Born and raised in Argentina, Olivier came to the U.S. for the first time in 2012, when he entered graduate school at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He began the process of applying for U.S. citizenship in 2020.

New U.S. citizens take the pledge of allegiance in the Paul and Natalie Strasser Legacy Room.

At the close of his USCIS interview and exam, Olivier learned that his application for citizenship was approved鈥攁nd that his naturalization ceremony would be held at the Maxwell School,听 just a couple floors away from his office in Eggers Hall.

The news that the ceremony would be at his workplace came as a surprise, Olivier says, adding, 鈥淏ut it also means a lot, because even though I鈥檝e been here only for a year and a half, I have a deep appreciation for the school and the department. And, it feels right to have my citizenship ceremony at a school of citizenship.鈥�

The recent event marked the first time in Maxwell鈥檚 100-year history that a naturalization ceremony has taken place at the school. Most such proceedings take place in court, but occasionally USCIS sets up events at other locations in the community, and in late summer the 黑料不打烊 office reached out to the Maxwell School about hosting the ceremony.

Tom谩s Olivier, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, came to the U.S. for the first time in 2012, when he entered graduate school.

Gladys McCormick, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, was one of the event鈥檚 coordinators. A native of Costa Rica who became a U.S. citizen 20 years ago, McCormick immediately felt the appropriateness of this occasion鈥攅specially in the Maxwell School鈥檚 centennial year, which through its Tenth Decade Project has seen a wave of new initiatives relating to citizenship. In the last few years McCormick has also spearheaded the project 鈥淎 Conversation with George Washington,鈥� which exhibits portraits of citizen activists in the foyer of Maxwell Hall, beside the Washington statue and the inscription of the Athenian Oath.

鈥淔or me, the naturalization ceremony ties back into the Athenian Oath,鈥� McCormick says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of, we have made the U.S. our home, and we are committed to making this country better than it was. That element of choice really underscores the importance of having a ceremony like this.鈥�

On the morning of the ceremony, sunlight streamed into the Paul and Natalie Strasser Legacy Room as it filled with 41 new citizens who鈥檇 come from 26 countries and six continents, along with an array of their family members and friends. Olivier was joined by his wife, Claire Perrott, their four-month-old daughter, Sof铆a, and several of his Maxwell students who came to celebrate the milestone.

The Maxwell connections ran deep throughout the ceremony. The presiding judge, Patrick Radel, commented on the school鈥檚 legacy of citizenship education and shared that he has two sons currently at 黑料不打烊, one of whom, Luke Radel 鈥�26, is a Maxwell political science major. Christina Cleason, an administrator in the history department, sang the national anthem and 鈥淎merica the Beautiful.鈥� Adol Mayen, appointed by 黑料不打烊 Mayor Ben Walsh 鈥�05 M.P.A. as the city鈥檚 immigrant and refugee affairs coordinator, spoke movingly of how her mother鈥檚 job with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 cleaning staff opened the door for Mayen to attend college and ultimately serve 黑料不打烊鈥檚 immigrant communities.

Tom谩s Olivier, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, is shown with his daughter, Sof铆a, and presiding judge Patrick Radel.

The event鈥檚 guest speaker was political scientist Baobao Zhang, who is originally from China and became a naturalized citizen in February. 鈥淲e want to recognize the incredible journey that you and your loved ones have been on to get here today,鈥� Zhang said. 鈥淵ou are not alone on this journey. You are here among many鈥攁s you can see from the many naturalized citizens among the Maxwell faculty and staff.鈥�

With those words, numerous members of the audience who鈥檇 been through the process themselves rose from their seats.

Along with Judge Radel, Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke congratulated the 41 new citizens as they came to the podium to receive their certificates. 鈥淎t the Maxwell School, we take the notion of citizenship very seriously,鈥� Van Slyke said in his comments. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in our name and is the core focus of teaching, research and public impact mission.鈥�

Van Slyke said that citizenship can become something of an abstract concept amid such dissection.

鈥淲e should never forget how real it is,鈥� he said. 鈥淐itizenship is more than a concept; it is a very real, legal status that confers privileges and responsibilities. It is a license to be a full and participating member of the community in which you live and of our great nation. And it is a goal that is well earned.鈥�

Below is a sampling of some of the projects across disciplines that have been supported by Tenth Decade awards in recent years.

