Fulbright scholar Michael Feldman
This fall, I will begin my 10-month term as a Fulbright scholar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a researcher at the Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, the research and training arm of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry, I will study the nexus of security and trade issues within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
As a 2010 Rice University graduate with a degree in political science and Asian studies, I believe I am uniquely prepared to pursue this project. But four years ago, I didn’t foresee the path that would lead me to Malaysia — or anticipate the extent to which the Baker Institute would contribute to my education and shape my future goals.
When I applied to college, I sought an institution where I could develop my passion for international affairs while broadening my intellectual perspective. Friends and family were puzzled by my decision to attend Rice, whose reputation as a science and engineering-oriented university seemed to clash with my principal academic interests. I was, however, drawn to the opportunities offered by the Baker Institute.
My first interaction with the Baker Institute was as a member of the Student Forum, in which I helped plan events for the student body. During my sophomore year I was selected to participate in the Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer in D.C. Policy Research Internship Program, which fully funded my research at the Hudson Institute in Washington. Under the guidance of Hudson scholar Dr. Richard Weitz, I studied the potential for security cooperation between member countries of the ASEAN. That experience prompted my interest in southeast Asian security studies and strengthened my desire to apply for the Fulbright.
The Baker Institute also provides ample resources for Rice students to conduct research on campus. As an intern for Dr. Steven Lewis of the Transnational China Project and Dr. Chris Bronk of the Technology, Society and Public Policy Program, I spent a semester looking at Internet diplomacy initiatives of the Chinese and U.S. governments. My overall college experience was enhanced by their mentorship and their frequent advocacy for me, both at Rice and beyond.
In June, I traveled to Egypt with nine other Rice classmates for the first-ever Baker Institute student colloquium between Rice and the American University in Cairo. There, we shared ideas on conflict prevention with university students from the Arab world. The conference complemented the course I took last spring with Baker Institute founding director Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian on contemporary issues in Middle Eastern politics and society.
As I prepare to continue my educational journey past Rice’s hedges, I recognize that the Baker Institute was fundamental in providing me tools to sharpen my analytical and research skills. Its engagement with the Rice community affords undergraduates a unique occasion to help transform ideas into action.
Michael Feldman, Rice ’10, will travel to Malaysia in September to begin his research as a Fulbright scholar.