Wednesday, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Course Description: This course will examine global issues and responses primarily from the perspective of the practitioner, as a means of providing students with practical insight into the challenges and crises that exist worldwide. The focus will be on a range of social, humanitarian, and human rights issues set in different global contexts. Class topics may include humanitarian assistance and international humanitarian law, refugees and vulnerable populations, human rights, global health, environmental and human security policy, the role of Congress and the Executive branch, U.S. and U.N. relations, and good governance initiatives. The class will utilize public institution publications and government documents, as well as academic literature, in the readings. Practitioners with experience in the field will share their knowledge and expertise with students and participate in class discussions. Class attendance and active participation is crucial to the course. The guest speakers, representing different organizations, will provide students with a better understanding of the range of possible responses to global challenges. This seminar will also focus on the practical knowledge needed for careers in the international arena.

Instructor Information:
Dr. Rhoda Margesson works as a Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy in the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). She conducts research and policy analysis on international organizations and global issues, with a focus on humanitarian assistance and intervention, disaster relief, displaced populations, and some aspects of human rights. As a member of the United Kingdom delegation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union, she serves as an election observer. Previously, she was an Associate with Harvard’s Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution and worked in the conflict resolution field on both domestic and international projects. Dr. Margesson has also held research and teaching fellow positions at both the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Margesson earned a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School, a Graduate School of International Affairs at Tufts University.

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Course Description: This course will explore the science and technology/foreign policy nexus with specific sectoral assessments to include energy and climate change, public health, space and innovation, and economic development. Our world is increasingly defined by scientific advancements and technological innovation. Solutions to today’s global challenges — in economic growth/poverty reduction, climate change, food security, and health — will rely on developments in science and technology. Science is now a global endeavor. Developing countries are investing heavily in their science and technology infrastructure. The United States and many other countries view S&T as the means to achieve economic goals and to ensure the well-being of their populations. The pursuit of knowledge and technology development relies on national level efforts and also extends beyond national jurisdictions. As a result, the linkages between foreign policy and S&T have never been stronger. Science Diplomacy integrates the foreign policy and scientific and technological communities. The U.S. integrates scientific and technological knowledge into our diplomacy to help ensure that our policies are technically sound, programmatically viable, and politically feasible. Students, through expert speakers, presentations, readings, and negotiation exercises, will explore the critical roles scientific knowledge and technological innovation play in the formation and implementation of foreign policy issues.

Instructor Information:
Dr. Jonathan Margolis, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Space and Health in the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. In this position, he is responsible for policies and programs in the areas of International Science & Technology, Space, and International Health and Biodefense. From 2007-2011, Dr. Margolis served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Communications in the Bureau of International Information Programs. Dr. Margolis oversaw the Bureau’s internet, video and print products, including social media. From 2006-2007, Dr. Margolis served as the Senior Coordinator for Global and Functional Issues in the Office of the Director of Foreign Assistance, where he oversaw reform efforts to ensure effective use of foreign assistance resources. From 1997-2006, Dr. Margolis served as the Department's Special Representative for Sustainable Development and as the Director of the Office of Policy Coordination and Initiatives in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. As Special Representative, he headed the U.S. Delegation to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. Dr. Margolis joined the State Department in 1991 as a American Association for Advancement of Science Diplomacy Fellow and was integrally involved in environment, water, and economic issues and programs, as part of the multilateral track of the Middle East peace process through 1996. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at American University and the Foreign Service Institute, where he conducted courses on environmental policy, negotiations, and international organizations. Dr. Margolis has a Ph.D. from Harvard University in psychology, focusing on negotiation and conflict resolution. He holds a Master's Degree from the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy. His undergraduate degree is in Fine Arts from Harvard College.

Dr. Jeffrey Haeni is the Acting Director for USAID’s Center for Environment, Energy and Infrastructure in the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation. The Center provides technical leadership for USAID’s biodiversity, climate change, energy, ocean plastics, land and resource governance, sustainable landscape, and infrastructure programming. Previously, Dr. Haeni served as USAID’s Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3) and as the Director for the Office of Energy and Infrastructure, supporting the Agency’s multi-billion dollar annual infrastructure and energy portfolio. He has 15 years of experience working on energy sector development in more than 18 countries, and previously served as Chief of USAID’s Energy Division where he supported the design, implementation, and evaluation of energy projects. Before joining USAID, Dr. Haeni was an energy specialist on the Economic Policy Staff in the Bureau for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and served as an energy advisor to former Representative Rush Holt (NJ-12) in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor’s degree in Physics from Colgate University.

Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Course Description: This course will examine how U.S. international security and intelligence policies and strategy are formulated and executed in a contemporary context. The course will look at the underlying ideological perspectives that tend to shape how U.S. decision makers view international security and intelligence challenges and opportunities. It will look at the range of tools available to security and intelligence practitioners as they work to protect and advance U.S. interests. The course will also examine the context and process through which decisions about specific security and intelligence objectives are set and actions are implemented. The course will seek to build practical skills of students for application in professional experiences in the international arena. Thus, the course will emphasize the development of professional writing, presentation, and policy analysis skills, including through an interagency simulation. The course will also feature guest lecturers from Washington's security and intelligence policymaking, think tank, media, and NGO communities.

Instructor Information:
Willim "Chip" Usher is an executive manager at the Central Intelligence Agency and a member of the Senior Intelligence Service. A 29-year veteran, he has held a variety of leadership assignments overseeing CIA's intelligence analysis work on the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia supporting five U.S. Presidents. He is passionate about teaching critical thinking skills and applying strategic theory in real-world situations. Mr. Usher received his B.A. from Duke University and his M.S. in National Security Studies (with honors) from the National War College. He is married to Adrienne Hallett Usher, a senior official with the National Institutes of Health, and they have a five-year old son, Reed.



Dr. Paul “PJ” Maykish is the Senior Advisor for Technology and Economy for the Special Competitive Studies Project. Before SCSP, Dr. Maykish was the Director for International Technology Competition on the National Security Council. Operationally, he spent 24 years as a Ranger-qualified Air Force officer including two-years of commanding the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in the Middle East from 2017-2019. In between operational assignments, his strategy experience includes two years on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and two years as the Air Force Strategy Advisor for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy (OSD-P) where he designed “Third Offset” concepts and deterrence assessment frameworks. Dr. Maykish received a B.S. in International Resource Management from the University of Montana; a Master of Environmental Management in Community Development from Yale University; a Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy from the School of Advanced Air and Spacepower Studies (SAASS); Master of Arts in National Security Strategy from National War College (with honors); and a Doctor of Philosophy in Military Strategy from SAASS.

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Course Description: This course will consider questions and dilemmas in the practice of contemporary diplomacy and statecraft from the perspective of the United States. It will explore various tools available to the United States as it develops and implements diplomacy and foreign policy strategies, such as public diplomacy and soft power; bilateral and multilateral diplomacy; trade agreements; foreign assistance and other economic tools; and other capabilities. This course will emphasize the role of diplomacy in addressing foreign policy challenges. The course will make use of such materials as contemporary foreign policy documents, case studies, simulations, and guest lecturers drawn from Washington's foreign policymaking, statecraft, think tank, and NGO communities.

Instructor Information:
Nadia Farra is the Chief of Staff for the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology at the U.S. Department of State. Before this assignment, Nadia served as the Special Assistant to Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman covering the Middle East and North Africa, Counterterrorism, and Cyber and Digital policy. Nadia served as the Senior Syria Desk Officer from 2015 until 2021 leading a team of six and advising U.S. government leaders on engagement with the U.N., political process, nonproliferation, and sanctions. Nadia entered the civil service in 2011 as a Presidential Management Fellow at USAID where she staffed former Administrator Raj Shah before serving on the Yemen Desk. Nadia has a Master's degree in Public Administration with a focus on International Development from the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University and a Bachelor's degree in International Affairs with a Minor in Arabic from the University of Georgia. She is President of the Board of Arab Americans in Federal Affairs Agencies – an interagency government employee organization.

Thursday, 7:00p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Course Description: This course recognizes the importance of regional study within the field of international relations and is designed to examine key challenges. It will look at the wide array of factors influencing global events and dynamics, and the various tools available to foreign policy practitioners to address challenges in such critical regions as the Near East, the Indo-Pacific, and Europe.

Questions to be addressed include: What are the policy tools available to the United States and its allies as they confront Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and how is the war reshaping Europe's thinking about its own security? How is the war in Ukraine affecting Russia-China relations, and what lessons is Beijing taking away as it contemplates a potential future invasion of Taiwan? How should the United States engage with key regional powers such as Turkey, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, and Brazil as those countries also seek to balance their relations with Russia and/or China? Could the United States have reached a nuclear deal with Iran alone, without its “P5+1” partners - France, Germany, the UK, Russia, and China? How do the actions of multilateral economic institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund influence regional and state behavior, and conversely, how do the policies and priorities of individual states and regions determine the actions of multilateral institutions?

Instructor Information:
Danusia Hubah is a Foreign Affairs Officer and currently Deputy Director of the Office of Iranian Affairs at the Department of State. She has extensive interagency experience from the policy, diplomatic, and intelligence perspectives on issues related to the Middle East, particularly Iran.  Hubah was previously the Director for Iran Policy at the National Security Council, where she coordinated the development of U.S. policies and strategies related to Iran, working closely with counterparts in relevant Cabinet agencies such as the Departments of Defense and the Treasury, and the Intelligence Community.  Hubah has served domestically as a policy officer the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and overseas as a diplomat at U.S. embassies and consulates in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates.  Prior to that, Hubah worked as an intelligence analyst focusing on Iran.  She has an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from the University of California, San Diego.

