Fulbright Scholar and student leader Vatthana "Banky" Inthalucksa reflects on his Korbel journey, from finding community as an international student to serving as president of two campus organizations.

Where are you from, and what drew you to Denver?
My name is Vatthana Inthalucksa, but I also go by Banky. I am from the Lao PDR, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. I chose Denver because I was drawn to its beautiful mountains, peaceful environment, strong education system, and many opportunities for outdoor activities, especially hiking. Denver felt like a place where I could grow both academically and personally while also enjoying nature and a new life experience.

What is your Fulbright award, and how does that process work?
The Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most prestigious international scholarship programs in the world. I received the Fulbright Foreign Student Program award to pursue my graduate studies in the United States. The application process is very competitive and requires strong leadership experience, academic achievement, work and volunteer experience, English proficiency, written applications, exams, and interviews. For me, the Fulbright journey was not only about receiving a scholarship, but also about representing my country and using this opportunity to grow as a leader who can contribute back to my community.

What has your time at Korbel been like?
My time at Korbel has been meaningful and inspiring. I have truly enjoyed studying here because the community is very welcoming, supportive, and open-minded. The professors are experts in their fields, and they are always willing to guide and support students. As an international student, I have felt encouraged and included.

During my time at Korbel, I was elected as President of the Korbel Graduate Student Association (KGSA) and President of the Korbel International Student Organization (KISO). These leadership roles have allowed me to serve the Korbel community, support other students, and create spaces where international students feel seen and valued. Korbel has also provided many opportunities for professional growth, including access to internships, networking, and real-world policy experiences.

What advice do you have for anyone considering Korbel?
My advice is: do not hesitate to apply. If you are looking for a place where you can explore new experiences, challenge yourself, and grow with supportive people, Korbel is a wonderful place to be. As the first student from Laos at the University of Denver and Korbel, my journey has been life-changing. DU and Korbel have helped me become more confident, independent, and prepared for my future career.

The professors, staff, and students at Korbel are kind, knowledgeable, and always willing to help. You may feel nervous at first, especially as an international student, but you will find your way. Korbel will not only give you an education, but also a community that walks with you throughout your journey.

The Korbel professor on heavy topics, sustainable careers, and the question she asks every student who wants their work to mean something.

For years, Dr. Kaitlyn Sims assumed her high school's ban on shorts from October through April was just a strict dress code. Only later did she learn it was a quiet welfare measure, meant to make sure all kids were dressed warmly enough for the winter, and looking out for students whose parents might not have been. That idea of looking past the surface of a rule and asking who it actually serves is the kind of thinking that inspires her work today.

With a background in economics, Sims brings her skill set to subjects that traditional economists often don't address: domestic violence, housing insecurity, jails, and the emotional toll of poverty. Those topics can feel far removed from a field like economics, but her role at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs allows her to apply the discipline through a policy lens, giving her room to apply her training to tough issues that benefit from it.

Before finding her way to Korbel, Sims knew she wanted to teach but didn’t see herself in a traditional economics department. Her interests were too interdisciplinary, and her methods were too varied to fit into the mold of a traditional economist. Conveniently, Korbel was looking for an economist who thought about the world from a policy angle. The fit was immediate. It let her build a career around one guiding question: "What are the pressing policy challenges that I want to have an impact on?”

However, choosing meaningful problems is only half of it. Economists tend to chase the questions their data can already answer, and Sims is wary of that pull. Her work on jails is a case in point. Most incarceration research focuses on prisons, where the data is cleaner, even though most people who touch the criminal legal system pass through a jail, not a prison. With collaborators in the Jail Justice Initiative, she studies what they call "jailization," the way the wider carceral system has reorganized itself around the jail as its first point of contact. Jails are their own kind of environment, she points out: stays are short, the population is always turning over, and the services attached to them look nothing like a prison's. More recently, the group has traced the historical roots of jailization and the part that cash bail and bond systems play in keeping people there.

In addition to her work on jails, Sims founded the SHAPE Lab (Systems, Housing, and Anti-Violence Policy Evaluation) in 2024, a home for her policy evaluation work and a place to train graduate researchers. The lab studies how people make decisions under conditions of poverty, domestic violence, and instability, and tests whether the policies meant to help them actually do. Its projects run across much of the social safety net, from emergency domestic violence shelters to the Earned Income Tax Credit, Section 8 housing vouchers, public insurance, and Housing First. The recurring question is whether a given program changes the choices available to someone in crisis, and by how much.

The same concern with measurement is a focal point of her upcoming book, expected in. It asks what happens when metrics-driven policymaking meets services that cannot be measured that way, with domestic violence shelters as its central case. Most abuse goes unreported, handled privately or through confidential services, so the data funders rely on captures only a sliver of the problem.

On reform, she rejects the usual either/or. Radical change and marginal improvement are not a choice between two camps, she argues, but two processes that have to happen at once. "Big radical change is hard, and it's lumpy, and it takes a really long time." Marginal change is what makes the world better while that larger shift is underway. Just as important, she says, is not trying to be an army of one. You make a change in your area and see yourself as part of a larger movement.

That same philosophy shapes how she teaches. As director of Korbel's Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, Sims mentors students who arrive wanting to change the world but lacking the tools to make it happen. She treats the study of public policy as the applied toolset to make a real difference: break a problem into its root causes, its limits, its levers, then ask what you can actually do, locally or nationally, large or small.

