My name is Arthi Yerramilli and I am a junior in the Business School studying supply chain management minoring in psychology.  I have been on staff since my freshman year and this will be my third RUMUN and 6th conference on staff.  To me, IDIA is an excellent place where students of various backgrounds and skill sets can come together and engage in a unique learning experience and develop into leaders and problem solvers.  This will be my second time directing, and I hope this committee provides a unique learning experience for everyone.  As a first time advanced committee director, I hope to take the small committee setting and use it to show you all how business strategy can positively benefit their business, stakeholders, and the general population, while maintaining ethical standards and incorporating what it means to be socially responsible.   Outside of IDIA, I am involved in the business governing association, teaches a business first- year seminar, and I enjoy singing and having adventures.    

In the 21st World Petroleum Congress, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the oil industry will be examined from the standpoint of risk management, human rights, anti-corruption and transparency, and environmental sustainability.  While not limited to these four points, students will examine and discuss these aspects as they pertain to benefiting the global population as energy demands and the population increase.  Students will look at past examples and case studies and propose ways to be transparent and ethical while maintaining a competitive advantage, an issue that has remained controversial for many years.

See you in November!

Arthi

My name is Sharlene Mae Laud and I am Rutgers rising senior, majoring in Political Science with minors in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Policy, Institutions, and Behavior. In high school I was an active MUN delegate, and this will be my tenth IDIA conference on staff. In terms of international affairs, I am particularly interested in human trafficking, South East Asia, human rights, and the environment. When I am not at class, work, club meetings, or church, I can be found watching one of my favorite television programs – The Office, Big Bang Theory, or How I Met Your Mother. I am also known to enjoy a good cup of coffee and a cupcake! 

At Rutgers Model United Nations Conference 2012 I am directing the Indian Cabinet. The committee is non-traditional in the sense that the delegates will be assigned positions in the Indian Cabinet and will have a less structured form of debate without using parliamentary procedure. As a country with a notoriously ever-growing population, the conference’s theme “8 Billion Reasons for Change” is of particular importance to the nation of India. We will be examining economic, political, social, and environmental issues facing India while keeping in mind the interests of our growing population. Although the conference is a few months away, I am looking forward to the dynamic and exciting committee that is the Indian Cabinet! 

I encourage you to utilize the committee page prior to the conference. I will use it to communicate and post resources with the committee prior to the conference.  Also, feel free to use the forum for discussion and share interesting resources with each other! Please feel free to email me at slaud@eden.rutgers.edu if you have any questions about the committee, MUN, Rutgers, or anything at all that you think I can help you with! 

- Sharlene Laud

My name is Katherine Chang and I will be your director for the Chinese Politboro!  I am currently a senior at Rutgers University, with a double major in Economics and Chinese and a minor in Political Science. I attended my first Model UN conference in the sixth grade, and have been in love with it ever since. During my time as a delegate, I learned a lot about politics, cooperation, and life in general. In wanting to pass on these experiences to the next generation, I joined IDIA in my first year at Rutgers, and have remained a staff member on IDIA conferences from then on. When I’m not working on my senior thesis or applying to law schools, I spend my free time catching up with old friends, traveling, and learning languages.

In the midst of the extensive buildup of the nation’s population issue, the growing demands of global affairs, and the uncertainty of changing times, the Chinese Politburo will attempt to maintain economic and social stability while simultaneously advancing its position in the world. As the pinnacle of the Chinese government, the Politburo has the power to affect change in not own its own internal affairs, but also in foreign relations as well. While revisiting the current economic, energy, and national security policies, among others, Politburo members will need to consider domestic concerns, relevant global actors, and the members’ own personal roles and interests in the government.

See you in November!

Katherine

My name is Aniket Kesari!  I will be your Director of the Steering Committee of the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40).  This will be the second committee that I have directed for an IDIA conference.  Otherwise, I have been an active part of staff by either directing or being a member of Conference Simulation Services (CSS).  RUMUN 2012 will be my seventh conference on staff, and I could not be more excited for it!

When I joined IDIA in my freshman year, it was a natural extension of my high school involvement in Model United Nations and Model Congress.  I have always had an interest in international affairs and debating, and I wanted to see what it would be like to be on the staffing side of things.  Since then it has become an important part of my life and the place where I have met so many of my best friends here at Rutgers.  I look forward to every Monday night meeting and every conference because I get to spend time with some of the best people I have ever known!

I am currently studying history and political science at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences.  I also participate in the Rutgers University Association of International Relations (RUAIR), which is the organization that participates in intercollegiate Model UN conferences. 

If you get to know me outside of school, you will find that my one true passion outside of politics and international relations is television sitcoms.  I follow anywhere between eight and ten TV shows at any given time, and I have watched countless others over the past few years.  Some of my favorite shows include Three’s Company, Frasier, Friends, Scrubs, and The Big Bang Theory.  One of my dreams is to go to Los Angeles and watch a live taping of one of my favorite shows!

In regards to our committee and topic, we will be “Implementing a Path for Sustainable Development.”  The committee will use expert testimony, technical reports, and public policy to find innovative ways to make large cities more sustainable, efficient, and lively.  We will be discovering the impact of economics, culture, and politics on urban development and exploring ways to fashion policies in effective ways.

Regards,

Aniket

My name is Aisha Van Pratt and I’ll be your chair for WHO in RUMUN ’12. First of all I want to let you all know that I’m really excited to meet you! Since I also want all of you to be equally excited for RUMUN ’12 and our committee, I’ll let you know a little bit more about myself.

