1 of 6
Gregory, Oren Discuss Peace in the Middle East
Table of Contents, May 14, 2013
Gregory, Oren Discuss Peace in
the Middle East
Nobel Prize-Winner Discusses
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Professor Uncovers Link
Between Fuel and Force
An Alumnus' Labor of Love
SIS Expands Undergraduate
Research Opportunities
International Relations Online
Masters Cohort Launched
Commencement Photos
Photos of the Week
Class Notes
Getting Ink
Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren and NBC's David Gregory discuss the Middle East.
A peaceful Middle East without border disputes or nuclear threats seems impossible to achieve. But it isn't,
said Israel's Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren during the "Meet The Press at SIS" event April
29. Watch their discussion here.
Nobel Prize-Winner Discusses Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Professor Celeste Wallander:
Interviewed in "Kerry's Visit to Russia a
Chance to Talk Syria, Mend Fences,"
NPR, May 6.
Read more.
Intellectual Contributions
Professor Jordan
Tama has been
offered a Residential
Fellowship at the
Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars for the
2013-2014 academic year. He will
continue his current research on U.S.
congressional bipartisanship on foreign
affairs, with hopes of better
understanding the conditions that
enable bipartisanship, variation in
Dr. Thomas Schelling participated in a Dean's Discussion April 25.
Abhorrence of nuclear weapons has been effective in preventing their use for almost seven decades. This,
according to Thomas Schelling, is a "partial success" in the search for peace that can be partly attributed to
bipartisanship across issue areas, and
the impact of growing polarization in
Congress on efforts to forge bipartisan
coalitions.
John F. Kennedy's policies. Read more.
Read more.
Professor Uncovers Link Between Fuel and Force
Events
Professor Jeff Colgan launched his book Petro-Aggression: When Oil
Causes War April 22, and revealed connections between oil states and
their propensity toward violence.
SIS will continue its
Third Thursday Film
Read more.
Series with the
German film "David
2 of 6
Wants to Fly"
Thursday, May 16,
with a reception at 6
p.m. and the screening at 6:30 p.m. in
the Wechsler Theater in Mary Graydon
Center. The event is free and open to
the public; to RSVP, click here.
Read more.
"The countries that have a lot of oil are the
ones that are going to start the conflict,"
said Colgan at his launch April 22. "That
got me thinking."
An Alumnus' Labor of Love
Acting Secretary of Labor Seth Harris chats with Stephen Embry, SIS/BA '71, on April 26.
"Things are changeable, and a single person acting can make a change," said Stephen Embry, SIS/BA '71.
Read More.
SIS Expands Undergraduate Research Opportunities
SIS students participated in the National Conference for Undergraduate Research at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in April.
"One of our key aims this year was to expand the breadth and the depth of undergraduate research in the
overall SIS undergraduate experience," SIS Professor Aaron Boesenecker said. Read More.
International Relations Online Masters Cohort Launched
Connect with SIS
3 of 6
SIS International Online Master's Program brings AU to the world and the world to AU on May 6 for first
cohort students. Read More.
2013 Commencement Photos
SIS celebrated its graduates on Sunday, May 12. Click here to see more photos and watch parts of the
ceremony.
Photos of the Week
4 of 6
Professors Rachel Sullivan Robinson, Anthony Wanis-St. John and Susan Shepler have been recommended by the Provost to the AU
Board of Trustees for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor.
Architect William McDonough, whose firm designed the SIS building, signed his newest book for Associate Dean for Graduate
Enrollment Management and Program Development Leeanne Dunsmore after speaking on sustainability and abundance as part of
AU's celebration of Earth Day April 22.
Back to top.
Alumni News
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.
Class Notes
We invite readers to send comments to SISComm@american.edu. Please include your graduation year and
degree.
Robert Groshan, SIS/MA '82, passed away on Apr. 6.
Christopher Holben, SIS/BA '83, was recently profiled in the Sacramento Business Journal
Daniel Lopez, SIS/BA '91, CAS/MA '95, has recently joined the U.S. State Department's Bureau of
Education and Cultural Affairs as a Foreign Service Specialist/Regional English Language Officer.
Sandra Tvarian Stevens, SIS/BA '94, WCL/JD '97, was named one of D.C.'s "Rising Stars" for Insurance
Coverage for 2013 by Super Lawyers magazine. Stevens, a partner with the Washington, D.C., law firm
Wiley Rein LLP, represents clients in complex litigation in federal and state courts and in arbitration and
mediation proceedings. She is the chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee for the
Defense Research Institute for 2012-2014 and a past chair of the ADR Committee of the American Bar
Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Stevens was recently named to the American
Arbitration Association's National Roster of Neutral Arbitrators and serves as an arbitrator in commercial
disputes. She lives with her husband and children in Virginia.
Kevin Hagan, SIS/MA '97, appeared on the cover of the April 23 issue of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Kayla Yang-Best, SIS/MA '97, has been named education director at the Bush Foundation.
Suzanne Hunt, SIS/MA '04, spoke at Keuka College Apr. 25 on renewable fuels.
Amanda Mazzoni, SIS/BA '10, received her law degree from the Southwestern School of Law.