Her advice for students who want a career that means something starts with a question: What are the nouns you're thinking of? A student who says they want to work in criminal justice gets a list back: attorney, judge, corrections officer, youth court advocate, courtroom navigator, housing navigator for people leaving prison, so the abstract goal becomes something concrete enough to picture. Ruling the paths a student doesn’t want to take matters just as much as finding what lights their fire. An internship that turns out to be a bad fit can be as clarifying as one that clicks. Then comes the honest part: if the thing you choose is heavy, how will you build the stamina to do it for the long haul? "I can't do everything," she tells them, "but I can do that, and that's what really matters for me."

This article was written by MPP student Jenni Gutierrez Marquez

On March 1, 2026, I had the honor of meeting U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser at the Governing Colorado: Policy Challenges and Priorities event, hosted by the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy. This event provided a unique opportunity for the public to engage directly with two of Colorado’s most prominent leaders, and current gubernatorial candidates, on some of the state’s most pressing policy challenges.

What set this event apart was its educational approach and non-debate format. As Scrivner Institute Director and moderator Naazneen Barma described, it was “a deep dive dialogue on major policy issues that are facing the state in a non-partisan educational space.” The civil discourse felt significant, offering our community both insight into Colorado’s future leadership and a chance to come together around the gravity of issues ranging from affordability and housing to healthcare, natural resources, and more. The dialogue allowed students and community members to learn about potential solutions from state leaders, appreciate new perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges Coloradans across the state are facing. The event embodied what it means to be at the heart of meaningful, community-focused education and civic discourse.  On a personal note, I truly appreciated the chance to briefly meet both speakers and engage in informal conversations about my own and my classmates’ interests in public policy.

Affordability emerged as a recurring theme, particularly against the backdrop of current economic challenges. The panel discussed the potential effects of the Kroger and Albertsons merger, which could have led to the closure of grocery stores in rural Colorado. This scenario raised important concerns about the possibility of food deserts, making it even harder for vulnerable populations, especially the elderly, to access affordable groceries. Town halls became crucial forums for both workers and consumers to express their concerns and highlight how issues of affordability touch everyone in the community. The discussion on affordability naturally extended to housing, with widespread anxiety over so many Coloradans spending more than 30% of their income on a place to live. The central takeaway was the need to build an economy where everyone can thrive, an idea both candidates addressed by sharing different approaches they would take to achieve this goal.

Healthcare was another significant topic, particularly the question of how and when the state should step in to address gaps left by the federal government. The conversation focused on the risks of rural hospitals closing and the broader issue of retaining essential healthcare professionals across Colorado. There was a strong emphasis on the need to ensure primary care for all at lower costs, with the understanding that fair compensation is crucial not only in healthcare but also in education and other vital professions. The message was clear: Colorado cannot afford to wait for federal action and must pursue innovative state-level solutions.

Both speakers underscored the importance of the entire state coming together, pooling resources, and moving beyond political differences to protect all Coloradans. The conversation also explored the complex relationship between state and federal governments, focusing on the importance of secure democratic practices and the rule of law. For example, the prosecution of Tina Peters was discussed not as a political issue, but as an affirmation of legal integrity. Throughout, the need for Colorado to advocate for its own rights and remain resilient in defending democratic values was a recurring theme.

Immigration emerged as a deeply personal theme for both speakers, shaped by their family histories. There was broad agreement on the need for Colorado’s next governor to support mixed-status families and prevent unnecessary separations, as well as a shared recognition of the vital role the immigrant community plays in the state. Both speakers highlighted the continued need for immigration reform and emphasized the importance of creating a culture that values and appreciates immigrant neighbors and first-generation Americans. For me, it was particularly refreshing and meaningful to ask a question about immigration enforcement and receive responses rooted in personal experience. Hearing such thoughtful, nuanced answers, focused on community preservation rather than political posturing, was a reminder of the power of honest, empathetic dialogue in a policy setting.

Natural resources and conservation also featured prominently in the dialogue, with Colorado’s identity deeply tied to its beauty and wildlife. The most pressing issue discussed was the ongoing 25-year drought and the challenges it poses for water resources. Ensuring safe drinking water, particularly in southeastern Colorado, remains an ongoing struggle, despite efforts to address it. The panel underscored the need for state-first approaches to water management, prioritizing the rights of Coloradans in water treaties while also recognizing the needs of those downstream. There was a strong call to build coalitions that address these environmental challenges, including targeted efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in areas like Meeker and the Southern Slope. The conversation highlighted real opportunities for Colorado to lead on climate and resource policy, but progress will require concrete action and collective accountability.

Throughout the dialogue, both speakers exemplified a unique sense of Colorado pride. Even when they disagreed on specific policy solutions, there was an ever-present consensus on the need to protect Coloradans and put the state’s people first. The event went beyond just covering the topics, it dove into the political complexities behind them. As community members, we walked away not only with more knowledge but also with a deeper understanding of the challenges ahead and a sense of responsibility to become more aware and innovative. This especially resonated with me as a student preparing to enter the policy field.

Watch the recording of the discussion here. 

At Korbel, career readiness isn’t a final step, it’s a journey supported every step of the way.

For many students, one question sits just beneath the surface of their academic journey: What comes next?

At the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, that question isn’t something students are expected to answer all at once, or alone. Instead, it’s something they explore over time with support from the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), a team dedicated to helping Korbel graduate students translate their interests into meaningful careers.

