receive AU and SIS news, information and volunteer opportunities. The annual SIS Student-Alumni Networking Reception on Feb. 7 was a success. More than 75 alumni (as both employers and job seekers), along with 169 students, faculty and staff attended. The "How to Network" workshop was especially popular, where more than 70 students and alumni received advice from Career Center Advisor John Charles and Mark Lyubovitsky, SIS/BA/MA '10, '11. As AU alumni, you are invited to take advantage of AU's Career Center services. For more information on resources and upcoming networking events, please visit: http://bit.ly/YDL86F. Class Notes We invite readers to send comments to SISComm@american.edu. Please include your graduation year and degree. Kathleen Suneja, SIS/MA '84, recently released her latest book, I Am the Change I Seek (XLibris, 2013). Samir Karnik, SIS/BA '96, a Bollywood producer, was profiled by Online PR Media. Michael Kugelman, SIS/BA '00, published an opinion piece, "The Global Farmland Rush," in The New York Times Feb. 5. Kugelman is a member of the SIS Young Alumni and Friends Committee. Margo Seibert, SIS/BA '05, has been named a Rising Star Award finalist in Howard County, Md., for her work in musical theater. The U.S. Department of State profiled Simone Johnson, SIS/MA '07, as part of the group's observance of Black History Month. Kelly Witkowski, SIS/MA '09, is now at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Ryan Carroll, SIS/BA '12, works in the Office of Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. Perry Landesberg, SIS/BA '12, is now working full time for Hanover Research. Ana Rasmussen, SIS/BA '12, teaches for Auxiliares de Conversación (Cultural Ambassadors: North American Language and Culture Assistants) in Spain. Kayla Dias, SIS/BA '12, is at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Max Harden, SIS/BA '12, works for Kelly Goodman, NP, and Associates. Annika Park, SIS/BA '12, is now a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill. Getting to Know You - Easten Law 
Title: Instructor Job Duties: I teach several sections of Cross-Cultural Communication. I honestly believe it is one of the most important courses an undergraduate student could take. It builds self-awareness and lays foundations for more intentional and nuanced engagement with the world. Tenure at SIS: This is my first year teaching at SIS, and only my second semester. I also taught at AU's School of Professional & Extended Studies for two years before joining SIS. My colleagues would be surprised to learn: I have a background in Christian theology and spiritual formation. The best part of working at SIS: The students. I am energized and inspired by the drive I see in many of these young people to do something meaningful and positive in the world. First job: I worked at stocking shelves and checking people out at the register. Everyone should have some experience working retail or in the service industry. There are important lessons to be gained. My first full-time job was teaching English in China. Where I grew up: I grew up right here in the Maryland suburb of Silver Spring. Family: My beautiful wife, Christine, works at the American Red Cross doing international monitoring and evaluation. We have a happy little three-year-old boy named Joshua, who loves all varieties of animals and modes of transportation. Hobbies: I enjoy reading and writing, following the news, taking leisurely bike rides and playing with my son. What I enjoy doing on the weekend: Almost anything associated with the arts and the people I love. Get me into a gallery, theatre or concert of some sort followed by conversations over tea or coffee about its implications for cultural identity and connections in the world. I should also mention I include baseball in my understanding of art. There's beauty in the way a pitcher throws a ball. I'm reading: Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot. In addition, I recently picked up King's Dream: The Legacy of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" Speech by Eric Sundquist. Favorite book and movie: Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. There is potency to the text's portrayal of family, faith and friendship set against very real and difficult social-cultural circumstances. My favorite movie is "Yi-Yi" by Edward Yang. It's a reflection on modern family life set in Taipei that speaks to me on several levels I can barely begin to describe. Favorite food: Cantonese style fried noodles and Taiwanese street market food. Last vacation: My family and I did a road trip through the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico to celebrate the New Year, including visits to several Mayan ruins. Of course, the world did not end (traditional Mayan conceptions of time are cyclical, not linear), but if it had, we would have had a great front-row seat.
Professor Tazreena Sajjad: Interviewed in "Bangladesh's Rising Voices," Al-Jazeera, Feb. 19. Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies Ambassador Akbar Ahmed: Interviewed on his new book, The Thistle and the Drone: How America's War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal Islam, C-SPAN 2 Book-TV, Feb. 17. Professor Benjamin Jensen: Opinion piece, "Seeds Sown in Middle East for the Next Revolution," The Washington Times, Feb. 17. Professor Paul Wapner: Interviewed in "The End of the World," Iowa Public Radio, Feb. 14. Professor Molly O'Neal: Interviewed in "Poedinok" ("Crossfire"), Voice of America Russia, Feb. 14. Professor Gordon Adams: Interviewed in "Doom Scenarios for U.S. Budget Cuts May Be Overplayed," Reuters, Feb. 14.
