Elliott 360 – Page 3

March 4, 2025March 6, 2025

Championing International Development and Cross-Sector Collaboration

An Alumna’s Path to Public Leadership

From the halls of GW to a global health organization, Sharmishta Sivaramakrishnan, ESIA BA ’16, has built a cross-sectoral career at the intersection of public policy, corporate strategy, and international development.

Currently leading global operations at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for more than 35 countries, Sharmishta oversees the operational strategy that enables CHAI’s mission to work in the nexus between business and government, and improve healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries. Her work ensures that CHAI’s 1,700+ staff can focus on delivering impact across health systems worldwide.

Sharmishta is committed to a life in public service on the world stage, and in the long-term, seeks to enter a public leadership role in her home country of Singapore.

A Global Perspective, Shaped at GW

Considering herself a global Singaporean, Sharmishta has spent her life across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, North America, and now East Africa. Bilingual in English and French, she is convinced that home will forever be multiple places.

At GW, she studied international affairs at the Elliott School, where her professors reinforced the importance of navigating complexity, embracing nuance, and finding opportunities in unexpected places.

“I learned at GW that solutions to the world’s toughest problems don’t sit neatly within one sector,” she reflects. “Real change happens when governments, private companies, and nonprofits collaborate. I also had professors who encouraged my inquisitiveness. This, coupled with the canvas of Washington, DC, offered me opportunities and meetings with leaders I could never have envisioned. The key is if you want to do something, you should just ask.”

Sharmishta speaks with Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. — Sharmishta speaks with Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

This mindset shaped her career, leading her to earn a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, further strengthening her expertise in global policy and economic development.

She then continued to work across the United Nations, the Government of Singapore, the World Economic Forum, and EY-Parthenon before joining CHAI. Each role deepened her expertise in international development, with functional expertise in strategy, policy, partnerships, and operations. Thematically, Sharmishta is deeply passionate about global health and international trade—two areas anchored by her training as an economist.

Navigating a Complex Landscape

International development is in a complicated season. Funding priorities are shifting, the traditional development model is being challenged, and the roles of governments, nonprofits, and private sector actors continue to evolve. But this complexity is precisely why Sharmishta chose to study and work in this field.

“The work may look different days, weeks, months, or years from now—but that’s the point. The world will always be in flux, and so will the ways we approach development. The challenge is to adapt while staying committed to choosing what is right and turning the light on when things feel dark.”

Rather than being deterred by uncertainty, she sees it as a constant invitation to rethink, rebuild, and push boundaries.

A Commitment to Building Bridges

Sharmishta also noted that “it’s very important to continue doing what gives you energy. No job is perfect, just like few jobs are truly 9-5. That being said, having boundaries and learning to prioritize your passions by investing in people and places where you feel most seen – whether in the office or out – will take you far.”

Sharmishta is deeply committed to bringing her passions into the workplace. In 2023, as a management consultant at EY-Parthenon, she founded the firm’s first women’s community, creating a platform for mentorship, advocacy, and professional growth for women in consulting.

Sharmishta receives the SINDA Youth Award in November 2023.

She believes in anchoring to causes that she knows will always align with her core values, such as promoting and expanding access to education. She has been a volunteer with Caring for Cambodia since the age of 14, later serving as their UN Youth Representative, and now sits on their board. A recognized youth leader in Singapore, Sharmishta has also spent countless hours exploring Singapore’s community landscape and talking to other youths, leading her to found the Young Adults Community of one of Singapore’s national self-help groups, SINDA Youth Club.

Career Insights: Lessons from her buff and blue brick road

Sharmishta speaks with Elliott School students on campus in February 2025.

Sharmishta has built a dynamic, cross-sector career by staying open to new opportunities and embracing unconventional paths. Here are her top career tips:

The field is where you make it—don’t limit yourself to predefined paths or geographies.
Be a little unhinged, and send that cold email—you never know where or to whom it might lead.
Prioritize what you’re looking for in a role—you’ll need to be as flexible as you expect your organization to be.
Quantitative skills matter as much as qualitative ones—Sharmishta went from nearly flunking AP Calculus in high school to taking advanced econometrics, statistics, and multivariable calculus in college and grad school.
Talk to people who don’t think like you and pursue roles in unorthodox spaces—you’ll learn something, even if it’s just how to ask better questions.
Understand operations and enabling support functions—they’re just as important as programmatic work.
Invest in the causes that bring energy to your life; the canvas to contribute can be as vivid as you choose to make it.