Challenges to Sovereignty, Order and Conflict: Multidisciplinary Working Group

Ryan Griffiths

Directed by political science professor Ryan Griffiths, this Tenth Decade project was designed as a springboard for research on topics such as crime syndicates, global black spots, cyber terrorism, illicit trade, ethno-political violence, civil war and post-conflict reconstruction. With support from a $25,000 Tenth Decade grant, the group ran a three-year speaker series spanning the social sciences that concluded in June 2022 with a workshop on rebel governance at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Minnowbook Conference Center. That workshop also yielded a special issue for the journal International Politics, to be published later this year, with articles by Griffiths as well as by political science graduate students Heidi Stallman, Falak Nur Hadi and Mansour AlMuaili.

Race, Risks and Responses: Mapping Black Americans鈥� Responses to Group Threat

Jenn Jackson

Political science professor Jenn Jackson led this investigation into how young Black Americans experience threats鈥攅specially policing鈥攄ifferently based on variations in their social location and orientation to power. The project received a $20,000 Tenth Decade grant as part of a call to support research and initiatives that confront systemic racial inequality. In the initial research, Jackson conducted 50 interviews with young Black Americans in the Chicago area, and then followed with a national survey to further generalize these findings across racial groups. The grant funded an additional 50 interviews in ten other cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, New York City, 黑料不打烊, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Oakland and Washington, D.C. This work has resulted in Jackson鈥檚 manuscript 鈥淧olicing Blackness: The Political Stakes of Racial Trauma,鈥� currently under publisher review.

Citizenship Across Borders: An International Conference

Carol Faulkner

This project emerged in response to the global refugee crisis and backlash against immigration, and convened scholars for a conference considering the history, politics and laws of citizenship within and across borders. Directed by Carol Faulkner, professor of history and Maxwell鈥檚 senior associate dean for academic affairs, and Samim Akg枚n眉l, a professor at the University of Strasbourg and an instructor for the 黑料不打烊 Abroad Center in Strasbourg, France, where the Citizenship Across Borders conference was held in the fall of 2022. A $16,000 Tenth Decade grant supported the event. Panel topics included naturalization law; the language, literature and perceptions of citizenship; and challenges of immigration between Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Conference participants included Maxwell faculty members Seth Jolly in political science, Azra Hromad啪i膰 in anthropology, Amy Lutz in sociology and Chris Kyle in history.

The Impact of State Laws and Policies on the Developmental Disability Mortality Disadvantage: Creating a Comprehensive Database to Allow for Multi-Level Analysis

Scott Landes

The first goal of this two-year project, awarded a $33,420 Tenth Decade grant, was to build and share data on state-level intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) mortality patterns by demographic characteristics. The project team, led by Scott Landes, associate professor of sociology and a faculty associate of the Aging Studies Institute (ASI), completed the database in 2020. Once the database of IDD mortality patterns was in place, Landes and his collaborators, including Maxwell Professor of Sociology and ASI Director Janet Wilmoth and Katherine McDonald, associate dean of research and professor of public health in Falk College, published their first study on race-ethnic disparities in mortality among adults with and without IDD. Last year the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan research organization based in Washington, D.C., released a report based on the data focusing on the impact of COVID-19. While U.S. adults with IDD are living longer, the report found, COVID-19 threatened to erase this progress.

Recent Maxwell graduate Isabelle Lutz is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation in her home state of Wisconsin. Participating in the 鈥淟isten to the Elders鈥� talks and engaging with the Not in the Books team has provided a chance to connect directly with Indigenous leaders in the 黑料不打烊 area.

Senior Isabelle Lutz joined a group of fellow 黑料不打烊 students and community members for a short bus ride last fall to the Sk盲鈥o帽h Great Law of Peace Center鈥攖he Haudenosaunee cultural hub on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool.

The evening鈥檚 event, part of a series called 鈥淟isten to the Elders,” featured Onondaga Hawk Clan Chief Spencer Ohsgo帽:da鈥� Lyons speaking about the history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and sharing the traditional Thanksgiving address. The gathering included an array of Haudenosaunee foods, including three sisters soup made with corn, beans and squash.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not a people of the past,鈥� Lyons told the audience. 鈥淭he Haudenosaunee are still the Haudenosaunee. We have our language; we have our songs.鈥�

For Lutz, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation in her home state of Wisconsin, the Sk盲鈥o帽h event provided a chance to connect directly with Indigenous leaders in the 黑料不打烊 area.

