Diplomacy Lab
About
LMU is a proud partner of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomacy Lab. Launched in 2013, the Diplomacy Lab is an initiative that taps into the expertise of university faculty and students to engage the public in the work of the State Department and expand its capacity to conduct research on complex global challenges.
Diplomacy Lab at LMU seeks to ignite a brighter world by offering project-based course experiences for students to engage with real-world issues. Over the course of a semester, and in collaboration with State Department officials from around the world, faculty guide students on a broad range of topics (such as computer programming, health, data analytics, history, politics, economics, law, urban planning, psychology and MORE!), which culminate in final (virtual) presentations of the projects to State Department officials.
How to Participate
- Review the list of Diplomacy Lab projects for the upcoming semester. The list has 50-100 projects worldwide, and the options may vary widely across semesters.
- Identify a project for your class within the 2-3 week timeframe for review.
- Follow the instructions and submit a 200 word bid (max) to LMU’s Diplomacy Lab coordinator. The coordinator collects the bids and sends them to the State Department. Please note that once you submit a bid, the university is obligated to complete the project if the bid is accepted.
- Faculty can expect a decision from the State Department within 3-4 weeks.
- Upon acceptance, faculty will work directly with the State Department office that solicited the project and virtually meet with them at least three times throughout the semester.
The State Department may select a limited number of projects for in-person presentations in Washington, D.C. at the end of each academic year. This opportunity is not a requirement of Diplomacy Lab participation. As IPP serves solely as a facilitator of the Diplomacy Lab, the decision for travel and associated costs for this travel must be taken on by the faculty and their department/and or college.
For any questions, please contact LMU’s Diplomacy Lab coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Ramos (jennifer.ramos@lmu.edu).
Current Diplomacy Lab Projects
Congrats to Inas Kelly, professor of economics, and Demian Willette, associate professor of biology, on their successful bids for Diplomacy Lab projects this year!
Fall 2024 - Inas Kelly, Research Experience in Economics
Diplomacy Lab Project: Resilience Matrix: Envisioning a Comprehensive Tool for Assessing Health System Resilience and Sustainability
Spring 2025 - Demian Willette, Principles of Ecology
Diplomacy Lab Project: Economic Valuation of Wildlife and Wild Spaces