The Department of Political Science presents The 2021 Gerson Foreign Policy Lecture made possible by the Louis L. Gerson Fund.

Tamara Cofman Wittes,
Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, will present a talk entitled "Solidarity: How to Support Democracy Abroad When it is Challenged at Home" on Tuesday, April 22 from 4 to 5:15 PM.

WebEx URL: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed3a10bdf528e48864c4c72e4da174b66
Password: POLS

Tamara Cofman Wittes is a senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, where she focuses on U.S. policy in the Middle East. She served as deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs from November of 2009 to January 2012, coordinating U.S. policy on democracy and human rights in the Middle East during the Arab uprisings.

Wittes co-hosts the podcast Rational Security, and is currently writing a book, Our SOBs, on the tangled history of America’s ties to autocratic allies. Prior to joining Brookings, she served at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Middle East Institute in Washington, taught at Georgetown University and was one of the first recipients of the Rabin-Peres Peace Award, established by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

Her books include "Freedom’s Unsteady March: America’s Role in Building Arab Democracy" (Brookings Institution Press, 2008) and editor of "How Israelis and Palestinians Negotiate: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Oslo Peace Process" (USIP, 2005). She holds a bachelor's in Judaic and Near Eastern studies from Oberlin College, and a master's and doctorate in government from Georgetown University. She is a founder of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, and serves on the board of the National Democratic Institute. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Women in International Security.

Virtual 2021 Summer National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) Application Development Program

Program dates: May 17th,-21st,
Application deadline: Monday May 3rd. (by midnight)

The Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) is conducting a workshop series that will present NSF GRFP information and provide structured practice to create a competitive GRFP application. In this workshop, graduate students from NSF eligible fields will participate in a 5-part series that will include an overview of the GRFP and application process, first-hand advice from GRFP recent awardees and interactive sessions to review and revise their application documents. The workshop will also provide a timeline and guidance for requesting recommendation letters. In addition to preparing a more competitive GRFP application, workshop participants will gain experience drafting a research outline and conveying their research to broad audiences. Please note that participation is limited to 20 students. Acceptance is based on minimum criteria outlined in the application and the quality of the submitted application. If there are any questions, please contact Rowena Grainger, STEM Fellowships Advisor, at rowena.grainger@uconn.edu.
Workshop Details (subject to change)
Workshop 1 – May 17th. 10am-noon EST
Developing Confidence in the Writing Process (facilitated by Billy Bowden, Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Rhode Island)
This workshop, hosted by URI's Graduate Writing Center will focus on building confidence in one's writing. Almost all graduate students experience feelings of anxiety and frustration when it comes to writing. How can you distinguish your words and ideas from previously published scholars? How can you develop confidence in your own insights and perspectives, and express those ideas in writing? GWC Tutor and English PhD candidate Billy Bowden will lead this workshop on overcoming writing anxiety and developing confidence in your writing process.

Workshop 2 – May 18th. 10am-noon EST
This session will provide an overview of the GRFP award and the benefits. In addition, the session will provide a hands-on personal statement writing opportunity for preparation for fellowship applications.

Workshop 3 – May 19th. 10am-noon EST
The third session will go into more detail about the GRFP award and the required application documents. In addition, the session will walk through the application timeline, how to request letters of recommendation, advice for the research statement, and practice activities to prepare the participants to start their GRFP application.
Workshop 4- May 20th. 10am-noon EST

The fourth session in this series will be a panel of current GRFP Fellows. The panelists will share their advice on what makes competitive applications and answer questions. The panel will cover all aspects of the application but will pay particular attention to the personal statement of the application package.