Undergraduate News

Many undergraduate students at the UW are involved in studies and projects relating to Canada. Following are articles by students from a variety of departments and schools relaying their experiences and how involvement with the Center and enhanced study of Canada is benefiting them academically and professionally.

	The Circumpolar World - Summer 2009 George Roth, Geography
	Arctic Governance Task Force Presents at Research Symposium - Spring 2009 Kristen Olsen, International Studies
	University of the Arctic Council Meeting - Spring 2008 Naama Sheffer, International Studies
	Crossing Borders Conference - Winter 2008 Lu Jiang, Business, UW Tacoma
	Undergrad Research - Winter 2008 Shirley Henderson, International Studies LinhPhung Huynh, International Studies / Political Science
	Internship Experience - Fall 2007 Myles Brenner, Political Science

The Circumpolar World

George at Snæfellsjökull, Iceland, the volcano known as the starting point in Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

By George Roth

George Roth, a junior in Geography, first became interested in the Arctic last summer through a UW Exploration Seminar in Greenland. He is currently the UW’s first student enrolled in the Circumpolar Minor through the Center. He spent this last summer in Iceland.

I just returned from an independent trip around Iceland in August, exploring everywhere from cities like Reykjavik and Akureyri to the fjords, waterfalls, and lava fields that lie in between. It's a kind of personal goal of mine, to visit and learn about as much of the Arctic as I can. It's so isolated and beautiful, but at the same time extremely dynamic, and more often than not, its fate depends on decisions made far to the south. I'm very excited to be starting in the Bachelor in Circumpolar Studies this fall, because I believe that students with a strong, interdisciplinary background in the Arctic will become the future's key scientific, political, and cultural links between the North and South.

George is enrolled in “Introduction to the Circumpolar World “ that introduces students to the landscape, peoples and issues of the circumpolar region and “Land and Environment I” that provides a more in-depth understanding of the lands and environments that defines the Circumpolar North, as well as the key issues involving interaction between humans and environment.

The Circumpolar Minor project has been supported, in part, by funding from the Center’s Program Enhancement Grant, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

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Arctic Governance Task Force Presents at Research Symposium

By Kristen Olsen

Kristen Olson just graduated with an undergraduate degree in International Studies. She was part of the Winter Quarter Task Force on Arctic Sovereignty and wrote her chapter on Russia’s involvement in the Arctic. Kristen just left Seattle to serve with Teach for America.

Members of the Task Force on Arctic Sovereignty, Kristen Olson, Gus Andreasen and Andrew Schwartz, presented their research on "Arctic Sovereignty and Governance" at the Twelfth Annual UW Undergraduate Student Symposium.

The Twelfth Annual UW Undergraduate Student Symposium is an opportunity for undergraduates to showcase exciting fields of research to fellow students, UW faculty, and community members. Presenting my group’s Task Force research at the 2009 Symposium was an unforgettable academic experience.

During winter quarter I had the privilege of working with a dynamic group of thirteen peers under the mentorship of two outstanding faculty members to produce a Task Force on Arctic Sovereignty and Governance. Task Force is a senior capstone project for students at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies where students work in an intensive group setting to produce a 200-300 page set of policy recommendations regarding pressing real world problems.

Our Task Force focused on the future of circumpolar relations among state and non-state actors in the Arctic, and contained extensive chapter analyses of environmental, legal, state, and indigenous concerns in the rapidly changing Arctic. For instance, one of the report’s chapters explored the tensions among and cooperation between the US and Canada over the Northwest Passage.

The primary reason our team wanted to present at the symposium was because of our exciting research expedition to Ottawa, where our team had unparalleled access to leading scientists, diplomats, Inuit leaders, and international lawyers expert in Arctic affairs. Our presentation at the symposium focused on our Ottawa insights, the catalysts for researching Arctic affairs such as climate change, an overview of the key state and non-state stakeholders, and examples of current hot-button issues such as Russia’s continental shelf claim.