From the moment students begin their program, OCPD positions itself not as a final step before graduation, but as a consistent partner throughout the entire journey.

“We really encourage students to engage with our office early and often. From the beginning and ongoing,” said Rae Ann Bories-Easley, OCPD Senior Director, who has spent 30 years in career services, including 15 years working with Korbel students.

Rae Ann and the OCPD team are dedicated to offering personalized support for every level of career journey by helping students identify what they enjoy, learn how to employ their strengths, and come up with search strategies to identify the right positions for them. Whether students arrive with a clear plan or are still exploring, OCPD meets them where they are and helps them move forward.

AmeriCorps Internship Service Day

“We work with all graduate students – even if they don’t know what they want to do,” Rae Ann said. “We’re here for them for their entire two years and beyond. We meet them wherever they’re at in their development.”

At its core, OCPD is built around the idea that career development is a process, not a one-time decision. Students can access support through individual appointments, drop-ins, group trainings, workshops, and employer information sessions. Many of these resources are introduced even before classes begin, allowing students to start exploring career paths early. Students are also connected to Korbel’s alumni network through dedicated networking events designed to help them understand where their degree can take them and how to get there.

Together, these touchpoints reinforce a clear message: Students don’t need to have everything figured out to get started. Instead, career readiness is built through time and experience.

“Finding Your Fit”: From Interests to Opportunities

Through internships, fellowships, research opportunities, and programs like Korbel AmeriCorps, students gain hands-on experience that connects academic learning to real-world impact. These experiences not only strengthen resumes, they also help students test their interests and build confidence.

Alongside experiential learning, OCPD provides key tools students need to navigate the job market. Among the office’s core offerings are resume and cover letter reviews, interview preparation, and job search strategies. For many students, these services are essential to becoming competitive candidates.

“We encourage students to get as many applied skills as possible, and we’re always looking into new opportunities to help them do so, whether it’s interning, volunteering, studying abroad, doing a fellowship, doing research with a faculty member or at a think tank,” said Jamie Polliard, Internship Program & Office Manager at OCPD. “These all demonstrate to prospective employers that they’re ready to hit the ground running.”

For career office staff, it’s not enough to help students find just any job, they do their best to help them find the right jobs.

“It’s all about finding their fit,” said Jamie, who has 16 years of experience in higher education with prior experience in international business and non-profit management. “Our philosophy is not to just help students get jobs but to pursue careers that inspire them! We all spend more time at work throughout our lives than anything else except sleeping, so your career should be worthy of that time.”

Thanks in part to these crucial resources, Korbel graduates are competitive candidates for a range of industries. In fact, out of 133 graduate students who completed their degree in 2024, 97% of job seekers were employed. Korbel graduates also report high levels of job satisfaction, with 89% reporting being satisfied or very satisfied with their current roles (based on a survey of graduates from 2022 to 2024).

Further, to ensure accessibility and equity, the office awards stipends for unpaid internships, working to reduce barriers that might otherwise limit students’ ability to pursue professional development opportunities. Career staff also work closely with international students and student organizations to ensure career support is inclusive and responsive to student needs.

Initiatives like Job Club, where graduating students meet regularly for accountability, support, and community, also reflect their commitment to students, particularly during critical transition moments. Programs to visit employer sites and meet with Korbel alumni in the field, such as the annual D.C. Career Connections program, further expand access and give students unique exposure to professional pathways.

2026 D.C. Career Connections Trip

Creating a “Culture of Care”

Haley Graham, a senior majoring in International Studies and Socio-Legal Studies, has worked with OCPD since her first year at the University of Denver. Haley explained how staff regularly go above and beyond – far more than their job entails – to create “culture of care” in which they guide each student toward many professional possibilities, from scholarships and fellowships, internships and jobs, and much more.

Her advice for students to get the most out of the OCPD office?

• If you have questions, ask!
• Come to drop-in hours.
• Take advantage of the resume review opportunities.
• Ask about opportunities – the career staff often have insight into jobs you might not have seen otherwise.
• Attend career events and networking opportunities.

Above all: “Take advantage of the opportunities that are around you, build connections, and seek out new opportunities,” Haley said. “We are not a scary office, and we love supporting students!”

Connecting Networks and Outcomes

Career development at Korbel is grounded in relationships. Students gain access to a broad and supportive professional network that not only includes notable employer partners, but also a highly involved alumni network. That network plays a meaningful role in student success.

“We have an impressive alumni network who are immensely generous to each other and our students,” Jamie said.

That generosity is always reciprocated by OCPD staff, who continue to support students after they graduate, even years later.

“We’re really proud of the work we do for alums,” Rae Ann says. “We have a database of events, resources, and networking opportunities that we have collected for alumni. We’ve intentionally partnered with Colorado and APSIA schools to offer graduates support and programs beyond graduation.”

For the OCPD team, the work with both students and alumni is deeply meaningful.

"Our network is a source of hope and inspiration," Jamie said. "We help students plug into that."

At a time when career paths can feel uncertain, that support – and the network behind it – matters more than ever.

“The best part of this job is the students, and their vision and difference they want to make in the world. We get the opportunity to support and empower student goals and aspirations, which is a privilege,” Jamie said.

At Korbel, career development isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having the support, resources, and confidence to find them. And with OCPD, students don’t have to do it alone.