鈥淪o much of Native American studies or Indigenous studies can be taught from a historical/past context, when the people, traditions, and cultures are still present and active in the community,鈥� said Lutz 鈥�24, who in May earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science with a minor in Native American and Indigenous studies. 鈥淪o, when there are opportunities to attend and listen to members of different nations share their story and knowledge, it truly complements and enriches my classroom studies.鈥�

The 鈥淟isten to the Elders鈥� series began in 2022, organized by a University group called Not in the Books, which fosters a reciprocal learning relationship between the University community and the peoples of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Maxwell School is strongly connected to the effort: two of its faculty members, Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi, are among its key organizers and it is supported with funding from the Tenth Decade Project, an initiative created 10 years ago in the lead of to the school鈥檚 100th anniversary (see related story: From Sovereignty to Mortality: Tenth Decade Awards Support Research Across Disciplines).

鈥淭he Tenth Decade awards have energized and enabled interdisciplinary research around critical themes to the Maxwell School,鈥� says Carol Faulkner, professor of history and Maxwell鈥檚 senior associate dean for academic affairs. 鈥溾€楲isten to the Elders鈥� engages the 黑料不打烊 community around issues of citizenship, democracy and environment. It is a particularly appropriate project for our centennial because it highlights how our present obligations as citizens are tied to our past.鈥�

Members of the 黑料不打烊 Not in the Books team include, from left to right, Diane Schenandoah, Oneida Nation Faith Keeper and the University鈥檚 Honwadiyenawa鈥檚ek鈥攐r 鈥渙ne who helps them鈥�; Heather Law Pezzarossi, assistant professor of anthropology; Jim O鈥機onnor, producer with the special collections team at 黑料不打烊 Libraries; Patricia Roylance, associate professor of English; and Aaron Luedtke, assistant professor of history. (Photo by David Garrett)

Indigenous Ties 听

The work of Not in the Books aligns with the teaching and research of Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi.

Law Pezzarossi, an anthropologist trained in critical heritage studies, does collaborative work that addresses colonial history while serving the contemporary needs of Indigenous communities, such as the Nipmuc people of New England. Her teaching includes courses on contemporary Native American issues, and on Indigenous museum relations and Native Americans. She is a faculty affiliate in the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program and a member of the advisory board for the University鈥檚 new Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice.

Luedtke, an assistant professor of history at Maxwell since 2022, is also a faculty affiliate with the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. He focused his graduate research at Michigan State University on the native peoples of the Great Lakes鈥攑articularly, in his words, 鈥渉ow they used the authoring of their own histories as resistance to colonial erasure.鈥�

The connections Luedtke has made with 黑料不打烊-area Indigenous communities through Not in the Books and other projects are influencing his research direction. 鈥淚 have the privilege to build these relationships with Haudenosaunee elders,鈥� says Luedtke, who is of Suquamish and Duwamish descent. 鈥淚 am going to spend the rest of my career working in tandem with the Haudenosaunee to tell Haudenosaunee stories of resistance.鈥�

The impetus for creating the Not in the Books group initially came from Diane Schenandoah, Oneida Nation Faith Keeper and the University鈥檚 Honwadiyenawa鈥檚ek鈥攐r 鈥渙ne who helps them.鈥� A sculptor for 40 years, she earned an art degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts in 2011. Her daughter, Michelle Schenandoah, is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an adjunct professor in the law school, and her son-in-law, Neal Powless, serves as the University鈥檚 ombuds.

As Honwadiyenawa鈥檚ek, Schenandoah offers intuitive energy work grounded in traditional Haudenosaunee culture and teachings to the University community. She also leads events such as a Haudenosaunee welcome ceremony opening the academic year and a monthly full moon ceremony. 鈥淚 was asked to be a Wolf Clan Faith Keeper in 1988,鈥� she says. 鈥淎s a Faith Keeper, part of my duty is to share our teachings of how to live in peace though gratitude. We have duties and responsibilities to one another as humans, and to our Mother Earth for all that is provided. Giving thanks on a daily basis is of great importance.鈥�

Through her initial work on campus, Schenandoah began connecting with Native students as well as with professors, such as Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, and Patricia Roylance, associate professor of English, who teach courses related to Native American and Indigenous studies.

