RDI Fellows
The Relational Diplomacy Institute (RDI) is currently seeking fellows in the following research areas: Peace-building, Education, Global Health, and Environmental Sustainability. Fellowships are offered for one year with extensions up to three years. Each fellow is required to conduct research to explore the depth of issues, identify best and innovative practices and strategies, and make recommendations which policy-makers, organizations, and individuals can use to empower relationships in order to face and overcome vast challenges across the world.
Applicants are requested to send a two page summary of their proposed research project, resume, cover letter, and two letters of recommendation, including one academic reference and one work-related reference. Applications are due June 1st and fellowship appointments will be made by August 1st. Please note that due to the large volume of inquiries, the Relational Diplomacy Institute will be to respond to candidates if interested. Please be sure that your applications are fully complete.
If you are interested in becoming a RDI Fellow, please email your application to team@relationaldiplomacyinstitute.org.
Current Fellows
Dr. Peggy Bieber-Roberts
Peggy Bieber-Roberts is an associate professor at the American University of Sharjah, UAE, where she teaches social media, multimedia, video production and broadcast journalism. She is a resident of Wyoming. Dr. Bieber-Roberts has worked 13 years abroad, in Turkey as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, in Dubai and Cairo as a journalism and new media professor, currently in Sharjah, and in Edinburgh, UK, as a law student. Bieber-Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Washington, Seattle; LLM in International Law and Human Rights Law from the School of Law, University of Edinburgh, UK; M.A. in Journalism and Telecommunications from the University of Wyoming; and B.S. in Art from Northern State University in South Dakota. Bieber-Roberts’ professional and academic career spans 20 years in higher education, 10 years in newspaper/magazine journalism, 5 years in media management, more than 10 years in grassroots politics, 4 years in government and legislative reporting, and 10 years in public opinion consulting. She worked as a journalist, publisher of a regional press, and reporter for community newspapers, and was co-owner and manager of a city magazine. Bieber-Roberts reported on the Wyoming State Legislative sessions managed a gubernatorial campaign, and served as political public information director. She has extensive experience organizing and supervising community and marketing non-profit and governmental campaigns and worked as a public opinion analyst and project director for the largest public relations firm in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Bieber-Roberts was on a team that won a federal grant and a federal community license to establish a Native American radio station for the Northern Arapaho Tribe on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming. She has taught Native American Oglala Sioux students on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota. She also chaired the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and the Department of Mass Communication at the American University of Sharjah, UAE. Bieber-Roberts has taught video production, multimedia, social media, journalism, public relations, advertising, broadcast journalism, and mass communication courses to graduate and/or undergraduate students at the University of Washington, Seattle; University of Wyoming; Dubai Women’s College of the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE; American University in Cairo, Egypt; and the American University of Sharjah, UAE. She is married to Phil Roberts, Ph.D., J.D., University of Wyoming history professor and attorney at law.
Sherine A. F. Said
Sherine is the founder of AF Development Consulting. She worked closely with leadership teams in public and private sectors, government missions and non-profit organizations. She represented international agencies with clients, business delegations and government officials in the United States of America, Canada and the Middle East.
Ms. Said joined the workforce in 1995 and served as a teaching, research and technical assistant at the American University in Cairo. In her 17-year career, she assumed different roles as a business and economic researcher, reporter, analyst, specialist and consultant. Ms. Said built her reputation for strong work ethic, results oriented, consensus building and an exceptional ability to maintain major client relationships.
Prior to founding her company, Sherine worked as a business development consultant intern at the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance, business analyst and consultant at Venicia Group, economic development and communication consultant at the Canadian International Development Agency and the International Development Research Centre. In addition, she served as a senior economic and trade specialist at the Embassy of the United States of America.
Ms. Said is a member of the Economic Developers Association of Canada. She co-authored and presented two papers on E-commerce at the American University in Cairo and the Cairo University international conferences. She also wrote articles for the International Business Associates Group and the American Chamber of Commerce.
Sherine is a master’s candidate in Local Economic Development at the University of Waterloo. She attended the American University in Cairo and received two bachelor degrees with honors in Business Administration and Economics.