Internship Orientation Session

How can long-term analysis help decision-makers prepare for futures that are uncertain, interconnected, and still partly knowable? 

That question guided a three-day foresight and forecasting training in Rwanda, from May 4th to the 6th, where the Pardee Institute joined Rwanda’s National Council for Science and Technology, AUDA-NEPAD, and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) to introduce participants to International Futures (IFs), Pardee’s open-source, integrated forecasting platform.  

Led in part by Taylor Hanna, Associate Director of Development Analysis at Pardee, the training brought together 33 participants for hands-on engagement with IFs. Over the three days, participants explored the model, built and tested scenarios, and discussed how integrated forecasts can support long-term planning across complex development systems. 

The training connected continental and national planning questions. Participants examined how IFs supported analysis related to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan and considered how scenario-based approaches can inform Rwanda’s Vision 2050. Hanna stated, “This kind of analysis helps bridge the gap between long-term ambitions such as Vision 2050 and Agenda 2063 and the practical steps needed to achieve them.” Rather than treating development goals as isolated targets, IFs enables users to explore how changes in areas such as education, health, infrastructure, governance, economics, and the environment may interact over time. The participants tested a scenario to explore the effects of meeting national R&D investment targets on productivity.  

The training also builds on Pardee’s longstanding relationships with ISS and AUDA-NEPAD. Through the African Futures Project, Pardee has collaborated with both institutions to support long-term strategic analysis across the African continent. AUDA-NEPAD’s mandate includes strengthening the capacity of African Union member states and regional bodies, while ISS’s African Futures and Innovation program provides forward-looking policy analysis on Africa’s development prospects using dynamic forecasting tools. 

“What stood out most was the enthusiasm participants brought to thinking about Rwanda’s future. Putting integrated forecasting and scenario tools in the hands of policymakers allows them to test ideas, explore alternative futures, and better understand how decisions in one area affect outcomes across the development system,” reflected Hanna. For Pardee, this exchange reflected one of the central purposes of capacity-building: creating space for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to work with shared tools, transparent assumptions, and a common language for thinking about the future. 

Rhiannan Price (MA International Human Rights, 2012) has built a career at the intersection of humanitarian action, science, and technology, driven by the conviction that access to information is inseparable from justice, dignity, and human security. As the architect and Principal Investigator of NASA Lifelines, she transformed how satellite data is understood and used in humanitarian contexts, building a global community of over 1,000 practitioners across 140 countries who now use Earth observation to respond to disasters, displacement, food insecurity, and conflict. Her work has never been about technical novelty for its own sake; from the start, she centered ethics, equity, and real-world outcomes, making questions of harm, consent, and responsible use foundational rather than afterthoughts.

That same clarity of purpose led her to co-found Common Space, an ambitious nonprofit working to launch the world's first independently governed humanitarian satellite. In a landscape where most Earth imagery serves defense or commercial interests, Rhiannan is building something different: a community-governed resource designed for accountability, protection, and the people who need it most. Recognized with the 2025 Kluz PeaceTech Prize, Rhiannan brings to all of her work a rare combination of technical fluency, ethical courage, and genuine care for people, whether she is advising NASA, mentoring early-career humanitarians, or volunteering on a domestic violence crisis hotline.

What drew you to the Master of Arts in International Human Rights at Korbel?
When I was a Peace Corps volunteer considering graduate school, I was looking for a program that was practical and hands-on rather than focusing on theory and the abstract. For someone who wants to go into human rights, there's a lot of that out there. Korbel stood out to me as different because of the types of classes it offered and the different focus areas you could engage with. I pursued not only human rights, but also a certificate in humanitarian assistance. For me, that felt like moving toward a program that would give me tangible skills I could apply in a job where I could make a difference and help people realize their rights. It was a great choice, I'm glad I did it!

Was there a class, professor, or experience at Korbel that shifted how you think about the relationship between technology and human rights?
There are a few that stand out. I was lucky enough to be at Korbel when Chiara Lepora was there, who had worked and still works for Doctors Without Borders. Global health wasn't really in my background, but I sought out her class because of how amazing she was and what I'd heard about it. She did such an amazing job of conveying how easy it is to sit in an academic setting and talk about interventions while people are suffering, and to distance ourselves from it. When you're in human rights or grad school, it's easy to treat things as textbooks, things you're reading and learning about, instead of thinking about whose life is actually affected. She did a fantastic job of almost calling us out for trying to be that distant and pushing us to put ourselves in the shoes of people in those communities experiencing the crisis.

One other professor I should give a shout-out to is Luis Esparza. At the time, I was really excited about social movements, especially in conflict-affected or post-conflict societies, and he was glad to take me on as a research assistant. It evolved into research on protest movements around the Vancouver Olympics, examining the different constituencies that were mobilized, the coalitions that formed, and what made those movements significant. For me, it was another incredible opportunity to work alongside experts with deep experience while also feeling encouraged to innovate and explore areas my professors hadn't fully mapped yet, with their support.

Can you walk me through your first role after graduating from Korbel?
I'll call it a bit of a stutter step. I took a Boren Fellowship before I graduated, living in Tanzania and then Uganda to learn Swahili, then landed a part-time job at a Denver startup called aWhere just before I finished. They did agricultural weather intelligence for smallholder farmers globally, and that role introduced me to food security and to data and technology in a very applied sense. It turned full-time after graduation and through our work with the Gates Foundation, I got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the best organizations in the field, getting my hands dirty with their data even as someone fresh out of grad school. I learned a ton, and it very much set me on the trajectory I've been on ever since.