Whether she’s organizing a global leadership meeting, championing gender equity, mentoring future leaders, or fostering new collaborations, Sharmishta remains committed to bridging ideas, people, and resources to drive impact where it’s needed most.

March 3, 2025March 3, 2025

Making Waves

Elliott student athletes find balance between studying and competing on the swim team.

Even though her time at GW is coming to a close, Taylor Bernosky, a senior studying international affairs with a concentration in international economics and a swimmer on the GW women’s swimming and diving team, is excited to begin a new chapter of her life with all the lessons she has learned from being a full-time student and athlete.

Bernosky said the National Collegiate Athletic Association requires 20 hours of athletic activity a week, which can be very demanding with a full course load as well.

“Having the structure of practice, class, and the workload that comes along with being in the Elliott School has really challenged me. I have been able to learn time management skills and how to balance athletics and academics.”

Preston Lin, a junior studying international affairs with a concentration in security policy, had never heard of GW before being recruited by coaches for swimming.

“GW is known for the Elliott School’s excellence in teaching international affairs, and to be a part of something and learn from the people [there] has broadened my perspective to be in a field where I could make a positive difference,” he said.

Bernosky and Lin both said while they do not have much free time, the hard work they do in school and sport is rewarding.

“Finding that balance is so important. I did not want to become too one-dimensional, for my life to be all about my sport,” Lin said.

Bernosky said she has not met many other Elliott student athletes. “People are surprised and often ask me about it [and] I love to talk about it because swimming is such a massive part of my life, and it is super cool to have something different on the academic side than a lot of my other teammates,”

Lin and Bernosky both noted their GW Swim backpack is always what gives them away.

“The competitiveness within Elliott is something I heard before I got to the school, but I do not think it is a bad thing. In swimming, having someone to compete with, whether they are on your time or in a race, always makes you better. I think the same thing applies to the classroom. I had a professor who called it ‘conversational Judo,’” Lin said.

Bernosky said winning four A-10 championships for GW has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

After graduating, Bernosky hopes to attend graduate school in Europe and pursue a career in trade policy for the government or a non-governmental organization.

“I think [athletics] teaches you so much. I would encourage every kid to be able to stay in it as long as you can. I think it is so important for people and I definitely will be doing something athletic in the future,” she said.

Lin said swimming has taught him important lessons about relationship dynamics and working with different personalities that he has been able to apply to the classroom as well. He agrees that having good professors makes a big difference and said that every day he feels he gains a new perspective.

“I think the Elliott School’s outreach has been so amazing, and I would definitely encourage my younger self to take more advantage of it. Meetings with advisors, going to the events that are hosted, anything like that, I definitely should have capitalized on more,” she said.

Lin said he would tell his freshman-year self to “stop and smell the roses.” There is so much that GW, the Elliott School, and Washington, D.C., have to offer.

February 28, 2025March 3, 2025

Bridging the Gap

Alum providing young women with tools in peacebuilding through annual fellowship

Innovations in Peacebuilding International is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting locally led peace efforts in conflict-afflicted nations. Mannat Ahluwalia B.A. ‘24, has helped the organization initiate an annual fellowship that brings together young women to explore the intersection of peace and technology, called the Young Women’s Peace Forum (YPWF).

Founded in 2009 by Dr. Charles Davidson, Innovations in Peacebuilding International (IPI) aims to create sustainable change in war-affected areas. Its mission is to support local initiatives in these regions, promoting creative and sustainable peace solutions that provide opportunities for all. YPWF was inspired by the desire to equip young women in affected areas with the tools to advance their professional growth in the field of peacebuilding.

Mannat Ahluwalia, who graduated from GW in 2024 with a double major in international affairs and international business, is a volunteer at the Innovations in Peacebuilding International and said the YWPF was an inspiring experience.