The audience at a recent 鈥淟isten to the Elders鈥� presentation at the Sk盲鈥o帽h Great Law of Peace Center鈥攖he Haudenosaunee cultural hub on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool鈥攊ncluded several students from 黑料不打烊. (Photo by David Garrett)

While students were clearly keen to learn more, many had little background on the impacts of colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous lands, or on the persistence and current-day realities of Indigenous communities鈥攖opics rarely addressed in primary or secondary education. 鈥淎s Indigenous people, our history is so erased,鈥� Schenandoah says. 鈥淢any students see the purple and white flag flying around campus but don鈥檛 really know what it is. You鈥檙e standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This is the birthplace of democracy.鈥�

Looking for ways to help fill this gap in knowledge and awareness of the area鈥檚 Indigenous heritage and contemporary presence鈥攁mong not only students but faculty and staff鈥擲chenandoah lit on the idea of connecting the University community with a tribal elder. She contacted Freida Jacques, Onondaga Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh. Jacques agreed to do a series of lectures, and the Not in the Books team鈥攏amed by Schenandoah鈥攃oalesced to organize these events at Sk盲鈥o帽h.

In addition to Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, Schenandoah and Roylance, the Not in the Books team includes Scott Catucci, associate director of outdoor education at the Barnes Center; Jim O鈥機onnor, producer with the special collections team at SU Libraries; and Tammy Bluewolf-Kennedy, a member of the Oneida Nation鈥檚 Wolf Clan who leads Indigenous student recruitment in the University鈥檚 Office of Admissions.

鈥淭he Onondaga are still here, and the Onondaga reservation is minutes away from SU鈥檚 campus,鈥� says Luedtke. 鈥淲e decided as a group very early on that we have a coherent job to do: to educate the campus community that Native peoples are not the mythological, ahistorical stereotype representations that people are accustomed to seeing. Native peoples are just as modern, nuanced, complicated and fully capable of all aspects of humanity as anyone else.鈥�

Hosting the series at a Native cultural center, rather than bringing elders to campus, was important for the spirit and intent of the project. 鈥淪k盲鈥o帽h is a Haudenosaunee welcome center,鈥� Law Pezzarossi says. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 the perfect place for people to start learning.鈥�

Building Bridges

Freida Jacques, Onondaga Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh, is recording her history and experiences for documentary project called 鈥淒ropping Seeds鈥� that is supported with a Maxwell School Tenth Decade grant. The first episode is expected to release later this year.

Supported with a $5,000 grant from Maxwell鈥檚 Tenth Decade Project and other campus programs, the 鈥淟isten to the Elders鈥� series began in the 2022鈥�23 academic year with four presentations by Freida Jacques, who in addition to being a clan mother has served for decades as a Haudenosaunee cultural liaison for educational institutions across New York state and beyond.

During these Sk盲鈥o帽h events, Jacques led tours of the center and explained how in Haudenosaunee tradition, women choose the clan leaders and men marry into women鈥檚 clans rather than vice versa.

In one session, she discussed the enduring impact of the boarding schools run by churches or the federal government that tens of thousands of Indigenous children鈥攊ncluding Jacques鈥� grandfather鈥攚ere forced to attend between the late 1800s and the 1960s.

In a letter written to support a funding application, Jacques said that sharing her life experiences and knowledge has been fulfilling. 鈥淏oth grandparents on my mother鈥檚 side attended Carlisle Indian Industrial boarding school in Pennsylvania,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淢y family was affected by this fact. My father was a Mohawk Wolf Clan person and originated at Akwesasne, whose territory is divided by Ontario, Quebec and New York State. 鈥uilding bridges between cultures appears to be one of my life鈥檚 purposes.鈥�

Onondaga Chief Spencer Lyons continued the series in 2023-24 with presentations on Haudenosaunee traditions and governance. With free transportation available from campus to Sk盲鈥o帽h, the 鈥淟isten to the Elders鈥� series have consistently drawn capacity crowds.

To read the full story, visit the .

The Surveillance Technology Working Group鈥攁 mix of city employees and community members鈥攚as created by 黑料不打烊 Mayor Ben Walsh 鈥�05 M.P.A. to address these kinds of policy questions and give the public a voice in the process. In the end, the group voted to approve the license plate scanners with important stipulations. The data can only be used for identifying vehicles and occupants that are part of an active criminal investigation or have been reported missing. It cannot be used for immigration enforcement, and it must be purged after a set time.

Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, presents to other members of the working group. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Johannes Himmelreich, a member of the working group, has significant experience in weighing issues of technology and policy. An assistant professor of public administration and international affairs at the Maxwell School, Himmelreich鈥檚 research focuses on the ethics and governance of technologies such as self-driving cars, autonomous weapons and machine learning in the public sector. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really important work that the mayor has started,鈥� says Himmelreich. 鈥淪ometimes, the work of the group is understanding: What is the technology? Is it a surveillance technology? What do we use it for, and what are the risks and trade-offs? This is a way of collaborative, participatory policymaking that has been very successful.鈥�

As autonomous systems and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to advance, the need to understand these new technologies and ensure they are used safely and ethically is more acute than ever.

Himmelreich is among numerous scholars at Maxwell who are rising to this challenge鈥攁pplying the tools of the social sciences to emerging technologies. He and colleagues across disciplines are conducting important research on everything from drones to robotics to generative AI tools like ChatGPT, helping produce data and shape policy that impacts the American public and beyond. Their scholarship has a symbiotic effect on students, who will no doubt navigate different technologies in their future careers.

Creating a Hub

黑料不打烊 has been ahead of the curve in focusing on the policy and social impact of emerging technologies, and much of that is centered on an institute housed in the Maxwell School.

About five years ago鈥攁mid increasing conversations about autonomous vehicles, robotics and AI鈥攁 number of academic leaders began laying the groundwork for a Universitywide initiative focused on the intersection of technology, policy and society. To gauge interest on and off campus, Jamie Winders, a professor of geography and the environment at the Maxwell School and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 associate provost for faculty affairs, met with a wide range of University scholars and outside experts.

University Professor Hamid Ekbia, incoming director of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI), is shown at center with ASPI researchers. From left are Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs; Harneet Kaur, social science Ph.D. student; Aaron Benanav, assistant professor of sociology; Baobao Zhang, assistant professor of political science; Kate Mays, postdoctoral associate; and Sai Krishna Bolla, who earned his master鈥檚 degree from the School of Information Studies in May. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

鈥淲hat became immediately clear was that not only did we have a critical mass of faculty interest across all schools and colleges, but also that we as a University had an opportunity to approach this area in ways that were different from what we were seeing elsewhere,鈥� Winders recalls. 鈥淚 spoke with about 100 industry leaders, advocates and policymakers, and when they talked about how they saw these fields developing, they kept pointing to the absence of work where technology meets policy, and on wider societal impacts and public perception.鈥�

To address that gap, in 2019, the University launched the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI). J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, was a driving force, along with Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke, who named Winders its founding director. 鈥淲e had the opportunity to position ASPI as interdisciplinary at its core,鈥� Winders says. 鈥淲e thought of our existing interests in autonomous systems as three circles on a Venn diagram. We have faculty who are really interested in the technology and design aspects; we have folks interested in the policy, law and governance; and we have many interested in the societal impacts. From the beginning, ASPI sat at the center of that Venn diagram.鈥�

The institute now has more than 60 affiliated faculty researchers, connecting scholars from the social sciences, humanities, computer science and engineering, information studies, law, and communications.

Among the Maxwell faculty who serve as senior research associates with ASPI are Himmelreich, geographer Jane Read, Austin Zwick in policy studies, sociologist Aaron Benanav and political scientist Baobao Zhang. Zhang and Himmelreich, along with colleagues from other universities, are editors of the forthcoming 鈥淥xford Handbook of AI Governance鈥� (Oxford University Press).

One core function of ASPI is to foster collaboration among scholars in different fields. Its Artificial Intelligence Research Working Group, for instance, meets monthly for faculty to share ideas and projects. 鈥淚 work with computer scientists, experimental psychologists, philosophers and communication studies scholars,鈥� Zhang says, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 great that ASPI exists as a hub to support us.鈥�

In early April, ASPI coordinated a panel of faculty from across the University to tackle a tech issue that has garnered much media attention in recent months: ChatGPT.

Crossing Disciplines

The April ChatGPT panel included a newcomer, Hamid Ekbia, whose addition to Maxwell and the University complements efforts to harness the social sciences and shape decisions about technology.