You went on to lead NASA Lifelines. Can you explain what that is and how you came into that role?
NASA Lifelines was a program I helped design and propose to NASA in 2020. The whole idea was community building, bridging the gap between humanitarians on one hand and the science, research, and technology community on the other, to accelerate the use of satellite data for humanitarian action. NASA saw a real disconnect between where their science was and where practitioners actually needed it to go, and they wanted to close that gap.

We built some really creative programs. One was what we called scientist speed dating, pairing humanitarian organizations with the exact expertise they needed, then helping them break down barriers: finding the right data, unlocking funding, and learning to make the business case to funders. We also ran a first-of-its-kind virtual global humanitarian simulation, inspired in large part by my time at Korbel and Peter Van Arsdale's class. And through a pitch accelerator program, we helped humanitarian teams make the case for collaboration to a panel of funders, which ultimately unlocked millions of dollars for that work.

I left NASA Lifelines in January, which was bittersweet, but I left it in great hands. By that point, the program had reached participants in over 140 countries. Given everything the world has been through these past couple of years, the fact that our community not only held together but really rose to the occasion made it that much more meaningful to be a part of.

After building NASA Lifelines into a globally respected program, what moved you to co-found Common Space and take on the challenge of building the world's first independent humanitarian satellite?
This idea had been brewing for years. Before NASA, I worked for a satellite imagery company leading our humanitarian and sustainable development portfolio. I got to interface with NGOs, research institutes, civil governments, social entrepreneurs, and private sector organizations all using satellite imagery for public good. But for those companies, those use cases and stakeholders are largely an afterthought. Their customers are defense and intelligence, and anybody else is a lower priority.

The data has incredible value for humanitarian purposes, whether that's disaster response or monitoring nuclear sites for disarmament. A lot of times there simply is no other option. But we couldn't get it into the hands of the people who needed it most because everything had been designed for defense: the licensing, the pricing, the business models. It was really painful. We fought and fought, and even our biggest initiatives, which were groundbreaking at the time, like digitizing all of Africa off satellite imagery with the Gates Foundation, still fell short of where we could be.

Then in spring 2024, at an event I co-host called SatSummit, I threw out the concept of debating a humanitarian satellite. It felt like exactly the right forum: industry in the room, humanitarian leaders in the room. Let's put the idea out there and see what happens. I got a former colleague of mine, now my co-founder Bill Greer, to debate on my team. We polled the room before and after, and Bill and I actually convinced people this was worth pursuing.

Then January 2025 arrived, and the world looked very different. USAID was dissolved, humanitarian and science funding was gutted, and a lot of organizations that had relied on US government-sponsored access to satellite imagery suddenly found themselves cut off. At that point, nobody was pushing back anymore. Everyone said yes, I'm 100% behind you.

Bill went full-time, and I started part-time while we got it off the ground. We surveyed 250 practitioners across humanitarian, human rights, climate and environmental justice, journalism, and research communities, and kept hearing the same pain point: we cannot get access to high-resolution satellite imagery to do our jobs, and we know how valuable it is. What emerged was a clear mandate. It made sense to step back from NASA Lifelines and go all in.

Where do you see this work going in the years ahead, and what role do you hope to play in shaping its future at Common Space?
I see us building and launching a humanitarian satellite constellation, and if all goes well, it will be up and operational in around two years. For me, the real measure of success won't be the launch itself. It will be when we start hearing the stories back from users across this really diverse set of applications. When we can actually measure the difference satellite data makes in expediting disaster response, evacuations, and search and rescue. When UN partners can better understand what populations are in need and how to reach people with life-saving services.

If we're successful, I think we will completely shift the power paradigm around this kind of data. For so long it has been controlled by very few actors, most of whom are not thinking about humanitarian action, human rights, or sustainability. An open, trusted, community-governed source of this data is something that has never existed before. And I do fear that if something like Common Space doesn't happen, we'll see this data continue to be co-opted as a tool for misinformation and narrative control. We're already seeing that with holdbacks over the Middle East and the geopolitics between the US and China playing out in real time.

I'm cautiously optimistic that when we succeed, it will not only unlock direct applications but also show people that this technology is really a reflection of us. If we want it to serve defense and intelligence, it will. But if we're willing to do something disruptive, the impact can be enormous. Right now I'm deep in governance work with our task force, figuring out who gets to task the satellite, who gets access, and what a real do-no-harm framework looks like. These are not small questions. But we have an incredible community behind us, and I know it'll happen.

What would you say to Korbel students today who want to build careers at the intersection of technology and human rights?
I know it is a really tough time to be graduating and entering the job market, and I feel that even as someone who is mid-career. A few things come to mind.

The strength of your network is so important, and you often don't know who is going to come through for you or when. My advice is to be a genuine, curious person who makes thoughtful connections with peers, professors, and even the folks you meet through a practicum or work experience, even if it doesn't feel directly related to where you want to go. It's a small world, and people look out for each other when they feel a meaningful connection. That's what gets you past the filters and the screening, but more importantly, it exposes you to worlds you hadn't considered for yourself.

