Dear IPS students, faculty, staff, and members of the Carnegie Mellon community,
It isn't every day that the National Security Advisor addresses the foreign-policy agenda of the United States, rarer still that he does so exclusively at your institution. That is the opportunity we present later this month, when Robert O'Brien will discuss foreign policy priorities as part of our Center for International Relations and Politics Policy Forum.
Before O'Brien, the CIRP Policy Forum will feature a Professional Journeys discussion with Carnegie Mellon University English Professor Jason England, and what a professional journey he's had: "I have been," his bio reads, "a soda salesperson, a camp counselor, a parking lot attendant, a waiter, a bartender, a civil rights activist, a dean of college admissions, an adjunct professor, a visiting lecturer, and a distinguished lecturer."
Sincerely,
Bill Brink
IPS Communications Specialist
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Foreign Policy Priorities from National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT on Zoom
Join us for a conversation with Robert O'Brien, the US National Security Advisor. Prior to working in that role, he served as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the US Department of State. Working for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, O’Brien led the US government’s diplomatic efforts on overseas hostage-related matters.
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Professional Journeys Discussion with Jason England
Thursday, October 22, 2020
4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. EDT on Zoom
Join us to learn more about the professional journey of Jason England, an Assistant Professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University.
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Fischhoff was one of 18 members of the Committee on Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus, which began work in July and released its recommendations earlier this month. Those recommendations included a four-phase distribution plan that prioritized first responders, healthcare workers, people with underlying conditions, and essential workers before expanding to include the rest of the population. The committee also proposed that everyone receive the vaccine at no out-of-pocket cost, that the program partner with community groups, and that the US engage in the global vaccine effort.
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In the latest online entry to the Center for International Relations and Politics Journal, IPS Postdoctoral Fellow Daniel Hanson argues that not only is the Federal Reserve's policy change the correct course of action, but it won't produce as much inflation as we might think.
The CIRP Journal online is the home of policy-relevant, blog-style short essays from Carnegie Mellon faculty, fellows, and national thought leaders on a rolling basis. We hope that a streamlined review process and relatively rapid publication will enable faculty to engage in timely public discourse and policy debate, and inform readers in the Carnegie Mellon community and beyond about current events.
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IPS Director and Taube Professor Kiron Skinner participated in a Foreign Policy magazine survey of experts, who were asked to agree or disagree, and rate their confidence in their answer, with the following statement: "Great-power competition should be the central organizing principle of US foreign policy."
IPS Postdoctoral Fellow Jonathan Cervas spoke with KDKA about the increase in text messages from political campaigns.
Howard Heinz University Professor Baruch Fischhoff spoke to WESA, Pittsburgh's NPR news station, about his participation in a National Academies committee on the equitable distribution of a potential future COVID-19 vaccine.
IPS Assistant Teaching Professor Colin Clarke joined the (Re)search for Solutions podcast to discuss white supremacist extremism.
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Professional and Academic Opportunities |
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Apply now to be a Hewlett Foundation Cyber Initiative and Special Projects Fellow
The Hewlett Foundation is hiring a Cyber Initiative and Special Projects Fellow for a three-year term starting in December 2020/January 2021. It's an amazing opportunity to help shape the cyber and technology policy field. The fellow will be a member of the Cyber Initiative team. They will play an integral role in implement the Initiative’s strategy, making grants, and promoting and organizing collaborations.
Simultaneously, the fellow will work directly with Foundation President Larry Kramer, helping to shape and execute grant-making for the Special Projects portfolio. Special Projects grants are diverse and ad hoc – ranging from support for public broadcasting to confronting systemic racism – and require nimble and thoughtful attention to detail and execution.
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Join the Carnegie Mellon chapter of The Triple Helix!
Carnegie Mellon has a new chapter of The Triple Helix, an undergraduate organization that publishes a semesterly journal related to science, law, technology, and society. The club aims to improve discourse about the impact of science and technology on public policy in our communities by maintaining a social-media presence and posting topical blogs.
The CMU chapter seeks writers for its journal and blog. Please contact Sam Abodo if you are interested!
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Small Undergraduate Research Grants: Spring 2021 |
The Small Undergraduate Research Grants (SURG) program offers grants for materials and supplies to undergraduates at Carnegie Mellon for research in any field of study.
SURG Proposal Deadline for Spring 2021 Awards: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2020
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Participate in the Alexander Hamilton Society Reading Series
The Alexander Hamilton Society has been looking for various ways to engage students throughout the semester. It is hosting a semester-long reading series in which students can debate over the enduring ideas and urgent issues of world politics. AHS chose The Kill Chain by Christian Brose for its weekly discussion, over the course of seven weeks, and is actively seeking interested students to join.
