Euel Kebebew ('25), an International Relations and History double major, conducted research on how Ethiopia's foreign policy is influenced by global institutions. Euel was mentored by Dr. Valeriya Kamenova (Department of International Relations) and this project was supported by the College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant.
My senior thesis, "Beyond Balancing: Ethiopia’s Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World", investigated how Ethiopia strategically aligns itself with both Western-dominated and non-Western global economic institutions. The thesis was not only rooted in international relations theory but also drew on contemporary diplomatic behavior and institutional participation to make sense of how countries like Ethiopia are navigating an increasingly complex global landscape.
Thanks to the generous support of CURF and the International Relations Program, I had the opportunity to travel to Geneva, Switzerland—a hub for multilateral diplomacy. I conducted interviews with diplomats and senior officials at the World Trade Organization (WTO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), InterPeace, and the permanent missions of countries including Ethiopia, Russia, and South Africa. These conversations revealed how countries craft foreign policy narratives, how institutional politics shape development priorities, and how actors from the Global South are contesting and reformulating the norms of global governance. The interviews also allowed me to better understand the internal tensions and aspirations that inform Ethiopia’s foreign policy decisions.
Beyond the data, this research experience was defined by the relationships it nurtured. My advisor, Dr. Valeriya Kamenova, supported me not just as an academic guide, but as a partner in shaping a fieldwork strategy that respected both rigor and flexibility. The interviewees I met were remarkably generous with their time, often speaking candidly about their personal journeys into diplomacy and the challenges they face in representing their countries on the world stage. I also found unexpected mentorship and camaraderie in my peers—fellow student researchers who read drafts of my work, offered thoughtful critique, and shared their own field experiences with vulnerability and insight. These connections made me feel part of a community of inquiry and reminded me that research is fundamentally a collaborative pursuit.
This project deepened my long-standing interest in diplomacy, law, and global economic governance. Listening to the stories of the people I interviewed helped me see my own aspirations more clearly: I want to work at the intersection of international law and development, where ideas become policies and where policies impact lives. Through this experience, I no longer see my thesis as a purely academic exercise, but as the beginning of a broader journey—one that I hope will continue in the halls of institutions like the WTO or in the negotiation rooms of international development banks.
Interested in reading more first-hand accounts about undergraduate research? Check out the other experiences featured on our Student News Page and Social Media!
Related Articles
My Most Rewarding Academic Experience
Manya Gupta ('25), a Political Science and Economics double major, conducted research on why many Indian households still cook with firewood despite receiving free liquified petroleum gas under government programs. Manya was mentored by Dr. Tariq Thachill (Department of Political Science) and this project was supported by the College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant. Her thesis won one of three university-wide Phi Beta Kappa Best Thesis Awards, shared the Leo S. Rowe Prize for best thesis in comparative politics and international relations, and won the Holden Furber Prize for best undergraduate essay related to South Asia.
Be Willing to Learn, Make Mistakes, and Keep Going
Ryan Tannir ('25), a Biology and Biochemistry double major, conducted research on immunotherapy treatments for cancer. Ryan was mentored by Dr. Leyuan Ma (Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine) and this project was supported by the College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant. Currently, Ryan, is continuing his research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as a Research Technician.