I would also say that I could never have envisioned, sitting at Korbel, being on this journey or doing the work I do today. Satellites were not on my radar. That was a learning curve that came after grad school. So my advice is to create your own world to some degree. Otherwise, you end up with the sad statistics: there's not a lot of funding in human rights, you won't get paid well, you'll have to go to big tech or law school or something more traditional. I want to push back on that. Even if you don't see the thing out there that you want to walk toward, you can be the person who creates it. There's probably a reason you feel drawn to it, because maybe you're the one who can solve that problem or be the mind behind the next great idea. Connect with other humans and believe in yourself.

Growing up in Kansas City, Trevor Paulus (MA International Studies, '27) was captivated by his grandmother's love of travel; her fridge covered in magnets from places he'd never been, her calls home from the road. That curiosity about the world eventually led to a seemingly simple decision to study Chinese in high school. "I took Chinese because it seemed cool and different than French or Spanish. Then I had my first class, and I was like, I'm where I'm meant to be."

That first class turned out to be the beginning of a path that has taken him across the Pacific and, this summer, to a prestigious U.S. Department of State scholarship.

This summer, Trevor will spend eight weeks in Taiwan as a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), a highly competitive, fully funded program of the U.S. Department of State that provides immersive overseas language study for American undergraduate and graduate students. The CLS Program offers instruction in nine languages deemed critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity, and participants receive the equivalent of a full year of language instruction in just eight weeks through intensive coursework, cultural programming, and one-on-one time with native speaker language partners.

A Language That "Sunk Its Teeth In"

Studying Chinese in school wasn’t just an interesting elective; it was also the catalyst for Trevor’s first trip to Taiwan. "It kind of sunk its teeth into me and my interests," he said. "I've always wanted to go back."

That first trip came through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), the high school counterpart to the CLS Program, also administered through the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Trevor was selected for NSLI-Y in high school, studied Chinese in Taiwan, and has been chasing the language ever since through undergraduate coursework at Korbel, a junior-year study abroad in Taipei, and now the CLS Program.

"After NSLI-Y, they told us about future programs, different types of federal funding, grants, and language exchange programs. So CLS has kind of always been on my radar," he explained. He applied for CLS once during undergrad without much preparation ("I didn't really put much thought or effort in it, to be honest"), but this time around, he took a different approach.

The Application: Essays, Advisors, and Two Months of Red Pen

The CLS application consists of four essays. There are no interviews, no letters of recommendation, just the essays. That, Trevor said, is what makes the process both challenging and exciting.

"You have to be very to the T, and self-gloat, but not too much self-gloating," he said with a laugh. "Trying to balance that was crazy."

Trevor began the process by reaching out to Korbel's Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), which then directed him to the Office of Scholar Development and Fellowship Advising. He worked closely with Dr. Savannah Pine over roughly two months, meeting weekly, turning in essays, and revising meticulously against the scholarship's stated criteria.

"It was a two-month process of just trying to get the essays on point," he shared. "I’m extremely grateful for the help I received."

Eight Weeks, One Language, One Goal

Trevor departs for Taiwan on June 17th and returns August 15th. He'll be living with a host family, a deliberate feature of the CLS Program that he is particularly excited about. "There's no other great way to get immersed than to live with a family," he said.

Beyond the language immersion, Trevor is looking forward to reconnecting with people he met during previous stays in Taiwan, including the host family he lived with during NSLI-Y in high school. He's also keenly interested in the geopolitical dimension of the trip: visiting Taiwan at a moment of considerable tension and seeing how the people who actually live there perceive the situation being discussed so intensely elsewhere.

"My main interest is media relations between the three [U.S., China, and Taiwan]," he said. "I'm hoping to get a better understanding of what it actually is like on the ground, and what people are actually thinking."

He's also mindful of the framing the CLS Program uses with its participants, that as an American abroad you are, in a sense, a citizen diplomat.

"Wherever you go as an American, you carry the badge of American on you," he said. "It'll be interesting to navigate those conversations and try to represent our country in a positive way."

Advice for Students Considering CLS

For fellow Korbel students who are curious about the CLS Program but uncertain about applying, Trevor's message is straightforward: try.

"It can't hurt to apply. I mean, I've applied twice," he said. "Work early and often with fellowship advisors at the Office of Scholar Development. Work with faculty and staff to try and hammer your essays out. If you want to travel and learn a language, there's no better scholarship to do that. It's funded, you get free flights, you get everything taken care of."

He emphasizes that the support available at Korbel is real and worth using. "There are people here who want to help you get the scholarship.”

And if it doesn't work out the first time? "There's always next year."

What’s next for global climate change scenarios through the end of this century and beyond?  

At the Pardee Institute’s third Lunch and Learn seminar, Director Jonathan Moyer traced the evolution of integrated assessment modeling, from early world models of the 1970s to today’s Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), and explained why researchers are now revisiting the assumptions that shape long-term climate futures through an initiative dubbed the Scenario Evolution Process (SEP). 

SEP, Moyer explained, is a multi-year, community-led effort to revise and extend the SSPs used across climate research. It aims to be an important knowledge-sharing mechanism for climate change modeling. The International Committee On New Integrated Climate Change Assessment Scenarios (ICONICS) is the main coordinating body. The Pardee Institute, Moyer shared, is actively involved in the effort on several fronts.  

The Pardee Institute is hosting the main SEP website and conducting the first global survey to inform the SEP’s strategic direction and planning for 2026, as well as help shape the broader multi-year process through 2030. This survey is open to members of the general public, and to researchers and practitioners familiar with the SSPs.   