“I always used to say ’empower women,’ but then Dr. Davidson pointed out how using the phrase empower implies that women are powerless. So that is why we always say to ‘give the instruments’ or ‘give guidance,’ instead of saying ‘empowering,’” she explained.

The YPWF fellowship is composed of field visits, lectures from guest speakers, and a two-hour window each day where the fellows utilize what they have learned to create a project or write a paper. By the end of the program, the fellows leave with the skills they need to come up with ‘real-life solutions’ to challenges they may face in the field. Ahluwalia said last year’s fellows identified the field visits as the most valuable experience of the program.

“Studying international relations, everything tends to be very by-the-book. Your solution cannot be putting people in a room and getting them to work it out. [The fellowship] allows them to think about conflict from a new perspective,” Ahluwalia said.

Ahluwalia emphasizes that you do not need an extensive international affairs or technical background to participate. “I have learned that you can do whatever you want, but wherever your passion lies, you can find a way to make it work,” she said. “You can find your way to connect it to peacebuilding and make an impact in the world,” she added.

February 28, 2025February 28, 2025

Revolutionary Tales: Ukrainian Mariia Prishchak Finds Her Purpose

War changed her world overnight. Now the first-year student is studying international affairs at GW to change it.

Authored by:Nick Erickson, Video by Cara Taylor

Somewhere in an apartment building in Kyiv, Ukraine, sits an unwashed coffee cup on a desk next to a stack of schoolbooks for a high school sophomore with the world ahead of her. Every day for the past three years, that same student—now a first-year international affairs major at the George Washington University—has hoped and prayed that she will one day have the opportunity to put those objects away.

At this point, of course, the coffee mug and books are merely metaphors for home, and their preservation represents hope. And the world ahead of her now is so vastly different.

Because when Mariia Prishchak and her family left for their annual family vacation to the Hawaiian island of Oahu in February 2022—carrying just one suitcase for the entire family of five that included her parents and two younger sisters, the Russian military had not yet launched the largest full-scale attack on a European country since World War II. Its presence on Ukraine’s eastern border at the time the Prishchaks left for their tropical trip was chalked up by some as an intimidation tactic in an ongoing eight-year struggle that started when Russia first invaded and then annexed Crimea in 2014.

“Everyone knew something might happen, but no one really believed it,” Prishchak said.

Then at roughly 4 p.m. Hawaii time on Feb. 23—which was the early morning hours of Feb. 24 at home in Eastern Europe, the world as her family knew it changed forever. With a simultaneous air and ground attack, war had become a haunting reality.

As she was at the beach some 7,600 miles away from home, Prishchak received a text from her mother to come to the hotel immediately.

“When I got back, she was crying. My dad was on the phone, speaking with multiple people, and I turned on my phone to see messages from friends in Ukraine saying, ‘We hear sounds, we don’t know what’s happening. Is the war starting?’” Prishchak said. “It felt like a nightmare. One minute I was at the beach with my family, and the next I was hearing that my home, my family and my friends were in danger.”

Keeping their return tickets for two weeks later, the Prishchaks were hopeful peace would prevail. But that would prove to be just that—hopeful. The war still rages on nearly one million injuries and deaths—many of those civilian—later.

Mariia Prishchak Rev Tales
After a conversation with her father about why wars happen, first-year GW student and Ukrainian Mariia Prishchak became motivated to study international affairs and diplomacy. She has made the most of her time so far at GW while always remembering her "why."

The Prishchaks have never left Hawaii, forced to build a new life on the island while constantly keeping tabs on their former one, where every day they check in on the safety of their loved ones, neighbors, teachers and friends. To Prishchak’s knowledge, her family’s apartment building in Kyiv, where her entrepreneurial parents owned and operated a cosmetic company they are still trying to run from afar today, is still standing.

The family is forever grateful to the Hawaiian communities who embraced and supported them.

In the years that have followed, Prishchak has found herself constantly explaining that her family didn’t just choose to leave their homeland in wartime. They were stuck abroad. It has felt wrong, Prishchak said, to be anchored in Hawaii when people she loved faced constant danger back home.

“It’s a tough conversation, but I’m trying to stay connected with the place I came from,” Prishchak said. “I follow my high school on social media, and I see how brave the kids are, like these first graders who draw pictures for soldiers on the front lines while hiding in basements. It’s so inspiring.”