Back to top.
Getting Ink
5 of 6
Professor Celeste Wallander: Interviewed in "Kerry's Visit to Russia a Chance to Talk Syria, Mend
Fences," NPR, May 6.
Professors Carole Gallaher and Dan Schneider: Opinion piece, "Obama, Peña Nieto Must Save a Vital
Part of Effort to Fight Drug Trafficking," The Christian Science Monitor, May 2.
Professor Jeff Bachman: Opinion piece, "Violations of Laws of War are War Crimes," The Hill's Congress
Blog, April 24.
Professor Gary Weaver: Interviewed in "Cultural-Sensitivity Soldiers Save Diplomats, Corporate Titans
from Themselves," The Washington Post, April 23.
Dean James Goldgeier: Interviewed in "Shrinking Europe Military Spending Stirs Concern," The New York
Times, April 22.
Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies Professor Akbar Ahmed: Interviewed in "Suspects With Foot in 2
Worlds, Perhaps Echoing Plots of Past," The New York Times, April 20.
Professor Kristin Smith Diwan: Opinion Piece, "The Politics of Transgression in Kuwait," Foreign Policy,
April 19.
To see more SIS media appearances, please visit our SIS in the Media page.
Back to top.
Intellectual Contributions
Professor Jordan Tama has been offered a Residential Fellowship at
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for the 2013-2014
academic year. He will continue his current research on U.S.
congressional bipartisanship on foreign affairs, with hopes of better
understanding the conditions that enable bipartisanship, variation in
bipartisanship across issue areas, and the impact of growing polarization
in Congress on efforts to forge bipartisan coalitions.
Professor Derrick L. Cogburn will receive the Blackboard Catalyst
Award for Collaborate at the 2013 Blackboard World Conference in Las
Vegas in July.
Professor Robin Broad traveled to El Salvador from May 9 - 13 as part
of an international delegation of NGO representatives, academics, journalists and grassroots activists to
investigate a high-stakes conflict between the small state and powerful multinational mining companies.
Professor Philip Brenner spoke on "Political and Socio-Economic Change: Latin American Revolutions and
Their Implications" at the 24th Annual Strategy Conference held at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle,
Pa., on April 10.
Professor Adam Diamond recently published "Treadmill Acceleration and Deceleration: Conflicting
Dynamics Within the Organic Milk Commodity Chain" in Organization and Environment.
Professor Judith Shapiro spoke at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars China
Environment Forum about the Green Revolution in China April 30. Shapiro drew on her book, China's
Environmental Challenges, to talk about civil society and environmental justice trends in China, with a focus
on the role of media and investigative journalism.
Professor Amitav Acharya participated in the panel discussion "The Future of Constructivist Research in
International Relations" at The University of Oxford (England) April 30. On April 26, he spoke at the
Transworld conference in London, titled "The Transatlantic Relationship: Still Leaders in a Changing World?"
Professor Shoon Murray also attended.
Professor Quansheng Zhao spoke on a panel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, at a
Brookings-CSIS seminar on China-Taiwan-United States Relations April 23. The panel, "Cross Strait Political
Security Issues," can be found here.
6 of 6
Professor Robert Pastor introduced President Jimmy Carter during the Inaugural Robert and Margaret
Pastor Lecture in International Affairs at Lafayette College (Pa.) April 22. Watch the event here.
Professor Guy Ziv published "Simple vs. Complex Learning Revisited: Israeli Prime Ministers and the
Question of a Palestinian State," in April 2013's Foreign Policy Analysis.
The following professors have been named as thematic area coordinators in the newly revised
undergraduate curriculum: Benjamin Jensen (Peace, Global Security and Conflict Resolution); Manuel
Suarez-Mier (The Global Economy); Elizabeth Cohn (Foreign Policy and National Security); Eve Bratman
(Global Inequality and Development); Sikina Jinnah (Environmental Sustainability and Global Health);
Clarence Lusane (Identity, Race, Gender, Culture); Cathy Schneider (Justice, Ethics and Human Rights)
and Carl LeVan (Global and Comparative Governance).
Professor Tazreena Sajjad spoke at the City of the University of New York's May 2 event, "Understanding
Shahbag: Bangladesh at a Crossroads."
Dean Emeritus Louis Goodman has been named to the Academic Advisory Council of the Stephen A.
Schwarzman Scholars Program, which will support 200 students annually for a one-year master's degree
program at Tsinghua University (China).
Back to top.
Events
SIS will continue its Third Thursday Film Series with the German
film "David Wants to Fly" Thursday, May 16, with a reception at 6
p.m. and the screening at 6:30 p.m. in the Wechsler Theater in
Mary Graydon Center. The event is free and open to the public; to
RSVP, click here.
The Deans' Happy Hour on Tuesday, May 21 from 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. at The Brixton (901 U Street, NW, Washington, D.C.)
will feature AU's academic leadership, including SIS Dean James
Goldgeier. The event is open to alumni and costs $10, which
includes a drink ticket and appetizers. To RSVP, click here.
To see the complete list of SIS events, click here.
Back to top.
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