State Department Partnership Offers Real-World Experience

At the School of International Service, we understand the importance of hands-on experiences. That's why our coursework provides students the opportunity to gain practical research experience in the classroom before they enter the global workforce.

One of the ways we do that is through research courses in which students learn important analytical and qualitative research skills they can apply beyond the walls of SIS.

During the fall semester, thanks to an Academic Centers of Conflict Anticipation and Prevention (ACCAP) initiative with the US Department of State, SIS students got a new opportunity to conduct research with international impact.

Research with Real Impact

Earlier this year, the SIS Department of Peace, Human Rights & Cultural Relations partnered with the US Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations to allow SIS to engage with the State Department on research during the semester.

This semester, students in SIS professor Hrach Gregorian's qualitative research methods course took on SIS's first research project as part of the strategic partnership with the US Department of State. Graduate students in the class conducted research on Russian efforts in the Balkans-specifically, Russian efforts to influence politics in Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

At the end of the semester, the class will deliver a report with their findings to the State Department.

"The objective is [to research] the type of influence operations the Russians are undertaking to keep these states closer to the Russian orbit and to try to prevent movement towards accession into the EU," Gregorian said.

The class challenges students to apply several research methodologies and synthesize their findings into a concise, deliverable report for their client, Gregorian explained.

"The students are challenged to master, or at least learn about, some of these methodologies while at the same time applying them to try to answer the State Department's request," Gregorian said.

Real-World Application

Nicolas Gourgues, SIS/MA '25, is one of the students in Gregorian's class. Gourgues has spent the semester researching Russian influence in Serbia alongside his six group members. His team has been combing social media and performing content analysis as part of their section of the State Department report.

Through analysis, Gourgues's group found that Russia has "basically doubled down on its past modes of influence" by establishing a news service attacking the EU and NATO and locking Serbia into an energy deal for the next three years.

Before taking this course, Gourgues had never completed a report like this; but now, he feels prepared to enter the workplace with important research experience in hand.

"In terms of gaining practical skills, [this course] has been very helpful," Gourgues said. "I think it has allowed me to understand how to write something like this in my future workplace."

Anna Marie Fama, SIS/MA '25, another student taking Gregorian's class this semester, has been researching Russian interference in Kosovo by examining news reports and social media posts.

With just one semester to go until graduation, Fama said the material in the class has been "100 percent applicable" to the career she plans to pursue after earning her International Peace and Conflict degree.

"The fact that I can say that I've delivered something that the State Department is going to look at and hopefully seriously consider is absolutely mind-blowing and not something I thought would happen at this stage in my academic or professional career," Fama said. "I'm incredibly excited to be able to talk about it in interviews when I'm applying for jobs because I think it gives great insight into the fact that I am capable of professional-level research."

As students prepare for careers of impact upon graduating, SIS provides curriculum that is "relevant to real world, real time challenges," Gregorian underscored.

"Opportunities like [this course] allows the students to gain a greater understanding of what we're teaching and the relevance of what they're learning to the needs of future employers," Gregorian said.

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