As the coordinator of our group’s symposium presentation, author of the Russia chapter for our Task Force, and a graduating senior from the UW, I can say with confidence on behalf of my team that the symposium and Task Force experiences will propel all group members towards greater success academically and professionally.

The Task Force on Arctic Sovereignty and research trip to Ottawa was supported, in part, by funding from the Center’s Program Enhancement Grant, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and Title VI grant, US Department of Education, Office of International Education and Graduate Program Services.

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University of Arctic Council Meeting - Spring 2008

By Naama Sheffer

I'm a junior in the General International Studies major at the Jackson School, the Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Peace and Security track. (I previously lived in Tel Aviv where I studied filmmaking.) Among other things, I'm interested in current developments in the Arctic, including related issues of progression of Arctic melt, territoriality and sovereignty, natural resources, transportation and development, security, circumpolar international relations and changes in international law.

In early June, as an Affiliated Undergraduate student with the Canadian Studies Center, I had the privilege to attend the University of the Arctic's 11th Council meeting at the Circumpolar Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton. At the meetings UW was voted in as a member institution. Attending the meeting allowed me to meet representatives of many educational institutions from countries with arctic territories, and to get acquainted with the opportunities that membership in the organization will present to UW students. I was extremely impressed with the good will and eagerness to cooperate in the circumpolar academic community.

The conversations I had with experts and educational leaders were enlightening. I received technical information and educated opinions on the issues I'm directly interested in, and I also gained insight into the lives and concerns of those living in the Arctic. As a result, I now have a sense of how the global-scale issues that I'm interested in might affect those people living in the region, and a sense of how they might affect the international processes I'm researching.

Many school representatives were eager to form relationships with UW and its students. The welcoming invitations to visit their institutions or to do an exchange program (with promises of warm hospitality!) were quite enticing, and realizing which institute was involved in which area of study was great - it seems that membership in UArctic will open up many valuable opportunities for UW students who are interested in anything from scientific research, indigenous studies, European, Russian or Canadian studies, development, sovereignty, and self-rule issues, to new media education methods, cold climate technology, environmental management, language study, international cooperation and relations, etc. Like many UW students, I am looking forward to taking advantage of some of what UW membership in UArctic will offer.

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2nd Annual Crossing Borders Conference - Issues and Resolutions 

By Lu Jiang

On March 7th, the 2nd Annual Crossing Borders Conference sponsored by the Canadian Consulate, Seattle, was held in the Henry Art Gallery on the UW campus. Out of almost 60 applications, 16 participants were chosen from Canadian and US institutions, including two UW students – Lu Jiang, a major in Business Administration and history minor, and Sandley Chou, a double major in International Studies and history and a UW Honors student. Sandley presented on the melting of the Northwest Passage and the intensifying debate over sovereignty of the Arctic waters. Lu and her teammate, John Kardosh, University of Alberta, presented on the Canada-U.S. border and border security, winning $250 each in prize money for their performance.

UW’s Lu Jiang and teammate John Kardosh, University of Alberta, won prizes for their presentation on Canada-US border and border security.

I was selected to attend the 2008 Crossing Borders Conference, where 16 students from United States and Canada debated current critical issues facing both nations. The topic I was assigned was border security and its implication for the trans-national relationship between Canada and United States.

I entered this competition because I felt that there should be greater exposure and dialogue between the US and one of our closest neighbors – Canada. In my opinion our mainstream media often neglect our northern neighbor. Indeed, Americans’ lack of familiarity with Canada is quite disconcerting. Just days before the competition, my business professor asked a class of 40 capstone business students, “What is the capital of Canada?” No one, including me, knew the answer. I think it is time for me (and all Americans) to stop taking this easy friendship for granted. 

The competition was a great experience. Judges were professors and researchers who are experts in their field. After each side presented its argument, judges and moderators had 45 minutes to ask questions and look for weaknesses in the arguments. The questions were direct, sharp and tough.  I’ve never been as uncomfortable as when former State Attorney General and former Senator, Slade Gorton “grilled” us regarding the implications of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which aims to increase border security. (Keep in mind that Gorton is on the 9/11 commission panel which proposed WHTI.)  But overall I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.