Pardee’s role in SEP builds on the Institute’s long history in global modeling. Moyer traced that history to the 1970s through the 1980s, when Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) began linking population, industrialization, natural resources, and other forces within a unified systems framework. That shift, he noted, challenged the idea of a fixed future by showing how policy choices, structural forces, and feedback loops could produce a range of plausible pathways. Pardee’s leading global modeling tool, International Futures (IFs), emerged from this early wave of world modeling and was among the first to broaden this novel systems approach to encompass a wider set of interconnected human, social, and natural system dynamics.   

More innovations in climate research followed this shift to a systems approach, Moyer expounded. From the 1990s to the late 2000s, climate scenario development largely followed a “Sequential Modeling” process, with socioeconomic storylines and emissions pathways developed in stages. The SSP framework gave researchers a shared set of five socioeconomic narratives, while Representative Concentration Pathways described different levels of climate forcing. Around 2010, the research community moved to a “Parallel Process,” which decoupled physical climate targets from the SSPs, enabling researchers to conduct multi-dimensional risk assessments.  

Moyer noted that researchers have recently recognized the need for a revised set of scenarios as they consider how to expand the SSPs framework to incorporate biodiversity and well-being into climate scenarios, inspiring the SEP effort currently underway. 

Following the Lunch and Learn presentation, Moyer fielded questions from the audience regarding the IFs model’s data sources, its forecasting capabilities across 188 countries, and the emergence of the SEP in light of technological advancements like artificial intelligence.   

Interested in staying engaged in the evolution process? Explore the SEP website for the latest updates and opportunities to participate, including the global survey. 

After nearly 40 years at the Korbel School, Professor Frank Laird is retiring, closing a chapter defined by intellectual curiosity, institutional growth, and a deep commitment to students and scholarship. 

Professor Laird’s path to Denver was anything but linear. Raised in a small industrial town in Ohio, he began his academic journey studying physics at Middlebury College before continuing to graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Along the way, a formative year in Edinburgh and early research in astrophysics gave way to a broader set of questions about technology, society, and policy. That shift would define his career. 

“I was trying to understand how big systems change,” Professor Laird reflected. “Technology was always the through line.”  

That curiosity led him to political science and, eventually, to Korbel in 1987, where he would shape generations of students and scholars. At the time, the school was a fraction of its current size. Professor Laird recalls being one of roughly a dozen faculty members; today, that number has quadrupled. With that growth came not just scale but transformation. 

“Both the undergrad and master’s programs have grown so much,” he noted. The Korbel School now reflects a faster-paced, professionally oriented environment, one where students arrive with ambition and depart quickly to make their mark in the world. 

Throughout his tenure, Professor Laird’s early research interests on environmental policy and risk assessment evolved into historically grounded analyses of energy systems and public policy. Influenced in part by Deborah Stone’s Policy Paradox, Professor Laird developed a perspective that blended theory, history, and practice, an approach that resonated with students navigating complex global challenges. 

Beyond his own scholarship, Professor Laird played a key role in building academic communities. He was a co-founder of a section within the American Political Science Association focused on science, technology, and environmental politics, helping to connect and mentor emerging scholars across the field. 

In the classroom, Professor Laird found one of the most rewarding aspects of his career. “I remember one particular policy class,” he said. “We didn’t even get through a quarter of my notes. We got these discussions going, and we just roared ahead. The students were engaged, and they said interesting things. It was one of those moments where I thought, ‘Wow, this teaching stuff is really fun.’” 

Professor Laird also served in leadership roles, including multiple terms as associate dean. Those experiences, while challenging, offered a valuable perspective. “I learned my strengths and weaknesses,” he reflected, emphasizing how administrative work deepened his appreciation for the complexity of running an academic institution.  

As he prepares to retire, Professor Laird remains intellectually engaged. He is already working on a book manuscript on renewable energy policy and looks forward to exploring new writing projects. He envisions spending time in a local coffee shop, writing without distraction and revisiting ideas long set aside during the demands of academic life. 

His advice to emerging scholars is both timely and optimistic. In an era of disruption, particularly in fields like climate and science policy, Professor Laird sees opportunity. “It’s a challenging time,” he acknowledged, “but also a chance to rethink assumptions and build something better.”  

As the Korbel community celebrates his retirement, Professor Laird leaves behind not just a body of work, but a legacy of mentorship, curiosity, and thoughtful engagement with the world’s most pressing challenges. Korbel has been his home to develop those sides of himself, even as it has changed alongside him, too. “We shape institutions, but they also shape us,” he said. “I’ll always be really grateful for that.”

At the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, student success is built through a support network designed to help students navigate both the big picture of their academic journey and the day-to-day details that come with it. 

At the center of that network is Korbel’s Student Affairs team. 

Student Affairs provides valuable logistical and practical support that helps students move forward with confidence, from choosing and scheduling classes to developing long-term academic plans. Just as importantly, the team helps students cut through the complexity of a large university so they can focus on what matters most: learning, growing, and discovering their path. 

“I love helping people,” said Director of Graduate Student Affairs Debbie Gaylinn, who has spent almost a decade supporting Korbel students. “I love new challenges. Even though I’ve been here for such a long time, new questions come up daily, so it makes it interesting. If students come with hard questions, it’s like a puzzle. I love it and it gives me a thrill to try to make everything they want happen for them.” 

Debbie Gaylinn, Director of Graduate Student Affairs

Academic Support  

Korbel’s Student Affairs team supports both graduate and undergraduate students. 

