Diplomacy Lab is a partnership between the US Department of State and around 40 public and private universities across the country. Oakland University is only the second Michigan school to join the Diplomacy Lab after the University of Michigan.
Oakland University political science professors Dr. David Dulio and Dr. Peter Trumbore applied to bring the United States Department of State’s Diplomacy Lab to Oakland University and were successful, meaning Oakland University students and faculty across the spectrum of majors can participate in the program and have an impact on policy making.
According to an article on Oakland University’s website, Dr. Dulio was quoted as saying, “When I heard about the opportunity to apply to be a part of the Diplomacy Lab, I immediately contacted university leadership, including the President and Provost, and they were incredibly supportive. They saw, as Pete and I did, that this is a great opportunity. It’s a great example of the sweet spot in our community engagement work in that our community partner – the State Department – is assisted by OU, and faculty and students at OU are benefited through the exploration of an important question posed by the State Department.”
The idea of Diplomacy Lab is that students and faculty who are involved with it will be able to work with the State Department to help solve real problems and have the opportunity to influence policy. Undergraduate and graduate students alike will work with faculty mentors to work through problems. Among the topics of this year’s Diplomacy Lab are anthropology, behavioral economics, climate change, computer science, criminal justice/law enforcement, environmental studies, human rights, psychology, public health, and more.
Not only will students have access to their faculty members throughout the process, but they will also have access to members of the State Department via video conferences. Students will present their ideas and receive feedback directly from the State Department representatives.
“We’re very excited about this new partnership between OU and the State Department. Participation in Diplomacy Lab will open the door for students and faculty across the university, not just in Political Science and international relations, to bring their skills and expertise to the table in support of the State Department’s global mission. It’s an opportunity for our students to make a concrete contribution to addressing real-world problems and challenges,” said Dr. Trumbore.
For more information about Oakland University, visit the school’s website.