Professor David Mislan: Interviewed in "State of the Union: 4 Takes on Afghanistan, Syria, President's Style," PBS, Feb. 13. Professor Robin Broad: Opinion piece, "Let's Stop Calling Countries 'Markets,' " TripleCrisis, Feb. 13. Professor Clarence Lusane: Opinion piece, "The Rise and Hard Fall of Jesse Jackson Jr.," McClatchy News Service, Feb. 13. Professor Judith Shapiro: Interviewed on the revival of plans to dam the Nu River in China's southwest, Voice of America, Feb. 12. To see more SIS media appearances, please visit our SIS in the Media page. Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies Ambassador Akbar Ahmed's book, The Thistle and the Drone: How America's War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal Islam, was reviewed in The International News (Pakistan) by Maleeha Lodi Feb. 19. Lodi wrote, "Professor Ahmed's insights into tribal history, customs, code of conduct and the predicament of tribes beleaguered from all sides make for compelling reading." Professor Randolph Persaud was appointed to the steering committee for Science and Technology Support, a $10-million project at the University of Guyana funded by The World Bank. A substantial part of the project is dedicated to deepening research on low carbon development strategy. Persaud is the International University representative on the five-year project, which was launched on Jan. 23. University Professor James Mittelman submitted an article, "Global Bricolage: Emerging Market Powers and Polycentric Governance," to Third World Quarterly's February 2013 issue. Professor Ji-Young Lee spoke as a panelist on the Korea-Japan Study Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies event, partnered with the Mansfield Foundation and the Korea Economic Institute on Jan. 22. The title was "Will U.S.-Japan-Korea Relations 'Reset' in 2013?" 
Professor Jeff Colgan released his newest book, Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War (Cambridge University Press 2013). Professor Anthony Wanis-St. John contributed a book chapter, "Indigenous Peacebuilding," to Routledge Handbook of Peacebuilding(R. MacGinty, ed. Routledge, 2013). He also contributed "Impediments to Trade Across the Green Line in Cyprus: The Role of Classic Barriers and Trust" (with O. Gokcekus, J. Henson and D. Nottebaum) to Journal of Peace Research, vol. 49, no. 6, November 2012. Dean James Goldgeier received a grant from the 100,000 Strong Foundation to support work at SIS that will further the Foundation's mission to increase the number and diversity of U.S. students who study abroad in China. Among its proposed activities, the 100,000 Strong Project will host events and devise programming to encourage students across the country to consider studying abroad in China. It also will liaise between corporations, foundations and organizations that sponsor educational exchange programs in order to grow research scholarships for students from the U.S. to study in China, and enhance the role of diverse educational institutions in placing U.S. students in China. Professor Susan Shepler's article "The Rites of the Child: Global Discourses of Youth and Reintegrating Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone" was reprinted in the book Childhoods at the Intersection of the Local and the Global (Afua Twum-Danso Imoh and Robert Ame, eds., Palgrave Macmillan 2012). Professor Gary Weaver spoke at the University of Delaware's Office of Residence Life mid-year training Jan. 26. Professor Ken Conca delivered the keynote address, "Beyond the Rio Era: Peace and Human Rights as Foundations of Sustainability" at the annual conference of the Norwegian Association for Development Research in Oslo, Norway in November. He also gave a plenary presentation on "Climate Injustice: Water Dimensions" for the conference Anticipating Climate Disruption: Sustaining Justice, Greening Peace, at Tufts University in October. Professor Loubna Skalli-Hanna participated in a panel discussing youth politics and employment in Morocco at the Youth, Gender and Employability in the Arab World Conference Feb. 13 in Rabat, Morocco. Professor Matthew Taylor presented his research on corruption in Brazil at a joint Oxford University and Kings College London workshop on "Democratic Brazil Ascendant," Feb. 21 and 22. George Washington University Professor Stephen B. Kaplan, author of Globalization and Austerity Politics in Latin America, will discuss his book Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. The event is free and open to the public. The School of Communications' Film and Media Arts division will show Professor Brigid Maher's movie "Filming Women in Islamic Cultures" Wednesday, Feb. 27 from 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. in the Batelle-Tompkins Atrium of the Batelle Building. The event is open to the public; learn more about the event and registration fees here. Chief Counsel of the Environmental and International Law Unit of the World Bank Charles E. Di Leva will speak on Friday, March 1 from 10:20 a.m. - 11:35 a.m. in the McDowell Formal Lounge. Di Leva's talk, titled "Multilateral Environmental Agreements & the Role of International Financial Institutions," is free and open to the public. New Zealand Ambassador Rt Hon Mike Moore will speak on Tuesday, March 5, at 10:15 a.m. in the Letts Formal Lounge. In this talk, "A Life in Politics", the Ambassador will share reflections on globalization, trade, and the NZ-US Relationship. SIS Visiting Professor Sachio Nakato of Ritsumeikan University will discuss Japan-Korea relations on Tuesday, March 5, at 2:30 p.