Hamid Ekbia (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Ekbia, a University Professor, takes the helm as director of ASPI this July. In keeping with the collaborative nature of ASPI, Ekbia has long worked across disciplinary lines. Initially trained as an engineer in his native Iran and at UCLA, he was drawn by advances in artificial intelligence and went on to earn a Ph.D. in computer science and cognitive science from Indiana University Bloomington.

Ekbia considers himself a humanist and describes himself as a 鈥減oet of technology鈥� in multiple senses鈥攊ncluding as an acronym for the policy and ethics of technology, a formulation that is at the heart of ASPI. 鈥淚 see these as closely intertwined,鈥� he writes on his website For a Better Future, 鈥渨ith ethics guiding our thinking about the potential harms and benefits of technology, and policy giving the thinking teeth and legs.鈥�

A key goal of ASPI, in Ekbia鈥檚 view, is to bring the broader population into the conversation about how emerging technologies are used and regulated. 鈥淭he average user, as they say, does not have much of a voice so far,鈥� he says. 鈥淣obody comes and asks us what technology we鈥檇 like to have in our homes and offices and working spaces.鈥�

Governing AI

Bringing the public into the policymaking process is the focus of a major new research project by Baobao Zhang, who is a Yale graduate with an M.A. in statistics and Ph.D. in political science. Zhang is one of 15 scholars from across the U.S. chosen by the philanthropic organization Schmidt Futures to serve in the inaugural cohort of AI2050 Early Career Fellows.

Baobao Zhang (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

The fellowship provides Zhang with up to $200,000 over two years for multidisciplinary research in artificial intelligence. For the project, Zhang is creating a mini-public of regular citizens to learn about a topic and make policy recommendations. She is working with the nonpartisan Center for New Democratic Processes to recruit a group of 40 participants, randomly selected from the U.S. adult population. Through a 40-hour process planned for this summer, this group will learn about AI systems from computer scientists, ethicists and social scientists and deliberate on how to classify risk from AI systems.

Navigating between the marketing hype about new technology and skepticism or alarm about it can be difficult for citizens and policymakers alike, Zhang says. She cites the example of large language models such as ChatGPT, which can generate remarkably cogent writing from a prompt but also false information鈥攍ike providing a citation from a book that doesn鈥檛 exist.

鈥淭he question is, should we classify these large language models as high risk?鈥� Zhang says. 鈥淎 general-purpose AI system like ChatGPT can do many things; it can play chess with you or write a joke. But it can also generate spear phishing emails. There are also researchers trying to fine-tune it to give medical diagnoses, which is pretty high risk. So as more and more of these general-purpose AI systems come online, we need to think about risk differently. The technology can be used in many sectors where it鈥檚 not very risky, but in some cases, it can really cause a lot of harm if not used correctly.鈥�

Expanding Curriculum

Along with fostering collaborative research, ASPI supports opportunities for undergraduate students to delve into the field through courses such as Using Robots to Understand the Mind, Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and Ethics of Emerging Technology. 鈥淚t is important to shape the research agenda,鈥� Winders notes. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 as important to help produce the next generation of thought leaders in this area, who are excited about issues and also committed to the public good鈥攚ho want to think about how to innovate in an equitable manner.鈥�

Harneet Kaur, shown speaking with University Professor Hamid Ekbia, is pursuing a Ph.D. in social science and has been involved in research through the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI) and the Center for Policy Research, where she is a graduate research associate. Through her research with ASPI, she hopes to learn more about how social policy can be improved with machine learning techniques or artificial intelligence. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Course offerings continue to grow. In the fall semester, Ekbia will introduce a course called AI and Humanity: Charting Possible Futures, designed as an introduction to the field for undergraduates with varying backgrounds鈥攆rom the arts, engineering, and natural and social sciences to humanities, law and media.

A group of faculty connected with ASPI, led by Zhang, is also working toward introducing an undergraduate minor in artificial intelligence and public policy. The proposed minor would expand the curriculum with courses on topics such as governance and ethics of AI and the responsible design and auditing of algorithms, with the goal of equipping students with the technical and ethical skills to responsibly develop and deploy AI systems.

Policy Impact

The growing body of work on emerging technologies by Maxwell scholars is helping frame issues and shaping policy beyond campus. For instance, Winders was invited to present at a White House summit on developing advanced air mobility systems that rely on automated or autonomous technologies.