What has happened the past three years has inspired Prishchak herself to go down a different route.

When she left for Hawaii in 2022, she was 16 and had ambitions of being an entrepreneur like her parents. She admittedly wasn’t interested in politics. But after the war broke out, Prishchak vividly remembered a conversation with her father about why powerful people and entities choose physical force over diplomacy. “Why can’t we just all talk it out and avoid war?” she asked him.

Her father suggested that if she wanted to dig deeper, perhaps she should study international affairs, political science or diplomacy.

“I realized this was much more interesting than sitting in an office with red lipstick every day,” Prishchak said, grateful for her parents’ support in this career path pivot. She soon began researching “best colleges for international affairs” using ChatGPT.

GW was near the top of that list. Scott Liedtke, the college counselor at Oahu’s Le Jardin High School, confirmed what AI had spit out to her.

“Once the reality hit that college in the U.S was going to be a viable option due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Mariia and I had lots of conversations about college and the college process in the United States,” Liedtke said. “She ended up applying to a handful of schools and ultimately made the best decision for herself, attending GW. She possesses change-making qualities with a genuine interest in those around her. GW made a great choice.”

Prishchak earned three diplomas while in Hawaii—the one from Le Jardin, its International Baccalaureate program and one from back home in Ukraine, where she finished her coursework online.

“I couldn’t be more complimentary of Mariia’s resilience, determination and pragmatic approach,” Liedtke added.

After the GW admissions office diligently worked to accommodate her extraordinary circumstances, Prishchak began her study of international affairs in fall 2024 with ambitions of using her education and the diplomatic skills she gains at the university to contribute to rebuilding her own country after the war.

“I dream of returning to Ukraine as a professional, as someone who can help rebuild, maybe as a diplomat or in foreign service,” said Prishchak, at GW on a student visa.

She has immersed herself in her studies and extracurriculars at GW. Outside the classroom, Prishchak is active in Delta Phi Epsilon, a dance team, and both the Ukrainian and Hawaiian student associations. She is invigorated with how driven people are around her.

Her first semester confirmed her confidence that she made the right decision to come to GW and D.C., and she’s constantly reminded of her “why.” She has drawings from her sisters above her desk in Thurston Hall, and a family friend recently mailed a brown winter coat she had in Ukraine, which she has been wearing around Foggy Bottom during this cold stretch of D.C. weather.

Above her bed is a Ukrainian flag signed by some of the country’s elite former rowers, including her godfather. “It’s a really meaningful gift, knowing that they haven’t forgotten us and that they’re still waiting for us to return,” Prishchak said.

Many of the places she loved are either destroyed or under renovation. The metro station she used to take to school, for instance, is gone. It’s heartbreaking for her to think that one day she might wake up to the news that her home in the city center is no longer there, but she holds on to hope that it doesn’t happen.

“It’s incredible how, even in the face of such horrible things happening, Ukrainians keep fighting for each other and keep their spirits high,” Prishchak said.

“I pray that Ukraine stays strong and that the future is brighter for everyone.”

Prishchak knows that whenever she does go home, it won’t be the same. Nothing ever will be in Ukraine.

January 31, 2025January 31, 2025

Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins Joined the Elliott School as Shapiro Visiting Professor

As Jenkins brings her expertise to the Elliott School, she joins three current experts, positioning the school as a leader in gender-focused security policy.

Authored by: Brook Endale

Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins joined the Elliott School as the Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs.

Ambassador Bonnie Denise Jenkins has joined the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs as the Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs. Jenkins, who has a distinguished career in diplomacy, arms control, international law and security, brings her expertise to the classroom, teaching undergraduate and graduate students.

The Shapiro Professorship, created in 1992 by the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Foundation, aims to bring in high-level professionals to teach at the Elliott School, offering students a chance to learn from those who have accomplished extraordinary work throughout their careers.

Jenkins’ career has been defined by her leadership on critical global issues. Since 2021, Jenkins has served as the U.S. under secretary of state for arms control and international security. She’s been instrumental in shaping U.S. policies around nuclear security, arms control and the fight against biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. She made history as the first African American to be an under secretary of state.

