The Sam
Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) has joined
Diplomacy Lab, a
public-private partnership with the United States (U.S.) Department of
State that engages academic expertise to address real-world foreign
policy challenges and inform policymaking.
Through this collaboration, students participate in experiential learning by working in teams to develop research solutions for projects proposed by the State Department. During the semester, students interact directly with federal officials to contribute to the policy process and explore careers in diplomacy.
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| Laura Iesue, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology |
For the college’s inaugural Diplomacy Lab project, graduate students in
Laura Iesue’s Perspectives in Criminology course are working with the Diplomatic
Security Service in Brazil. Their project, titled “From Classrooms to
Criminal Organizations: Investigating the Link Between Primary Schooling and
Gang Activity,” analyzes data to support international security efforts.
“Through this project, students are developing an executive
summary that examines what the research tells us about the relationship between
schools, delinquency and gang activity in Brazil,” said Iesue. “They are
drawing on criminological theory and research from the U.S. and internationally
to identify findings that may be useful for understanding and addressing these
issues in practice.”
In addition to applying criminological theory to a
real-world policy question, students are learning how to work with research
evidence, collaborate as a team, communicate findings clearly and translate
academic research into a format that can be useful to policymakers. The project
also offers an opportunity to see how criminology connects to international
policy, diplomacy and national security.
“This class and Iesue provided the possibility of doing something
challenging in a structured, digestible method,” said student Katherine Planck.
“Because of that, this course has given me the incredible opportunity to not
only hone my communication and team-building skills but has also reframed my
understanding of what career paths I would like to follow in the future.”
Iesue hopes the project helps students recognize that
criminology can be applied beyond traditional criminal justice settings and
that international policy work represents a potential career path for students
in the field.
“I want students to see how academic research, like journal articles and
book chapters, shapes criminal justice policies globally. This helps them turn
complex criminological theories and data into practical applications,” she
said. “Ultimately, I hope this global perspective encourages them to reflect on
their work in the U.S. and to thoughtfully consider how these insights could
influence or improve their daily approach to justice.”
With the initiative now underway at SHSU, faculty interested
in the Diplomacy Lab can contact Laura Iesue at lti002@shsu.edu to join an internal information list for future project
updates. Project bidding for the spring 2027 cycle is currently active, with
the initial deadline scheduled for September 29, 2026. Faculty who join the
contact list will receive direct email notifications when the State Department
releases new project menus and upcoming bid timelines.
“Although our first project is based in COCJ, Diplomacy Lab
is not limited to criminal justice. The projects are interdisciplinary and
include issues related to security, public health, sociology, communication and
many other areas,” said Iesue. “I encourage faculty across SHSU to look at the
projects and think about where their expertise could contribute to a real-world
policy question.”