Hands on Policy Practice: A Look at the MIP Capstone Projects of 2024

Hands on Policy Practice: A Look at the MIP Capstone Projects of 2024

Taiwan, New Zealand, and Sierra Leone are just a few of the places students from the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy are headed this year for their capstone projects.
Students from the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy Class of 2024 brainstorm ideas for their capstone projects in the Policy Impact Studio at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Patrick Laboon

Spring is just around the corner at the Farm, which means it's time for the students in the 2024 cohort of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy program (MIP) to put down the books, roll up their sleeves, and get to work on their capstone projects.

Each year, second-year MIP students participate in the Policy Change Studio, an innovative two-quarter course that is designed to provide students with the know-how to bring about change in the world through hands-on projects. After a year and a half of studying the principles and frameworks of effective policymaking, our students take those ideas out of the classroom and put them into practice in projects sponsored by research groups, NGOs, and policy institutions all over the world.

This year our students are criss-crossing the globe to work on AI governance in Brazil, transportation systems in Ghana, sustainable agriculture in Mongolia, and much more. Keep reading to learn more about each project.

 

We are working with the National Taiwan Ocean University and the Taiwan Law and Technology Association led by Dr. Yachi Chiang (江雅綺) to help strengthen the security and integrity of Taiwan’s undersea cables. Specifically, our focus is on cable resiliency against PRC aggression, given that
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Dwight Knightly, Hamzah Daud, Tabatha Anderson, and Francesca Verville.
Dwight Knightly, Hamzah Daud, Francesca Verville, and Tabatha Anderson

the Taiwanese cables to the Matsu Islands have been cut 27 times, most recently in spring 2023. Our final report and presentation will analyze Taiwan’s current emergency management and resiliency plans, identify areas of improvement, and present solutions to fix these gaps. All of us care deeply about democracy and the rule of law, and the security of Taiwan against PRC aggression is central in the fight for those ideals. Our hope is that this work helps in some small way to improve the security of Taiwan and its people.

 

Combating Online Harms in Young Professionals in New Zealand

Our team is working with Netsafe, an online safety charity, to address online harms faced by 18-30-year-olds of Chinese descent in New Zealand. Netsafe works alongside government and law enforcement to address online safety. Due to a lack of continuity of online safety educational programs, young professionals
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Sebastian Ogando, Raul Ruiz-Solis, Chase Lee, and Aya Purwandaya (not pictured).
Sebastian Ogando, Raul Ruiz-Solis, Chase Lee, and Aya Purwandaya (not pictured)

need resources to be aware of online risks and the best measures to protect themselves. Netsafe has yet to find the most effective way to appeal to this demographic group.

We aim to understand the demographic's most frequently used online platforms, the most common types of online harms, cultural factors, and relevant stakeholders.

 

Understanding Commercial Influence Operations on Social Media from China

Our MIP capstone team is working with DoubleThink Lab in Taiwan to map the ecosystem of People's Republic of China (PRC)-backed commercial influence operations on social media. Currently so-called "dark PR" firms can support PRC
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Nickson Quak, Gaute Friis, Sara Shah, and Elliot Stewart.
Nickson Quak, Gaute Friis, Sara Shah, and Elliot Stewart

disinformation operations with near impunity. We’re particularly interested in how the development of new tools and tactics – like commercial firms’ use of paid influencers, or generative AI – will aid in further obscuring attribution and scaling operations. Our policy recommendations will address how governments, international organizations, and platforms can tackle this issue.

 

Our team is working with the Institute for Technology and Society of Rio de Janeiro (ITS) and the Public Defender's Office (PDO-RJ) in the State of Rio de Janeiro to develop a common governance mechanism for the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI)
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Poramin Insom, Justin Yates, Thay Graciano, and Rosie Lebel.
Poramin Insom, Justin Yates, Thay Graciano, and Rosie Lebel

tools. Our research focuses on how the different state PDOs in Brazil can collaborate and share AI tools to help reduce their demand and better serve their clients. The goal is for AI to be a "shared public infrastructure" that multiple PDOs can use to serve their clients.

 

Creating Accessible, Affordable Transport Systems in Ghana

Our team is working with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development to understand opportunities for commute time relief in Accra's congested traffic. Our current challenge is identifying sources of improvement in the transit system and
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Skylar Coleman, Rosie Ith, and Maya Rosales.
Skylar Coleman, Rosie Ith, and Maya Rosales

integrating solutions available at scale for the public. We aim to recommend policy interventions which reflect local demand, ensuring sustainable, efficient, and accessible transportation solutions for the community.

 

Overgrazing and Climate Change in Mongolia

Our capstone focuses on overgrazing in Mongolia where disruptions to the traditional practices of nomadic tribes threaten grassland health. Disruptions include the free market incentivizing increasing herd sizes and climate change reducing the quantity and diversity of vegetation. In the absence of strong
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Ashwini Thakare, Olivia Hampsher-Monk, Kelsey Freeman, and Sarah Brakebill-Hacke.
Ashwini Thakare, Olivia Hampsher-Monk, Kelsey Freeman, and Sarah Brakebill-Hacke

government interventions, local control of stock numbers, or strong market incentives, herds exceed the grassland carrying capacity in pockets that are becoming increasingly degraded. This threatens nomadic pastoralism, a traditional way of life. With such complex and interlinked drivers to this problem, it has been challenging to isolate the causes we should focus on. We have been working with our partners at The Asia Foundation who are in the early stages of piloting a solution.

 

Solar Mini-grids and Renewable Energy in Sierra Leone

We’re partnering with Sustainable Energy for All, who have identified solar mini-grids as a necessary tool to achieve greater energy access in Sierra Leone. Previous efforts to improve the market for mini-grids have focused on regulatory reform and financial backing from diverse donors. Unfortunately,
Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy students Felipe Galvis-Delgado, Javier Cantu, Pamella Ahairwe, and Ibilola Owoyele.
Felipe Galvis-Delgado, Javier Cantu, Pamella Ahairwe, and Ibilola Owoyele

these interventions have not led to a widespread growth in mini-grid development, as the industry continues to struggle. We hope to further explore the market and regulatory landscape and learn how sub-interventions including cross-subsidization, de-risking investment, demand creation, and other innovative and locally-based solutions may help improve the industry’s viability and aid in increasing access to affordable, renewable energy in Sierra Leone.

 

The Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy

Want to learn more? MIP holds admission events throughout the year, including graduate fairs and webinars, where you can meet our staff and ask questions about the program.

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