GIRS supports its students in undertaking internships and research projects in the Russian Federation, helping them identify opportunities through which to pursue their academic interests and funding their research activities. In 2015 students spent time in Chechnya researching the role of women in contemporary Chechen society, in the Far East exploring carbon sinks in Russia’s forest reserves, and in Moscow undertaking peer-to-peer research collaboration on physical nuclear security. In 2016 students traveled to Moscow to engage in collaborative research projects on nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism issues, as well as to Abramtsevo to participate in a Russian-language intensive course on international security. In the 2017, students interned at the nonproliferation-focused NGO, the PIR Center and will attend the 2017 Moscow Nonproliferation Conference, organized by the Center for Energy and Security Studies.
Applications Invited for Research Trips or Internships in Russia in 2018
The Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies is pleased to announce that there are funds available for MIIS students to undertake an internship and/or research in Russia in Spring/Summer 2018.
The trip will be sponsored by the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies, a MIIS project funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York. The available funding covers roundtrip travel, accommodation allowance, and miscellaneous expenses. Only students with advanced Russian language skills will be considered.
Three students will be selected through the following procedures:
- An essay in Russian describing the applicant’s background and interest in Russia. The essay should be three-pages long and submitted by email to Professor Anna Vassilieva by April 1, Sunday.
- An up-to-date resume, to be submitted along with the above essay.
- A detailed research/internship proposal, including desired placement, focus of research/internship, and a deliverable (in English or Russian).
- An oral interview after review of the above submissions.
Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection by April 15, 2018.
Inquiries may be addressed to Prof. Vassilieva at avassili@miis.edu.
The following students were selected to undertake individual research projects in Russia:
Libiao Pan
In the summer of 2017, Libiao undertook an internship at the PIR Center in Moscow. On the one hand, an essential part of the internship is scientific paper that he prepared and defended at the end. The topic for it not only coincides with his scientific interest, but also (and most importantly) lies along the research agenda of the PIR Center. The research topic would be “Russian-Chinese cooperation on the DPRK’s nuclear program”. On the other hand, he is very much interested in looking at different perspective in terms of international security issues. PIR Center enabled him get access to the first-hand Russian academic resources as well as opinions from Russian experts. In addition, he assisted administrative work at PIR Center, which will helped him better understand how the workflow is like in Russian scientific research center. Lastly, since the working language is Russian, he was able to enhance his general Russian level and actually use Russian not only in daily life, but also in a professional context.
John Nunes
In October 2016 second year Translation and Interpretation student John Nunes participated in translation/ interpretation training at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). John’s participation was sponsored by the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies (GIRS). During the program John attended classes and lectures in the Translation for International Organizations M.A. program at MGIMO’s School of International Relations. While there, John practiced simultaneous and consecutive interpretation and written translation with some of Russia’s most promising young interpreters, many of whom will go on to work at organizations like the United Nations, PACE, and OSCE. The advice, exercises, and experience that John was fortunate enough to gain at MGIMO will help him both in his remaining time at MIIS and in his professional career. John currently works as a GIRS translator of Levada-Center public opinion polls.
Katie Boynton
Katie first began studying Russian language late in high school, as an alternative to Spanish. Interest in Russian culture, history, and politics grew out of this initial interest in the language and she eventually earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian at the University of Vermont. During her time as an undergraduate student Katie had the opportunity to attend Middlebury College’s Summer Language Program, after which she studied abroad in St. Petersburg for a semester. While in St. Petersburg, Katie volunteered with Soldiers’ Mothers of St. Petersburg, a local non-governmenatl organization (NGO) offering legal expertise to those in the Russian Armed Forces who had been wronged during service. This was her first foray into the world of NGOs and the experience made a strong and lasting impression.
After graduating, Katie spent a few years in Philadelphia, working mostly at non-profit organizations focused on animal welfare. Out of these experiences she developed a desire to better understand how organizations work and how they can be improved. She enrolled at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey to earn her Master in Public Administration. During the summer of 2016, GIRS gave Katie the opportunity to travel to Moscow to participate as one of only two Americans in the summer program of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. While there, she also conducted research on the history of Russian NGOs, looking particularly at those involved in psychiatric work, to learn more about how they fit into modern-day Russia. Katie hopes that a broader knowledge of how organizations work and are perceived all over the world will lead to a better understanding of how they can be improved in various environments.
Julia Diamond
Julia was first introduced to Russian sports and art culture at a young age, watching the Bolshoi Theatre on VHS. Such culture continued to impact her life heavily. This combined with interest in her own family’s history led her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and a minor in Russian at Boston University. It was not until the next year when she lived in Russia from 2014 to 2015 and witnessed from Moscow the downturn in U.S.-Russia relations that she felt the need to try and help improve the relationship. After interning at the Center for Policy Studies in Russia (PIR Center) and the Carnegie Moscow Center, Julia decided to study at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) to help realize that goal.
