Our World FACULTY Iceland
In From the Cold
USC Dornsife’s Professor Steven Lamy travels to Reykjavik, Iceland, to present his views on Arctic security in the context of climate change during the first global forum to discuss cooperation on major issues impacting the region.
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STUDENTS Ireland Moeka Komachi has been interested in the inner workings of the mind since her high school years in Hong Kong. She began her inquiry when she selected psychology as her concentration for an International Baccalaureate program. Now an international student in the Master of Science in Applied Psychology program at USC Dornsife, Komachi’s success as an undergraduate took her to Dublin, Ireland, where she participated in the 2013 Undergraduate Global Summit. Her invitation came after the Undergraduate Awards, an international program, named her Highly Commended in Social Innovation. The award stemmed from her research at a special needs school in Hong Kong, where she helped children with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder learn English. Typically, students would have to memorize words and phrases — a challenging undertaking for dyslectics. “I was frustrated with the way children would come in hating learning a language because of the way it was taught,” Komachi said. “That was the inspiration.” In Ireland, Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Oisín Quinn presented her with the award. Now, Komachi is continuing to study how psychology can improve the human experience.
U G A N D A P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M O L LY B E C K E R T
As climate change melts the polar ice caps, threatening wildlife, disrupting the food chain and affecting indigenous cultures, it has also created economic opportunities by opening up new shipping routes and accelerated the scramble for the region’s valuable oil and mineral deposits. As a result, the Arctic, one of the world’s coldest regions, is transforming into a metaphorical global hotspot, which many predict could be the site of major international conflict. While Steven Lamy, professor of international relations and vice dean of academic programs at USC Dornsife, does not share this pessimistic view, he believes the region faces serious challenges. He presented his analysis of Arctic security issues at the first Arctic Circle Assembly, a global forum for international cooperation on Arctic issues held in October 2013 in Reykjavik, Iceland. “It was refreshing to see a thousand people there, all of whom are concerned about the Arctic,” Lamy said. From 40 nations, attendees included political and business leaders, indigenous representatives, nongovernmental and environmental representatives, policy leaders, scientists, activists and students. As a member of the Northern Research Forum, an international group interested in Arctic academic policy issues, Lamy’s presentation addressed the politirepercussions of dealing with cal and military complex issues of sovereignty and governance in the region. “Unlike Antarctica, which has no sovereignty issues, when you look at the Arctic region, there are states that fall inside the Arctic Circle and have legitimate claims of sovereignty,” Lamy said. This raises questions of who will govern the area. “I believe the Arctic Council is the way to go but I think you’ve got to give it some teeth,” Lamy said, adding that the United States suffers from too much political polarization at home to take a leading role in the Arctic.
ALUMNI Uganda While studying abroad in the northern Uganda city of Gulu, Molly Beckert learned that children were dropping out of the nearby primary school at a high rate. “Families were faced with whether to send their children to school or to work so they could help feed their family,” Beckert said. After earning her bachelor’s in international relations … in 2010, Beckert worked with volunteers in Gulu and founded the nonprofit Echoing Good, which raised funds to create a sustainable farm at the Okwir Primary School. The 10-acre farm feeds more than 300 children per day — and school attendance has doubled. “We found that a meal every day is enough incentive for parents to send their children to school,” she said. “Kids who had dropped out are now in class every day.”