The Ohio State University has just signed an MOU with the US Department of State to make Ohio State a partner in the Diplomacy Lab, a program involving students and faculty with current foreign policy challenges including sustainable development, global health, energy security, women's empowerment, countering extremism, and human rights. CSEEES Director Angela Brintlinger will be the Diplomacy Lab Coordinator and will work closely with the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, the East Asian Studies Center and other campus partners to implement these activities. The Diplomacy Lab offers a unique chance for students at Ohio State to participate in real-world research problems and to hone their skills in a mentored environment on team projects.  Prior to each semester, the Lab presents faculty with a menu of research topics on which they may bid to develop group course projects at levels ranging from GEs to graduate work. Diplomacy Lab projects can fit into specialized courses, such as senior capstones or graduate seminars, and Ohio State faculty will be encouraged to develop other shell courses that will enable students to engage with this important applied research through experiential learning. An information session for faculty will be held in January 2024; the next menu will be issued in February for Fall 2024 course adoption.

We look forward to this opportunity for Ohio State students to become acquainted with the work of the State Department and build their professional networks.