In May 2023, Jenkins was appointed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to lead efforts on AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. She was also previously the special envoy and coordinator for threat reduction programs during the Obama administration, working to keep weapons of mass destruction (WMD) materials out of the hands of non-state actors. She also led the U.S. delegation to the Nuclear Security Summits from 2010 to 2016 as U.S. Representative to the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of WMDs.

Along with her contributions to the country throughout her illustrious career, Jenkins is equally passionate about inspiring the next generation of leaders in international affairs, which is why she is excited to return to the classroom.

Jenkins previously taught a course on arms control and weapons of mass destruction at the Elliott School as a professorial lecturer in 2020 and 2021. Also in 2021, she delivered the Elliott School’s commencement keynote address.

“I really enjoyed teaching and this time, I’m really looking forward to finding more opportunities to be involved on campus,” Jenkins said.

She hopes her students will leave her class with a deep understanding of the complexities of international security and the evolving challenges facing global leaders today.

“One of the things we’re looking at in my course is evolving issues. So, there are no answers yet on how the global community tackles some new international security challenges,” Jenkins said. “It’s about finding ways to increase stability in an international security environment that’s always in flux. And adjusting our strategies to meet the demands of today’s security landscape.”

Jenkins’ commitment to diversity in the security and peacebuilding sectors is also a cornerstone of her career. She founded Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS) to support women of color in this field by creating a network of mentorship and advocacy.

“Security affects everyone, and for too long, women and people of color have been underrepresented in these spaces,” Jenkins said. “It’s important to continue encouraging women to see these issues as something they can and should be involved in, and to make sure that we’re present at the table, advocating for solutions that benefit all people.”

As Jenkins teaches at the Elliott School, she will join three other current faculty members who are security policy specialists interested in gender—Chantal de Jonge Ourdraat, Renata Giannini and Shirley Graham.

In the fall, De Jonge Oudraat joined the Elliott School as the program director of the Master of Arts in International Affairs (M.A.I.A.) and the John O. Rankin Professor of International Affairs.

De Jonge Oudraat has a long-standing involvement with Women In International Security (WIIS) and served as its president and chief executive officer from 2013 to 2021. The organization’s mission is to help women advance to leadership positions in the field of national and international security affairs. The organization was started in the mid-1980s by a small group of academic women who were frustrated that they were marginalized in their field. WIIS is now a global network with many international affiliates.

Giannini is an associate professor of practice of international affairs and the assistant dean for executive education and special initiatives at the Elliott School. She focuses her research on the intersection of gender, conflict and climate change. For the past 16 years, she has been a researcher and practitioner working in think tanks, international organizations, and development banks in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S., where she has been able to influence public policies in areas related to public safety, gender equality, sustainable development and democratic transformation.

Graham is the director of the Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs and an associate professor of practice in international affairs at the Elliott School, where she teaches courses on global gender policy, gender and women in global politics. She created the Student Consortium on Women, Peace and Security in 2021, and launched the first undergraduate gender concentration in 2023. Her work focuses on gender, militaries and peacekeeping, feminist foreign policy, and gender-based violence and trauma.

Together, these faculty members position the Elliott School as a leader in gender and security policy.

January 28, 2025February 27, 2025

Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II Honored in Flag Ceremony

The former Elliott School dean concludes his post as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa.

A flag ceremony marking the official conclusion of Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II’s tenure as United States Ambassador to South Africa took place at the Elliott School of International Affairs on Friday. Brigety, who previously served as the school’s dean, was confirmed as the 29th U.S. Ambassador to South Africa on July 21, 2022. This momentous event celebrated his distinguished service and legacy at both the school and in international diplomacy.

January 15, 2025January 15, 2025

Elliott Students Present Capstone Projects at State Department

Inaugural Program Culminates in #OnlyatGw Experience for Undergraduates

Bureau of Conflict & Stabilization Operations

Capstone projects are rigorous culminating educational experiences traditionally reserved for Elliott School M.A. students. Each year, students collaborate with client organizations to identify policy solutions to current global challenges. Capstone teams conduct in-depth research and analysis, ultimately presenting policy recommendations to some of the most prestigious institutions in Washington and beyond.