Upon entry to the the Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies (NPTS) program at MIIS, Julia began to study critical security issues especially from Russia’s point of view, and continued to develop relevant Russian language skills. She works as a graduate research assistant in the Eurasia Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). In an effort to improve human-to-human contacts between Russia and the U.S. Julia began to coordinate the MIIS side of the GIRS-NSO Dialogue Series between MIIS and Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) students. In June 2016 Julia and fellow GIRS student Sarah Bidgood participated in a Nuclear Workshop co-organized by the Nuclear Risk Reduction Project (NRR) and the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum (SURF) in collaboration with National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI). After working with their respective peer research groups both Julia and Sarah will present their projects at a workshop at Stanford University in November 2016. From September to October 2016 Julia served as a participant in PIR Center’s International School on Global Security in Abramtsevo, Russia; she was the only American in the 2016 program.
The following students were selected to undertake individual research projects in Russia in 2015:
Sarah Bidgood
Sarah’s interest in Russia began in earnest after she spent her junior year of college abroad at Middlebury’s school in Yaroslavl’, Russia. After graduating from Wellesley College with a degree in Russian, Sarah completed her master’s degree in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following three years working in academic publishing, she decided to return to her original passion—Russia—and matriculated at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies program. With the support of GIRS, Sarah has had numerous opportunities to professionalize her interest in Russia and her Russian language abilities in Monterey and beyond. In 2015, GIRS enabled Sarah to attend the PIR Center’s International School on Global Security for Young Specialists in Abramtsevo, Russia, where she was the only American of 24 participants. She then traveled to Moscow to serve as a delegate in the 2015-2016 Stanford US-Russia Forum opening conference in the Nuclear Security working group alongside two Russian students and another American. This team continued their work throughout the academic year and presented their findings at a capstone conference on Stanford’s campus in Spring 2016. You can read more about Sarah’s experiences here. In June 2016, Sarah also had the opportunity to travel to Moscow with fellow GIRS student Julia Diamond to participate in a Nuclear Workshop co-organized by the Nuclear Risk Reduction Project and the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum in collaboration with National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI ). Sarah and Julia will conduct long-distance, peer-to-peer research on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear terrorism with fellow students in Russia throughout Fall 2016 and will present their findings at Stanford in November.
Kathryn Smart
Kathryn’s interest in the Russian language started during her undergrad at Michigan State University. As a requirement for a B.A. in International Relations, it was necessary for her to choose a language focus, and being influenced by her interest in foreign affairs between Russia and the United States, she decided to study Russian. After a year of experience with the Russian language, she participated in a study abroad program in Volgograd, where this new love for Russian culture (and food) encouraged her to study Russian beyond the required classes. The very next summer, Kathryn decided to participate in the study abroad program again, in order to study at a higher level of Russian at the institute in Volgograd. During this second trip, Kathryn was exposed to Chechen culture for the first time.
Kathryn’s interest in Chechen culture grew during her time living in Moscow, where she worked as an English tutor in a Chechen family and became acquainted with the Chechens living in her area. Her interest in Chechen culture then developed into an interest in Chechen history, the Chechen language, and the political and cultural problems the Chechen people face. During her first semester in the Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies program, Kathryn started taking online Chechen language lessons, and participated in Professor Hahn’s Islamism in Russia course, in which she started researching Chechen female suicide bombers. This summer, Kathryn plans to build off her research from the Islamism in Russia course by studying with the history department at Grozny State University to research a woman’s role in Chechen culture and Islam, with the goal to discover cultural and political influences on a woman’s decision to join militant groups in the North Caucasus.
Read Kathryn’s recent reflections on her time in Chechnya.
Meagan Braun
Meagan first began studying Russian out of a long love for Russian classic literature and music. However, she quickly developed a new interest through her Russian studies – environmental issues in the post-Soviet space. From the environmental impacts and consequences of the Sochi Olympics, to Arctic governance, Meagan has studied a range of environmental issues in Russia. She spent Summer 2012 participating in the Tahoe-Baikal Institute’s Summer Environmental Exchange, where students compared the styles of balancing development and conservation at Lake Tahoe and Lake Baikal. Along with a group of Russian and American students, she surveyed residents of the town Tankhoy – on the southern shore of Baikal – on their feelings towards proposed ecotourism development in the region. The team presented recommendations to the local planning agency and management team of the Baikalsky Zapovednik.
This fall, Meagan will study the potential to link Russia’s massive forest reserves to international funding for its use as a global carbon sink. While estimates vary, Russia’s forests absorb up to 1 billion tons of carbon annually. Similar mechanisms are in place for forest ecosystems such as the Brazilian Amazon, and Russia could benefit greatly – attracting international investment as well as conserving its natural heritage. Meagan will select several sites in the Russian Far East to conduct case studies on the current forest management, ability to implement better management practices, and feasibility of attracting foreign investment for conservation. She hopes to be able to recommend potential funding opportunities and best practices for these sites at the end of her research project.