For undergraduate students, support begins early and evolves over time. First-year advising is coordinated through the Office of Academic Advising, while Korbel’s Student Affairs team steps in more directly as students progress in their programs. From the second year on, Korbel undergraduates work closely with Student Affairs staff, including Mayumi Beckelheimer, Director of Undergraduate Programs.   

Mayumi Beckelheimer, Director of Undergraduate Programs

Mayumi has spent more than ten years at DU working in student service roles.  She currently works with hundreds of students across International Studies and Public Policy majors and minors every year. For Mayumi, advising is about more than course planning. It’s about connection. 

“I love student stories,” Mayumi said. “I love finding a personal connection with each person.” From remembering their dream car to gushing over their favorite foods, Mayumi builds genuine relationships with the many students who walk into her office. “I want to be the fun meeting.” 

In a large university environment, knowing where to go — and who to ask — can make all the difference. 

“Anytime students have a question, I would want them to start with us,” Debbie explained. “It’s a big university, and there are a lot of people. I hate to see students who are wandering around campus looking for something when I’ve been there for 20 years and can help them with their question.” 

That accessibility is reinforced not only by staff, but also by student employees, some of whom serve as peer advisors. These roles create a unique bridge between students navigating Korbel for the first time and those who have already learned how to make the most of it. 

“Everyone on our Student Affairs team is very intentional in creating a community of care for our students, where they also get to thrive academically,” said undergraduate Peer Advisor Lety Madrigal Tapia, as she talked about her “wonderful experience” working for the Student Affairs Office. “Throughout my job, I have learned more about Korbel and all it has to offer us as students – and, in turn, I get to share that with the students I advise.” 

Career Development and Experiential Learning Opportunities 

Beyond academics, Student Affairs plays a critical role in helping students translate their interests into real-world experiences that allow students to test their interests in various contexts and begin answering important questions about their future. 

Students have access to funding opportunities that support conference travel, immersive language programs abroad, and even emergency funding for international students, much of which is coordinated through Student Affairs. These resources are designed to remove barriers and ensure students can take advantage of opportunities that shape their academic and professional trajectories. 

Student Affairs also facilitates graduate study abroad programs, a particularly distinctive part of the Korbel experience. Through partnerships with other international relations schools around the world, students can participate in exchange programs while paying the same tuition they would on campus.  

In addition, Debbie and Mayumi also support student organizations and student government by providing guidance and resources that allow students to lead initiatives, build community, and develop leadership skills. 

Building Community and Connection 

While academic and professional development are essential, Student Affairs also plays a central role in ensuring students feel connected to each other, faculty, and the broader Korbel community.  

“What I love about Korbel is that we’re really trying to build a sense of community,” Mayumi said. “We try to make undergrads feel included and evolve the Korbel culture to incorporate students at all levels into the greater community.” 

Throughout the year, the team organizes events designed to bring students together, from larger quarterly outings – like group trips to the theater or trivia nights – to more intimate opportunities such as lunches with the Dean. These moments create space for connection beyond the classroom. 

“There’s so much to get involved with,” Debbie shared.  

For Debbie, among the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing that sense of connection come full circle from orientation to graduation. 

“It’s so exciting to watch students come so far in two years and do such amazing things. I live vicariously through all of them.” she said. “It makes me feel hopeful about this generation and our future seeing these incredible people who care so much and are now so skilled.” 

Approachability and Everyday Support 

If there is one theme that runs through every aspect of Student Affairs, it’s approachability. 

For Debbie, Mayumi, and the entire Student Affairs staff, that means maintaining an open-door policy and making themselves available to students whenever they need support.  

“I love it when students stop by just to say hi,” Debbie said. “More than half of the students I meet with are walk-ins.” 

That consistency is intentional for the team, who understands how overwhelming it can feel to navigate a university, especially for new students. But strong communication and responsiveness can make that experience more manageable, shares Mayumi. 

“I hope I can be the constant support for students so it’s not so overwhelming to deal with everything,” Mayumi said. “I want to be the reassurance for people and the catch-all to direct them where to go.” 

In practice, that accessibility makes a lasting impact. Many students rely on the team not just for answers, but for that sense of reassurance. 

“The Student Affairs team has been instrumental in my experience at Korbel,” said Marisa Leagh Rugg, a second-year MA in International Studies student. “It doesn't matter if I send multiple emails, schedule another follow-up meeting, or just pop in with a question, I consistently leave each interaction with clarity and support. If they don't have the answer, they will always point me in the right direction or reach out on my behalf to gather the information I need.” 

A Commitment That Lasts 

For the Student Affairs team, this work is more than a role – It’s a long-term commitment to students and to the Korbel community. 

“The students always motivate me, as do the people I work with. No matter how good or bad my day is, I always want to show up for them,” said Mayumi. 

She also points to the culture of leadership within Korbel as a key part of that experience. 

“I really love Korbel,” she added. “I love our leadership and am building more ways to get students connected with them. Having worked with Dean Mayer, I have consistently felt the care and transparency that is always there. He really cares, and he addresses areas of growth and opportunities to celebrate.” 

At its core, Korbel’s Student Affairs team is built on a simple idea: Students should never have to navigate their university experience alone. Through academic guidance, professional opportunities, community-building, and everyday support, the team helps ensure that from day one, every student has the tools, relationships, and confidence to succeed.