For the very first time this past semester, Elliott undergraduates were given the same opportunity to undertake a capstone course. Students who signed up for the inaugural course were lucky enough to have Dr. Keith Noble as their instructor. By day, Dr. Noble serves as the Bureau Chief Data Officer and Director, Office of Advanced Analytics, in the Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO). He leads the Bureau’s efforts to harness data analytics to enhance foreign policy decision-making on issues related to conflict prevention and stabilization. Prior to joining the State Department, Dr. Noble co-founded Blackcloud International, LLC, a leading data analytics firm based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He also previously served as the Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Inc. and spent nearly a decade with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The student-led teams presented on a diverse variety of topics, including gang demographics in Haiti, mapping pro-democracy groups in Burma, climate security in Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) National Action Plans (NAPS), disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration efforts (DDR) in WPS National Action Plans, and protest trends in Central Asia. Officials from across the State Department attended the presentations, including CSO leadership and desk officers from relevant regions.

As students entered the State Department building adjacent to the Elliott School for a security check, they appeared a bit awestruck. However, they quickly found their footing as they presented their findings to an in-person and remote audience, eagerly responding to questions and receiving compliments from relevant CSO teams.

We spoke with Dr. Noble about his motivation for teaching an undergraduate capstone course at the Elliott School. He shared, “The Elliott School has some of the most accomplished and dynamic international affairs students in the country. I had little doubt that a class of undergraduate students—working in tandem with my colleagues in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO)—would provide valuable research to address some of the Department’s highest priorities.”

One student remarked as he exited, “This is something I could never have imagined myself doing before coming to the Elliott School.” Clearly, Dr. Noble succeeded in his goal of helping to inspire and mentor the next generation of international affairs scholars and practitioners.

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024

Can The Humanities Learn To Love AI?

Q&A With Alexa Alice Joubin

By John DiConsiglio

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just on its way to humanities classrooms—it’s already there! From students asking philosophy questions to ChatGPT to professors using AI platforms for sharpening writing and research skills, AI is transforming the humanities world every bit as much as computer science labs.

And despite fears that it may encourage cheating or erode basic skills, some humanities scholars are seizing AI’s classroom potential—like self-proclaimed AI ‟early adopter” Alexa Alice Joubin, professor of English, theater, international affairs, East Asian languages and cultures, and women’s, gender and sexuality studies.

Joubin has made AI a centerpiece of her scholarship. She’s an affiliate of the new Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS) at GW, a founding co-director of the Digital Humanities Institute and an inaugural GW Public Interest Technology (PIT) Scholar.

In the classroom, Joubin has embraced AI as a technology tool that can be as instructive to the humanities as an encyclopedia—or the written word itself. In her courses, she uses AI platforms to help students learn how to ask quality questions, conduct in-depth research and refine their critical questioning skills. As a PIT scholar, Joubin is pioneering trustworthy AI projects, including creating an open-access AI tutor based on her own teaching model. And she also champions the technology’s potential to create a more inclusive classroom for international students who may struggle with English and students with varying learning needs. ‟It’s an empowering tool if you deploy it responsibly,” she says.

In a recent conversation, Joubin explained what AI can bring to the humanities landscape—and how humanities can help shape the future of AI.

Q: You describe yourself as an early adopter of AI in the classroom. How did you first become interested?

A: I’m very interested in the relationship between art and technology. Technology relies on art.

When you launch a new technology, you are telling a story, a narrative. There is technicity in art, and artistic imagination brings forth new technologies. And, of course, art needs technology. If you think about it, what is a quill pen? It’s a craft for writing—a technology. Technology is any application of conceptual knowledge for practical goals. As early as ancient Greece, people were dreaming of machines that could do things autonomously. And even in the 20th century, [mathematician] Alan Turing famously gave us the Turing Test on whether there is consciousness in the computer—and consciousness is a humanities question. So this didn’t start with ChatGPT. It’s one famous iteration over a long history.

When generative AI came along in late 2022, I was thrilled. I jumped on it right away. I was disappointed in the early days. But I’ve been steadily teaching with AI and urging my students to look at it realistically and critically. It’s not a devil and it’s not an angel. But AI is in our mix and it’s not going away.