Eric Ciaramella is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He previously served as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and as Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, where he helped lead the Intelligence Community's strategic analysis on Ukraine, Russia, and the wider region. Before that, he served in several policy roles at the National Security Council, overseeing the coordination and implementation of U.S. policy on a range of issues related to Europe and Russia. He holds a Master's Degree in Russian and East European Studies from Harvard University. His undergraduate degree, in linguistics and East European Studies, is from Yale University.

Wednesday, 3:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Course Description: This course will examine water challenges and health threats, the major actors as well as mechanisms and initiatives involved in responding, and the factors that governments need to consider as they develop global water and health strategies. Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, health, and livelihood for families across the world. Water and sanitation related diseases remain among the major causes of death in children under five. The inter-connectedness between water and health, energy, food security, ecosystems, and climate change makes water a key foundation for achieving country-level sustainable development goals.

Infectious disease outbreaks and other global health emergencies also pose threats not only to human health but to broader social, economic and political goals. The goal of building capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to a range of infectious disease outbreaks has emerged as a major global objective. The speed with which disease travels in today’s inter-connected world and the rapidity with which health care capabilities can be overwhelmed often require coordinated response efforts by multiple actors to combat such outbreaks. The course will also feature guest lecturers from Washington’s national and international policymaking, think tank, and NGO communities.

Instructor Information:
Dr. Jonathan Margolis, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Space and Health in the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. In this position, he is responsible for policies and programs in the areas of International Science & Technology, Space, and International Health and Biodefense. From 2007-2011, Dr. Margolis served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Communications in the Bureau of International Information Programs. Dr. Margolis oversaw the Bureau’s internet, video and print products, including social media. From 2006-2007, Dr. Margolis served as the Senior Coordinator for Global and Functional Issues in the Office of the Director of Foreign Assistance, where he oversaw reform efforts to ensure effective use of foreign assistance resources. From 1997-2006, Dr. Margolis served as the Department's Special Representative for Sustainable Development and as the Director of the Office of Policy Coordination and Initiatives in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. As Special Representative, he headed the U.S. Delegation to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. Dr. Margolis joined the State Department in 1991 as a American Association for Advancement of Science Diplomacy Fellow and was integrally involved in environment, water, and economic issues and programs, as part of the multilateral track of the Middle East peace process through 1996. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at American University and the Foreign Service Institute, where he conducted courses on environmental policy, negotiations, and international organizations. Dr. Margolis has a Ph.D. from Harvard University in psychology, focusing on negotiation and conflict resolution. He holds a Master's Degree from the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy. His undergraduate degree is in Fine Arts from Harvard College.

Julien Katchinoff is currently serving as Water Team Lead in the Office of Conservation and Water at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, Julien served as the Department's primary action officer in implementing the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 between the United States and Canada, including oversight of the U.S. section of the binational International Joint Commission (IJC) as Transboundary Water Specialist and Deputy Columbia River Treaty Negotiator in the Office of Canadian Affairs. Over a decade at the Department, Julien also developed and implemented U.S. foreign policies on drinking water and sanitation, water resources management, and transboundary water issues, with a specific focus on South East Asia. Prior to Federal service, Julien worked as an Environmental Scientist with Montgomery Watson Harza in Denver, Colorado, and a research intern with the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C. Julien earned his M.A. in Global Environmental Policy from American University’s School of International Service in 2009, and his B.A. in Geography and International Affairs from the University of Colorado in 2006. Julien served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Georgia (2007-2008) and speaks French and an ever-diminishing amount of Georgian.

Monday, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00p.m.
Course Description: This course will examine political, social, and environmental aspects of the global economy in the context of great power competition and rapid technological change. How do goods and services, money, and ideas flow around the world? What roles do governments, corporations, civil society organizations and individuals play in this complex and often invisible dynamic? The course will look at specific issues such as the impact of the pandemic; implications of natural resource depletion; changing international energy systems and regional/national responses; emerging and strategic technologies. Students will analyze historical trends and contemporary conditions as factors in the development and implementation of foreign policy, with a special focus on East and South Asia. The course will convey an understanding of the interagency policy formulation process and will impart skills (analytical, written and verbal communication) required to engage in the global economic space.

Instructor Information:
As a Foreign Service Officer, Andrew Nissen spent more than 20 years helping to shape major United States foreign policy initiatives in East and South Asia. He most recently served as Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator for the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian affairs. He has advanced U.S. national interests in a wide range of economic sectors through his domestic and overseas assignments, which include posts in India, Indonesia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Mr. Nissen holds a Master’s Degree in environmental economics from the American University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in international relations from Georgetown University. He is a graduate of the State Department’s advanced economic studies program.