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Apply now to the Pardee RAND Graduate School
At the Pardee RAND Graduate School, our students have a deep and abiding passion to use policy to improve lives. Our selective, multidisciplinary doctoral program focuses on policy analysis and the ways it can shape our world.
We offer a full-time PhD program in policy analysis — the first and largest of its kind in the country. And we're backed by the brainpower and resources of the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis.
Each year, we welcome twenty-five to thirty exceptional students who come from diverse personal and academic backgrounds, with about a third of students coming from outside the US.
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Become a Govern For America Fellow
Govern For America is searching for the next generation of public sector leaders to address our nation’s biggest challenges. We recruit, train, inspire, and empower recent graduates to dismantle systemic inequities, build more inclusive public systems, and create a more effective government. As a Fellow, you’ll work in government on strategic priorities and innovative projects and bring your skills to bear on the most pressing challenges facing our communities.
Govern For America Fellows work at the intersection of policy and practice in a fast-moving environment where new challenges and experiences are the norm. Whether you’re combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, working to end mass incarceration, or expanding access to high-quality pre-K, government is where we see leadership in action. The GFA Fellowship is your opportunity to tackle one of the biggest challenges of our time.
The deadline is December 21. Apply now!
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Call for Nominations for St. Jude Graduate Student Symposia
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is currently seeking nominations of students to be considered for the nineteenth annual St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital National Graduate Student Symposium (NGSS), and sixth annual Future Fellow Research Conference (FFRC). These exceptional academic and professional development opportunities for PhD students will be held April 6-8, and August 3-5, 2021, respectively. The 2021 NGSS will be hosted virtually; however, we are waiting until the new year before deciding whether the 2021 FFRC will be held on the St. Jude campus.
The NGSS and FFRC are all-expenses-paid symposia to which top PhD students from around the country are invited to participate. To be eligible, students must be US citizens or permanent residents, with an estimated graduation between April 2021 and July 2022. Preference will be given to students whose work is relevant to ongoing research at St. Jude.
These symposia are not advertised. Students may apply only if they are nominated by faculty. To nominate students, please visit stjude.org/ngss.
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Receive one year of language study in two months at Indiana University
The Hamilton Lugar School's Language Workshop offers intensive in-person, online, and overseas programs that help you make rapid and lasting progress through work with instructors from some of the best and most innovative language training programs in the world. You will also go beyond the classroom to engage with language and culture through a range of activities, including conversation tables, networking events, and alumni presentations.
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Attend the Cornell University Virtual Graduate School Fair
The Cornell University Graduate School is hosting a Virtual Graduate School Fair on Tuesday, October 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT.
If you have any questions prior to the event, please contact our Graduate Field Associate Donna Pinnisi at [email protected].
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Council on Foreign Relations Seeking 2021-2022 Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowship Applicants
The Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowship, sponsored by the Stanton Foundation, offers scholars studying nuclear security issues the opportunity to spend a period of twelve months at CFR’s offices in New York or Washington, DC, conducting research. While in residence full time at CFR, selected fellows will be expected to lead a project of their own design, conduct original research, and write at least one policy-relevant document. Interested applicants should reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
The application deadline is December 15, 2020.
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Do you have a plan to vote?
If you aren’t already registered, it’s easy to register online by the deadline of October 19th.
If you’re already registered, check here to verify your registration and to ensure your location hasn’t changed, especially if you’ve moved, but even if you haven’t.
Decide which voting option you prefer:
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In-person absentee voting at your county election office may be available weekdays October 14 to October 27 for college students (find out where this is offered here).
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Vote-by-Mail — fill out this ballot request form online as soon as possible. You want to make sure you receive your ballot with adequate time remaining to vote and mail it back.
- Once you’ve carefully filled out your ballot, put it in the included secrecy envelope and the return envelope, and signed the outside envelope – send it back as soon as possible. It’s recommended that you drop off, rather than mail-in your ballot, if it’s ten days or less before the election.
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In-person Tuesday, November 3rd voting — find your poll location here.
Check out additional rules or requirements about voting here.
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Attend an information session on the Boren Awards
Monday, October 19
12:00 p.m. to 1:00pm EDT
The Boren Awards fund undergraduate and graduate study of less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to US interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and Latin America.
Attend this session to learn more about Boren Scholarships and Boren Fellowships. Our speaker will be Michael Saffle, Boren Awards Program Specialist. He will go over the basics of what Boren is, and what they are looking for in applicants. He'll help students locate the most useful information on their website. Michael will take Q&A throughout the presentation.