Q: Where are we in the relationship between AI and the humanities?

A: AI really is a humanistic issue, and it has ignited broad interest in questions about free will, mind and body and moral agency. When people talk about ChatGPT, they talk about these questions. That’s why the humanities are front and center in this [debate]. Humanities provides a range of tools for people to think critically about our relationship to technology and about the so-called eternal questions. What makes us human? How do you define consciousness? These classic philosophical questions have gone mainstream thanks to all the debate about ChatGPT. Free will has suddenly become an important topic.

Q: How do you think the humanities world is adapting to AI? It seems that most people are either pro-AI or anti-AI—and the humanities largely fall into the anti-camp. Am I wrong?

A: Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of fear and uncertainty. Even worse, there’s an indifference—a thinking that this has nothing to do with humanists. But it actually has everything to do with everyone in fields ranging from humanities to social sciences and theory. It is forcing us to pause and rethink some fundamental assumptions.

But technophobia, fear and indifference can lead to a shunning of AI. And that translates into an unhealthy classroom. We know students are using it. When they graduate, they are expected to have literacy in it. And writing, critical thinking and meta-cognition are becoming all the more central because of AI’s challenges. The bar is being raised.

Q: Can you give me an example of what AI technology can bring to the humanities classroom?

A: It can bring a level of self-awareness, because AI is a social simulation machine. It cannot create new knowledge, but it’s a repository of social attitudes. I teach my students to treat it like a shadow image of society. It allows you to think at a meta level about your role in a society and how society reacts to certain things. For example, when I teach ‟Romeo and Juliet” in my drama class, students invariably have ideas about performing the play in a modern setting. AI can generate visuals for the scenes they describe in their heads. But students often come back to me and say: Why are Romeo and Juliet always white? Why aren’t they Black or Latinx or a queer couple? It forces them to rethink how they phrase their questions and their default assumption. It’s an extremely fun and eye-opening exercise, but it also helps us examine our unspoken, unconscious racism or sexism.

Q: As a new PIT Scholar, one of your priorities has been to explore issues around trustworthy AI. How do you see humanities contributing to that conversation?

A: How do you build trust? That’s fundamentally a humanistic question. And there are many ways to define it—transparency, ethics, accountability, interpretability. Humanities is particularly good at exploring these critical theories in complex domains that deal with open-endedness. They require agile thinking. You have to be dynamic and always assessing and reassessing the context. Humanities scholars know that there’s no single universal morality. It depends on perspective. And a key humanities contribution is the ability to entertain ambiguity and multiple perspectives at once.

“AI really is a humanistic issue, and it has ignited broad interest in questions about free will, mind and body and moral agency … That’s why the humanities are front and center in this [debate].”
Alexa Alice Joubin

December 3, 2024December 3, 2024

Alumnus Veteran Continues his Service to the Country Within the Military and Beyond

In honor of Veterans Day, we caught up with Dan Fuhrman, MIPP ’15, an Army veteran and Command Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

GW: Tell us about what you are doing now and why it matters to you?

DF: I have gone into business for myself, starting an executive coaching firm, Enotis Coaching, that provides coaching on business, leadership, and performance for leaders of companies developing technology for U.S. National Security. This has been a huge passion of mine since retiring from federal service as an Intelligence Officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency, where I supported advancing emerging and critical technology at the Pentagon.

Also, earlier this year, I assumed responsibility as the Command Chief Warrant Officer of a 2-star U.S. Army Reserve division, serving part-time, like many in the Reserves and National Guard. With 32 years of military service, I’m proud to be part of a team supporting the Army Reserve’s readiness to deploy in response to crises and contingencies worldwide.

GW: What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of personally or professionally, and why?

DF: I can’t single out any one accomplishment I am most proud of, but I’m probably most proud to serve our country as a soldier. Serving reinforced my values of duty, honor, integrity, and selfless service to something greater than myself. My experiences while serving shaped my worldview and commitment to making a positive impact in everything I do. Whether supporting my community, coaching leaders, or advocating for equity and inclusion, I carry forward these lessons of service, always striving to contribute meaningfully and help others reach their full potential.

GW: Do particular GW classes and professors stand out in your mind? Who helped you on your current career trajectory?

