Happy New Year, folks! As we spring back into action for 2023, we are super excited to introduce to you the monthly HESIRC newsletter where we highlight individual students and professors as well as include latest developments on HESIRC events.
With J-Term wrapping up this week and as we prepare for the upcoming Spring semester, HESIRC is here to support your academic efforts! We will be announcing upcoming events with our IR Instructor Series as well as networking events online and on campus. Be sure to follow us on social media so you don’t miss!
If you would like to be highlighted in one of our newsletters, send us a copy of your bio along with a picture of yours to: hesirstudentclub@gmail.com
Student Highlight
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaschembri
This month we highlight current HES student Rebecca Schembri!
Rebecca Schembri is a social scientist and space diplomat. She works within the space industry, advocating for ethical space migration. Rebecca graduated from Harvard Extension School with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in international relations, and she earned a minor in legal studies while specializing in space diplomacy. She is Harvard-certified in professional communication and social justice and was a Harvard Extension School Dean’s List awardee in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Rebecca is currently earning her master’s degree in international relations from Harvard Extension School and continues to specialize in space diplomacy. She aspires to one day represent the United Nations as ambassador to the Moon, Mars, or other celestial habitat.
Prior to Harvard, Rebecca earned a technical degree in cosmetology (beauty), and she studied advanced hairdressing in New York City. She is a published retiring makeup artist for national news broadcasts and has assisted presidential candidates and members of Congress in her work. Her makeup made over one hundred appearances on the national news, with many in prime-time slots of over one million viewers. As a business owner, Rebecca is experienced in business strategy and public communications.
Rebecca is a science communicator who believes in space exploration. She writes weekly for the Human Space Program blog, covering subjects related to space diplomacy and space law. In her free time, she loves riding her bike, visiting family, and watching science-fiction. She lives in Reno, Nevada, USA.
Professor Highlight
Joshua D. Kertzer (harvard.edu)
This month we highlight Prof. Joshua D. Kertzer!
Prof. Kertzer is a Professor of Government and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Government at Harvard University, where he specializes in the intersection of international security, foreign policy, political psychology, and quantitative and experimental methods.
He currently teaches Government E-1897: American Foreign Policy at the Extension School.
His first book, Resolve in International Politics, was published in 2016 by Princeton University Press, and received the 2017 Alexander L George Award from the International Society of Political Psychology for the best book published in the field of political psychology. His research has also appeared in a wide range of journals, including the American Journal of Political Science, Annual Review of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Conflict Management and Peace Science, Foreign Affairs, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, the Journal of Politics, and World Politics.
Prof. Kertzer has received a number of other awards and recognitions, including the American Political Science Association's Merze Tate (formerly Helen Dwight Reid) and Kenneth N. Waltz Awards, the Peace Science Society's Walter Isard Award, the Journal of Conflict Resolution's Bruce Russett Award, the International Society of Political Psychology's Jim Sidanius (formerly Erik Erikson) Award for distinguished early career contributions to the study of political psychology, and the International Studies Assocation's Karl Deutsch Award, presented to the scholar under the age of 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to the study of International Relations. His research has also been featured on The Colbert Report, Chelsea Lately, and Real Time with Bill Maher.
He graduated with a PhD in Political Science from The Ohio State University in August 2013. Before coming to Harvard, he was a Dartmouth Fellow in US Foreign Policy and International Security at the Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College. In 2016-17, he was a Visiting Associate Research Scholar at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University. He currently co-directs the Weatherhead Research Cluster on International Security at Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and serve on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Political Science, Global Studies Quarterly, International Organization, Political Psychology, and Princeton Studies in Political Behavior.
Club Highlights
Here are some fun moments from HESIRC events in 2022! Wishing all club members a wonderful New Year and best of luck for J-Term and the upcoming Spring semester!