I did not win the individual grand prize of $1000. John and I won the team prize receiving $250 each. An assortment of other non-monetary gifts and prizes were generously awarded to us by the Canadian Consulate. In conclusion, I believe there needs to be more opportunities like the 2008 Crossing Borders Conference so that my generation can communicate and strengthen our relationship with our neighbors.

The Crossing Borders Student Conference was co-sponsored by the Canadian Studies Center with funding from a US Department of Education, Title VI grant.

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Canada: Morality and Justice in the 21st Century

Shirley Henderson and LinhPhung Huynh

LinhPhung Huynh is a sophomore majoring in International Studies and Political Science. Shirley Henderson is a senior, also majoring in International Studies. Both are students of the SISME 420 International Humanitarian Law course taught by Frederick Lorenz, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies.

Professor Andy Knight (front row), Political Science, University of Alberta, provides CanadaÂ’s perspective on humanitarian law in Professor Rick Lorenz (back row) course, SISME 420 International Humanitarian Law. Rick and Andy are joined by the members of the "Canada Team." From left: Shirley Henderson, LinhPhung Huynh, Erina Aoyama, and Fiona Gillan.

Morality and justice are frequently discussed norms in SISME 420, a UW course about International Humanitarian Law. Not coincidentally, CanadaÂ’s role in promoting humanitarian values has been part of this discussion. Canada is a world leader in promoting and establishing institutions that foster international humanitarian norms, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Ottawa Convention to ban landmines.

Erina Aoyama, Fiona Gillan, Shirley Henderson, and LinhPhung Huynh did extensive research on Canada’s leadership in the aforementioned international institutions for their SISME 420 class presentations. As part of their research, the students met with Professor Andrew Knight of the University of Alberta. Professor Knight stressed Canada’s strength as a “norm entrepreneur.” He stated that Canada is heavily involved in many organizations, treaties, and conventions that promote human security as a norm. This is especially important as human security becomes increasingly threatened by the changing face of conflict in the 21st century, leaving women, children, and the unarmed vulnerable.

Canada and other medium-sized states are rallying the world around these moral standards. In contrast to the United StatesÂ’ use of hard power, Canada believes in the effectiveness of soft power, motivating others through ideas, values, and persuasion. This is an important lesson for the future of US foreign policy as soft power is proving itself increasingly effective, showcased in the achievements of the ICC and the Ottawa Convention.

Professor Andy KnightÂ’s visit was made possible by funding from the University of Alberta and the CenterÂ’s US Department of Education, Title VI grant.

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Interning at the Canadian Consulate

By Myles Brenner

Myles Brenner is a major in Political Science and spent Fall Quarter as an intern for the Canadian Consulate, Seattle.

Myles skiing at Whistler mountain in British Columbia.

As a political science major, my studies have been focused on the theoretical side of international relationships and politics. The hands-on experience in political and economic relations that I have had at the Consulate will be invaluable for my future enterprises. I see my internship as being a valuable on-the-job experience that has helped to develop business and communication skills, while enhancing my resume and possibly opening doors to future career opportunities. My aspirations are to be involved in international relations and trade, and it is my hope that performing this internship will be somewhat of a springboard into those fields. The opportunity to work alongside people who deal with international relations and trade everyday and to ask questions about how it all works has been remarkable.

There were some perks to the job, and it just so happens that I was able to be a part of two very important projects with high profile attendees. It's not everyday that an undergraduate college student gets to be involved in a discussion with such people as the Honourable Michael Wilson, Canada's Ambassador to the United States. Accepting an internship at the Consulate General of Canada has provided me with a unique perspective on US-Canada relations that will have a lasting value. The relationship between Canada and the US is quite possibly the best between any two nations in the world - they are each other's largest trading partner particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Given that I am a resident of this region, I think it is vital to recognize Canada's influence here. My internship provided me with the opportunity to do just that.

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