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Carnegie Mellon Women's Association Virtual Panel
This year, the Carnegie Mellon Women's Association's traditional fall membership event has been reimagined as a virtual panel and networking event on October 21, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. EDT. The event will feature women leaders at CMU for a discussion on "Adjusting to Our New Reality and Leading through Change." If you are interested in attending, please register by Monday, October 19.
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Artificial Intelligence for Data Discovery and Reuse 2020 Symposium
Monday, Oct 19, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – Tuesday, Oct 20, 2020, 6:30 p.m. EDT.
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Monday, October 19, 2020
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT
The Commission was established by Congress in 2019 to develop a comprehensive national strategy for defending American interests and values in cyberspace. Commission members will join experts from Pitt and CMU for a special two-part discussion on the Commission’s recommendations, the state of the current federal response, and the way forward.
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Upcoming lecture: "Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics Are Changing America"
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
5:00 p.m. EDT
William H. Frey, Senior Research Fellow at the Brookings Institution, is the preeminent demographer in the U.S. His recent book, Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics Are Remaking America, is the definitive work on how the U.S. population is changing and will continue to change.
Co-sponsored by the University Lecture Series, College of Fine Arts, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy.
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Attend a virtual conference on connections and networking
High-Quality Connections: Developmental Networks - Science and Practice
Monday, October 19th - Friday, October 23rd, 2020
The Mentoring Institute's Annual Conference aims to host a broad constituency, including divisions of higher education, academic researchers, educators, community leaders, administrators, non-profit partners, government agencies, and other professionals. Register here.
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Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion's MOSAIC 2020: Redefine, Reprioritize, and Re-Engage
The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion at Carnegie Mellon University is pleased to present our annual MOSAIC conference in a virtual format. Our conference theme this year is "Redefine, Reprioritize, and Re-Engage: Finding Humanity in a Post-Pandemic World." This year’s conference will be held on Sunday, November 1, 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. EDT; Monday, November 2, 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. EDT; and Thursday, November 5, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT.
MOSAIC 2020 will happen in the long shadows of a continuing COVID-19 pandemic and all the systemic fractures that it has revealed, the global Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice, and, soon to come, the US presidential elections. Through the lens of intersectionality, we wish to continue a critical community conversation about the societal and political contexts that we inhabit, the injustices that mar our collective humanity, and what it means to re-engage with that humanity.
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Sign up for Policy for the People's Pandemic Policython
The Pandemic Policython, scheduled from October 23rd-25th for forty-eight hours, is an opportunity for students to write policy proposals addressing today’s most pressing challenges in areas such as public health, economic equity, criminal justice, and international affairs. This free online event is open to anyone, whether you have an inkling to explore public policy, or you want to further hone your existing policy writing skills. We welcome beginners!
Speakers and mentors from nonprofits like the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, academic institutions like the Harvard Kennedy School, and international NGOs like the World Health Organization will be participating and sharing their expertise. You can work in teams of one to four members and receive feedback every step of the way through workshops, mentor office hours, and judge feedback. The event culminates with submitting the policy memos to policymakers.
Winning teams will receive up to $250 in cash and $1,000 in a seed grant fund to continue their work with a partner. Tons of other prizes, from placement in the Harvard Art Museum to automatic entry into partner organization fellowships and chats with leading academics, are available. Register by October 19.
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Attend the virtual Pittsburgh Humanities Festival
October 2, 9, 10, 16, and 23, 2020
7:00 p.m. EDT
Join the conversation this fall, wherever you are, as Pittsburgh Humanities Festival @ Home presents “smart talk about stuff that matters.” Catch free and fascinating live-streamed interviews with artists, academics, and intellectual innovators exploring a range of topics — from health care and policy, to incarceration, technology, and creating opportunities for artists of color in Pittsburgh.
Originally slated for March of 2020, and canceled due to the onset of the pandemic, this virtual reboot of the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival features a selection of guests originally slated for in-person “Core Conversations” — a cornerstone of the usual in-person Cultural District experience. Designed as virtual opportunities for meaningful dialogue, including a live Q&A opportunity, these events will connect us for conversation when we need it most.
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Saw something in a previous issue of this newsletter that isn't included here? Check the archives.
Apply for an internship with Public Citizen to assist with the upcoming election. Please send your cover letter and resume to Ilana Beller at [email protected].
Volunteer for Eugene DePasquale in Pennsylvania's Tenth District. Contact field organizer Madison Goodrich for more information.
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