DF: One of my most challenging yet rewarding classes at GW was Writing for International Policymakers with Ambassador Ross L. Wilson. I felt I wrote well for policymakers then, but after receiving my first graded paper, I realized how much more work I needed to do. Clear and concise written and oral communications are crucial, and I am grateful the Elliott School emphasizes that during our studies.

GW: Why do you give back to the Elliott School as a volunteer and donor?

DF: Attending GW significantly impacted my life and career after I moved to DC. Giving back is the least I can do to repay that support. I am thankful to have remained engaged with students, faculty, and staff over the years through volunteering with the Elliott School’s Leadership, Ethics, and Practice Initiative, talking with prospective, current, and former students, providing perspectives during classroom interactions, and giving to the Elliott Equity Fund. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are very important to me. Giving to the Elliott Equity Fund is one way I support this value.

What would you say to current Elliott School students who want to make a positive difference in the world?

DF: Take advantage of every opportunity you have at GW and in the DC area. Expand beyond International Affairs and learn about big data analysis and business. Maintain the personal relationships you have developed in school and start to develop your professional network. These relationships will carry you forward in your career. Seek mentors who challenge you. Keep an open mind, as your path may evolve unexpectedly. Remember, progress in this field often comes through small, patient steps. Approach every challenge with humility and resilience, knowing that even small actions can contribute to a more just and equitable world. Your education is a foundation—build on it!

December 3, 2024February 11, 2025

Interview With Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini

We recently interviewed Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini, the Elliott School’s new Assistant Dean of Executive Education and Special Initiatives. With 15 years of experience in the think tank and international organizations sector, Giannini has been at the forefront of international affairs, providing technical expertise and supporting national governments in developing innovative policy solutions.

Dr. Giannini has extensive experience in data visualization and consulting with national governments and international organizations and has designed and delivered numerous executive education programs specifically tailored to the security and diplomacy sectors, addressing critical societal challenges such as conflict resolution, civil-military relations, and the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, as well as gender mainstreaming in climate change strategies.

Q. What are your plans for enhancing Elliott’s online learning and executive education portfolio?

Over the past decade, higher education enrollment has declined, yet the demand for quality credentials beyond a high school diploma remains strong, highlighting what individuals and employers prioritize in professional development during economic uncertainty.

To meet this challenge, we are expanding our online learning and executive education portfolios in a complementary manner. The pandemic underscored the feasibility and desirability of remote learning and working. However, as remote fatigue sets in, we must rethink how we deliver online education. The Office of Online Education is actively expanding its offerings beyond the current two master’s programs, providing students with the opportunity to pursue both degree and non-degree programs through a hybrid model that integrates in-person and online learning experiences.

Hybrid formats strike a crucial balance: they combine the scalability and convenience of online platforms with the interpersonal connections of in-person education. This approach allows students to customize their schedules while benefiting from our prime location in the nation’s capital.

In executive education, interest in credentialing and micro-credentialing has surged. At the Elliott School, we are leveraging an unbundling approach to offer short, skills-focused courses and stackable credentials aligned with various career paths. With ten master’s programs, five undergraduate programs, and numerous initiatives, we can create modular programs that address specific regions, themes, or competencies.

By integrating and complementing online learning with executive education, the Elliott School remains at the forefront of higher education innovation and meets evolving societal and workforce demands.

Q. How do you see emerging technologies (i.e. AI or VR) enhancing and/or harming higher education and remote learning in particular?

Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) have the potential to transform higher education and remote learning by enhancing accessibility, personalization, and engagement. However, their integration must be approached thoughtfully to address ethical and practical challenges.

Two key enhancements are personalization and accessibility. AI can tailor educational content to individual students’ needs and learning styles, improving outcomes. Meanwhile, AI-driven translation tools and VR can broaden access to education by breaking down language barriers and providing immersive experiences that enrich learning environments.

Despite these advantages, challenges remain. Inequality is a critical issue, as these technologies may exacerbate disparities for students lacking adequate infrastructure or technical skills. Additionally, over-reliance on technology could undermine foundational educational practices, potentially eroding critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This raises an important question: how can we integrate emerging technologies to enhance learning without compromising equity or educational rigor?