Himmelreich, meanwhile, is studying the use of automated risk-scoring tools in unemployment insurance鈥攚here determinations about eligibility have a huge impact on individuals鈥� lives. And Benanav, assistant professor of sociology at Maxwell, argues that the mass job displacement by robots forecasted a decade ago has not materialized and that there are good reasons to doubt the same predictions about AI chatbots鈥攁nd to focus on using these tools equitably and ethically.

Alumni applying their University instruction and experience to work in careers centered on the rising technology and its implications include Scott Renda 鈥�05 M.A. (IR), who held a series of technology advisory and policy development roles at the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Executive Office of the President at the White House. Kerstin Vignard 鈥�96 M.A. (IR) is an international security policy professional whose 26-year career at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research included leading efforts to support governments to develop international normative and regulatory frameworks for increasingly autonomous weapon systems. And, Travis Mason 鈥�06 B.A. (PSc), a member of the Maxwell Advisory Board, works in the field of autonomous aviation systems as the first-ever chief policy officer for Merlin Labs.

This story was edited for length and originally appeared in the Spring 2023 Maxwell Perspective magazine. The full version is available on the Perspective鈥檚 .

Hugo Brousset

鈥淚 wanted to get this international exposure,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he first step, the way I saw it, was an M.P.A. that had these kinds of international conversations about the topics I was interested in.鈥�

Brousset was drawn to the Maxwell School for its courses focused on social policy and international development as well as its top ranking, faculty scholars and strong alumni network. He completed an M.P.A. in 2013.

鈥淢axwell gave me an opportunity to test myself and complement my background and training,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he program is also very focused on practical tools, for statistics or different programs that can help you analyze policy, which combines as well with more theoretical debates around governance. That was definitely helpful for the type of work I ended up doing.鈥�

That work, since 2014, has been with the World Bank. Brousset started with a World Bank consultancy based in Washington, D.C., and then returned to Peru for five years, serving as a social protection specialist for programs in Latin America and Rwanda.

In 2021, he shifted to a position with the bank鈥檚 Partnership for Economic Inclusion, again focusing on social protection but with a global scope. He now supervises a portfolio of country teams, many of which are working in Africa and Asia.

Brousset鈥檚 relocation to Washington was delayed due to the pandemic鈥攈e initially worked remotely from Lima, as World Bank offices remained closed. But as of last summer, he鈥檚 been settling again into life in Washington, as well as resuming travel through his work on projects in Malawi and elsewhere.

Hugo Brousset G’13 is shown with project staff and social workers he worked with during a business trip to Guatemala in 2019.

Brousset鈥檚 return to the U.S. has allowed him to reconnect with the extensive Maxwell network in Washington. On his way to work at the World Bank recently, he happened to run into Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke, who invited him to a reception that night at the Center for Strategic and International Studies鈥攈ome of the Maxwell-in-Washington programs. A few hours later, he was happily surrounded by close to 100 fellow alumni.

A few months later, Brousset accepted another invitation: he returned to 黑料不打烊 to support Maxwell鈥檚 annual M.P.A. colloquium for incoming students.

鈥淚t was nice on the personal side, because I hadn鈥檛 been back to 黑料不打烊 in eight years, but also to have this opportunity to speak to this younger version of myself, when I was about to start the M.P.A.,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ow that I have this experience working at the bank, I could share that with students who also want to do international development work.鈥�

But she had no idea that it was possible to combine all these interests鈥攗ntil she connected with Gladys McCormick, associate professor of history, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, and Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations at Maxwell.

Zuleika Rivera 鈥�15, right, with Gladys McCormick, associate professor of history and Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations, at the Maxwell School鈥檚 inaugural Awards of Excellence event in Washington, D.C., this past April.

鈥淚 took a class on modern Latin American history with Professor McCormick, and I was in awe,鈥� recalls Rivera. 鈥淚 just fell in love with the region, and she became a mentor. When I was trying to figure out which law school I wanted to go to, she helped me find the ones that had human rights programs, for example. It was through her that I discovered there are careers in the human rights field.鈥�

Rivera 鈥�15, who pursued studies in political science and policy studies, also spent a semester in the Maxwell-in-Washington program, which, she recalls, 鈥渙pened up a lot of doors in terms of learning the lay of the land in D.C. and what are the organizations working on the issues that most interest you.鈥�

Inspired by her introduction to Washington and guided by McCormick鈥檚 advice, Rivera got her law degree at American University. She also did an internship in Peru where, she says, she fell in love with a woman for the first time and came to identify as bisexual鈥攁n experience that stoked her interest in LGBTI issues.

