Throughout the APP process, Ky Schardein had the opportunity to explore his passions for global governance and human rights, U.S. foreign policy, and international affairs. Working with USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, Ky developed insights and innovations into addressing the growing threat of digital repression and authoritarianism worldwide. As global internet governance has fragmented over the past decade, oppressive regimes are increasingly undermining human rights by weaponizing digital tools and tactics to surveil and censor their populations and spread disinformation.

Through careful consideration of factors such as cost, generalizability, and political feasibility, Ky ultimately recommended that USAID renew and expand an existing program that provides in-depth analysis of each country’s digital landscape to inform effective interventions. Ky was particularly interested in ensuring potential interventions worked across varying contexts. “As my research progressed, the thing that became increasingly evident was that while there are common trends, the dynamics of each state really matter. Looking at a global perspective, there needs to be a response that is flexible enough and adaptive enough to local conditions that could work in very diverse settings.”

Ky credited the strong foundation he developed through his policy analysis coursework, the opportunities Batten afforded him to connect with experts in national security, global media, and democratization, and the support of faculty experts Noah Myung and Andrew Pennock for the success of his project. Citing the “complementary threads that came together” throughout the APP process, Ky’s collaboration with USAID highlights the importance of accounting for the realities of diverse infrastructures and legal frameworks when developing and implementing international policies and practices.

As the global landscape continues to evolve, the need for effective collaboration between nations has never been more pressing. In his report prepared for the East Asia Office of the U.S. Department of Defense, Conrad Furlich examined the complex international dynamics at play, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region. His APP delved into the rising security challenges in this area and explored potential solutions to strengthen stability through enhanced partnerships.

The core problem Conrad identified is that while NATO has engaged in bilateral cooperation with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea (informally known as the Indo-Pacific Four or IP4), it has not fully leveraged the potential of multilateral engagement to combat security challenges such as cyber warfare and the enhanced military coordination amongst opposing forces.

With the support of Battenfaculty members Dan Player and Annie Rorem, Conrad explored feasible opportunities to enhance international security. Building upon his detailed examination of geopolitics and evidence-based considerations of the complex tradeoffs associated with potential paths forward, Conrad relied on interviews with experts such as U.S. Institute of Peace’s Mirna Galic to inform his approach.

“They gave me perspective into not just what NATO sees as possible, but what the IP4 participants see as in their best interests, and how they differ and compliment each other.” With that in mind, Conrad ultimately recommended the establishment of liaison offices in the region to help maximize the benefits of multilateral cooperation while minimizing the risk of increased deterrence, first with Australia and eventually with all four IP4 countries. The benefits of this phased approach include facilitating enhanced coordination while allowing NATO to build trust, demonstrate value, and adjust course as needed based on initial results and evolving dynamics.

Adaptive leadership is a core component of Batten’s curriculum, which, along with Associate Professor Alexander Bick’s coursework on the war in Ukraine, helped Conrad identify feasible opportunities to advance progress in an ever-changing landscape. “I was initially thinking really big, about what the perfect solution might be if we didn’t have to worry about the repercussions. But it was those classes that taught me to think about how foreign policy moves gradually and in concert with different countries. You can’t just do everything all at once, you have to have a deep understanding of how policy actually gets enacted.”

Through his APP experience, Conrad was able to deepen his understanding of the intricate geopolitical landscape while bringing together his passions for both the analytic and human-centered components of policy analysis. His experience showcases the value of rigorous analysis, expert collaboration, and adaptive problem-solving in navigating an increasingly complex world.

Zooming in to challenges and opportunities in South America, Marina Peebles worked with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to bolster counternarcotics efforts in Colombia. Despite sustained investment in supply reduction policies, coca cultivation in Colombia has nearly tripled in the past decade—leading to the presence of more cocaine in the global market and contributing to increases in gang-related violence, addiction, cocaine-related overdoses, and general instability around the world.

Noting the support she received from her classmates, her Batten APP instructors Lucy Bassett and Brian Williams, and experts in the field, Marina proposed a dual-track approach. First, she recommended expanding USAID’s initiative to grant land titles to farmers who voluntarily eradicate their coca crops, providing sustainable opportunities for Colombian farmers to transition to legal livelihoods.

Thinking about the history of Colombia and the realities faced by its residents, Marina also needed to center long-term sustainability. “The political regime changes so often that many efforts don’t last beyond a couple years. How do you make policies last beyond a political office change, both in Colombia and the U.S., and how can you build trust in government to ensure continuity?” With that in mind, Marina proposed bolstering U.S. support for rural security and development in coca-growing regions to build public trust and deter drug-trafficking organizations. By coupling economic opportunity with a focus on facilitating trust in government, this strategy seeks to mitigate the destabilizing effects of the cocaine trade by supporting affected populations in Colombia while advancing domestic security and public health objectives.

When asked about how she chose to focus on this multifaceted issue, Marina spoke to her background experience and the support she received at Batten to pursue an internship with the Office of National Drug Control Policy prior to her APP. “I had volunteered with a clinic that distributed Narcan and had been interested in the fentanyl epidemic, but that was more domestically focused, and I had a lot to learn.” Through the internship she found through Batten Career Services, and later through her APP, Marina discovered a new passion. “I learned to love counternarcotics because it touches so many other aspects of policy. Yes, economic policy, but also healthcare, rebuilding after conflict, humanitarian aid, international relations, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and education. What I gained the most from delving deep into this was realizing how policy doesn’t exist in silos… it's so dynamic and touches so many different aspects of humanity.”