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the American University Center for Asian Studies. Doug Brooks of the Asian Development Bank (in conjunction with ADB's North American Representative Office) will focus on the role that ASEAN connectivity plays in supporting infrastructure and development in Asia on Wednesday, March 6 from noon - 2:30 p.m. in the Mary Graydon Center Gianni Lounge (Room 200). While the event, sponsored by SIS's ASEAN Center, is free and open to the public, please RSVP. Author, journalist and lecturer Nicholas Kralev will discuss his book, America's Other Army: The U.S. Foreign Service and 21st Century Diplomacy on Thursday, March 7 in SIS Room 300 from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. The event is sponsored by SIS's International Communication and U.S. Foreign Policy programs and is free and open to the public. 
SIS will host the DC Environmental Film Festival Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. The event will be introduced by SIS Professor Ken Conca, and the film, "Shark Loves the Amazon," will be followed by a Q&A with Mark London (writer, producer), Cidney Hue (co-director, co-editor) and Adrian Vasquez de Velasco (co-director, co-editor). The event is free and open to the public. Join SIS for the 16th Annual SIS Undergraduate Research Symposium Wednesday, March 20 in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room from 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. The symposium is free and open to the public. Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies Ambassador Akbar Ahmed will launch his newest book, The Thistle & the Drone: How America's War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal Islam Tuesday, April 9, from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. Beginning with Waziristan and expanding to tribal societies in Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere, Ahmed presents an unprecedented paradigm for understanding and winning the war on terror. The event is free and open to the public. American University will honor the late SIS Dean William Olson at a memorial service at the Kay Spiritual Life Center from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. A reception will follow in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. Learn more about the service, which is free and open to the public, on the Alumni Association website. Skills institutes will be occurring on select dates this spring led by practitioners from the Intercultural Management Institute. These weekend-long courses provide both practical intercultural communication skills and theoretical knowledge to professionals working in the international and intercultural spheres, aspiring intercultural trainers, as well as those with interest in training for overseas living. For more information on courses, fees and locations, or to register, visit: http://www.american.edu/sis/imi/institutes/institutes.cfm. |
ALUMNI NEWS 
Alumni, we need your help! We are in the planning stages of creating the most exciting reunion weekend ever, and there is something missing - you! Read more. GETTING TO KNOW YOU - EASTEN LAW 
Title: Instructor Job Duties: I teach several sections of Cross-Cultural Communication. I honestly believe it is one of the most important courses an undergraduate student could take. It builds self-awareness and lays foundations for more intentional and nuanced engagement with the world. Read more. GETTING INK 
Professor Tazreena Sajjad: Interviewed in "Bangladesh's Rising Voices," Al-Jazeera, Feb. 19. INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS 
Professor Jeff Colgan released his newest book, Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War (Cambridge University Press 2013). Read more. EVENTS 
SIS will host the DC Environmental Film Festival Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. The event will be introduced by SIS Professor Ken Conca, and the film, "Shark Loves the Amazon," will be followed by a Q&A with Mark London (writer, producer), Cidney Hue (co-director, co-editor) and Adrian Vasquez de Velasco (co-director, co-editor). The event is free and open to the public. Read more. CONNECT WITH SIS 
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Located in Washington, DC, American University's School of International Service is ranked consistently among the top ten schools of international relations. More than 3,000 students, from undergraduates to PhD candidates, representing 150 countries, are taught by over 100 full-time faculty. SIS's policy-practitioner relationships and global university partnerships help to place 80 percent of its students in internships, and enable 40 percent of graduate students, and 80 percent of undergraduates, to study abroad. The School's faculty, practicing adjuncts and interdisciplinary curriculum prepare graduates for global service in government, non-profits and business. For information regarding the accreditation and state licensing of American University, please visit www.american.edu/academics © School of International Service | American University | Washington, DC |
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