All these facets of her professional and personal background came together in her current work as senior LGBTI program officer for the D.C.-based International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, a position that involves frequent travel throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

鈥淲e have a very particular focus on combating discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e do litigate cases, but we鈥檙e also a capacity-building organization, so we do a lot of training for small organizations on how international protection mechanisms work.鈥�

Rivera continues to stay connected with fellow alumni in Washington, and she regularly shares her own perspective with McCormick鈥檚 current students who are aiming to work in the human rights field.

鈥淵ou can know in theory what a certain career field might be, but if you don鈥檛 talk to people who are actually in that field, you really don鈥檛 know what the possibilities are or where you can get internships,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 very important.鈥�

Reflecting on her career path, Rivera says she feels strongly that she鈥檚 in the ideal location for pursuing her passions.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e doing political science, human rights law and LGBTI rights as well, D.C. is the place to be,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very cosmopolitan, international city. I wouldn鈥檛 go anywhere else.鈥�

Danielle Thomsen

鈥淭he most obvious counterpoint for the gerrymandering hypothesis is the Senate,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been no change in district boundaries because they are state borders, but we鈥檝e seen rising polarization.鈥� In the case of big money, Thomsen adds, studies have found that public financing of campaigns has not resulted in the election of more moderates. The same goes for primaries鈥攆or instance, open and closed primaries, which are expected to generate different types of primary voters, have produced very similar types of candidates.

So what else could be behind today鈥檚 hyperpartisanship? In her new book, “Opting Out of Congress: Partisan Polarization and the Decline of Moderate Candidates” (Cambridge University Press), Thomsen argues that a crucial factor has been overlooked: who chooses to run in the first place. 鈥淢oderates who could run for Congress aren鈥檛 doing so to the same degree as conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd if the only people who are signing up to run come from the extremes, polarization is unlikely to diminish.鈥�

Thomsen, a native of South Dakota, began the research behind the book as a doctoral student in government at Cornell and a post-doctoral fellow at Duke. Initially she focused on the partisan gap of women in Congress鈥攖o explore why the number of Republican women in Congress, most of whom were moderates, stagnated in the 鈥�80s and 鈥�90s while the cohort of women in the Democratic Party grew. But as she dug deeper, she found that the underlying issue of partisan polarization went beyond gender dynamics鈥攖he 鈥渉ollowing out of the political center,鈥� as she calls it in the book, applied equally to men and women in Congress.

Thomsen, who joined the Maxwell faculty in 2015, notes that Congress has not always been like this. Forty years ago, moderates accounted for more than half of the House and had significant power. 鈥淭oday,鈥� she says, 鈥渨ith the moderate faction being perhaps 20 people, it鈥檚 very difficult to band together and shape the direction of the party.鈥�

State governments, however, are a different story. While some state legislatures are polarized (for instance, in New York, California and Wisconsin), many others are not. In “Opting Out of Congress,” Thomsen uses data sets that became available in recent years to compare the ideology of state legislators with Congress members. She found that 20 percent of Republican state legislators are comparable to recently retired moderate Republican Olympia Snowe; and 30 percent of Democratic state legislators are similar to former congressman John Tanner, a conservative Blue Dog Democrat.

So the problem, Thomsen posits in the book, is not that moderates don鈥檛 exist; it is that even if they were elected to Congress, the benefits of the office would be too scant. Today鈥檚 moderates, she says, 鈥渉ave virtually no impact on policy, because the party leadership is setting the agenda and dictating the terms of debate. None of the top chair positions or the choice committee assignments are going to moderates. The moderates who are there are leaving, and they鈥檙e highly critical of the direction of their parties in Congress.鈥�

All of which begs the question of what, if anything, can be done to create an environment where compromise鈥攁nd progress鈥攃an be made. 鈥淚f you want to elect people who are less extreme than current office holders, you need to have those people running,鈥� says Thomsen. 鈥淗ow do you get those people to run? Perhaps just as you do with any group that has been historically underrepresented鈥攚omen, people of color鈥攜ou put extra resources into them. You recruit them. You give them institutional positions of power, such as a spot on Appropriations or Ways and Means. The party can incentivize certain behavior.鈥� But the odds don鈥檛 look good for moderates right now.