I am currently a junior at Rutgers, majoring in Cultural Anthropology, with minors in Women and Gender Studies and Biology. I am also a pre-med student and plan on attending medical school after I graduate from Rutgers. I love playing and watching soccer and volleyball (I actually played both in high school). I’m a vegetarian and I looove Mediterranean, Mexican, and Indian food! I also love photography and film and the way both can be used to represent and evoke critical thinking, but emotions at the same time. They’re both hobbies of mine along with sewing, music, learning about new and amazing things, and traveling.

I’m not a New Jersey local (although I like to consider it home now). I was born in California, but I grew up in Mexico. I moved from Tijuana/San Diego to New Jersey in the summer of 2008, and started my senior year of high school in Franklin High School. I’ve been in the East Coast ever since. My interests in medicine go beyond my delight for the sciences. I’m definitely a people-person and because of this I’m always interested in the multiple social, cultural, economic, and political factors that play into the idea of “health/disease,” and the access to health cross-culturally. This should more or less give you a clue of what to expect for our committee’s focus.

We will be exploring the topic of Sexual and Reproductive rights and the factors that affect the way they are socially perceived. Likewise, we will look at how the social perception about them affects people and their communities at an international level. Your task as delegates will be to analyze—as thoroughly as possible—the various social and medical factors surrounding the question of sexual and reproductive rights, as well as how can health conditions involving and surrounding them be improved.

We will also be looking at epidemic and pandemic preparedness.  While the last decade has seen over a billion people added to the global population, it has also seen disease outbreaks like 2002 SARS pandemic and the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic.  With over seven billion people now inhabiting the Earth, the possibility for disease transmission has never been higher.  Delegates in the WHO will have to evaluate the current state of disease prevention and formulate a plan to bolster current defense systems. 

I hope you all are looking forward to this conference as I am!

Best of luck and see you soon!

Aisha Van Pratt

My name is Anna Boffice and I will be directing the Committee on UN Reform for RUMUN 2012. I am really excited to be directing this committee, and I hope it will a valuable learning experience. I am currently a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences here at Rutgers. My majors are Visual Art and Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Italian Studies. I am a part of Douglass Residential College and currently live in the Human Rights House as part of their global village. I also participate in various Douglass mentorship programs. This conference will be my 7th conference on staff, and it will be my second time directing.  My first time directing was an amazing experience, and I’m sure this committee will be equally as rewarding.

Our first topic will discuss reform of the humanitarian aid system.  The past decade has been marked by calls for a reform of the UN system.  At the heart of this reform lies the humanitarian aid system, one of the principal missions of the UN.  Delegates in the Ad-Hoc Committee on UN Reform will be tasked with evaluating the current state of the humanitarian aid system and develop an action plan to make the system more responsive, more consistent, and more effective. 

I hope this committee will be intellectually stimulating, exciting, and, of course, tons of fun. IDIA conferences provide extremely rare opportunities for delegates and staff alike to advance their global citizenship and develop valuable life skills. If there are any questions about the topics, committee procedure, how to prepare, or anything conference related, please don’t hesitate to email me at aboffice@eden.rutgers.edu.

Looking forward to RUMUN 2012!

Anna

My name is Marlana Moore and I will be your director for UN-Habitat at RUMUN 2012!  I am extremely excited because despite being on staff multiple times, this will be my directing. I am a senior at the School of Arts & Sciences studying art history and urban planning. I’m especially interested in urban issues, which is why I can’t wait to see the types of solutions you all come up with.  Outside of IDIA, I work at the Plangere Writing Center and seeking out a pet corgi. 

About sustainable strategies for slum upgrading, since the mid-20th century the developing world has been urbanizing exponentially. Consequently, much of this new urban landscape is overtaken by slums where inhabitants lack basic services such as adequate shelter, clean water and sanitation. Despite a variety of efforts over the past forty years, conditions have not gotten better for slum dwellers. This committee will evaluate the successes and failures of past initiatives in order to promote healthy strategies for slum upgrading that can be maintained over time.

We will also be evaluating risk and disaster management.  In the last decade, the world has watched as the global population has grown by over one billion people.  In that same decade, the world has experienced disasters like the 2011 Japan earthquake, 2011 East African drought, and the 2004 South Asian tsunami.  As the population continues to increase, the death toll of these disasters will continue to go up, making the need for risk and disaster management of utmost importance.  Delegates in UN-Habitat will need to debate various strategies to better manage these disasters and provide adequate shelter for those effected by it.

Good luck with your research and I can’t wait for November!

Marlana

My name is Shreya and I will be serving as your director for UNFPA at RUMUN 2012!  I am a sophomore at Rutgers majoring in political science and public policy.  I’m very excited about directing UNFPA this year as it will be my first time directing for an IDIA conference.  I have been doing Model UN since I was in high school.  IDIA has become a special organization to me because it is something I have been a part of as a delegate in high school, and now as a new director in college.  It has contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in international politics and development, which I hope can do the same for all of you.  I hope you all enjoy being a part of this committee and I look forward to hearing your debate and ideas over the course of the weekend!

In regards to our first topic, with the world population having reached 7 billion people this past year, population management is much more pertinent than it has been in years past and will continue to be a topic of international importance as the population continues to grow.  The UNFPA must come to a consensus about which types of population policies are effective and should be utilized by different states.  Population policies can either fall into the restrictive model or an empowering model, leading to much debate about what the best solution would be.

Our second topic will evaluate youth unemployment.  Youth unemployment has been consistently high for the last few decades. Since the economic recession of 2008 however, it has shot up to an alarming rate, with the current rate three times that of adult unemployment. Many times states neglect the needs and concerns of their younger population in order to address the needs of their older constituents. The lack of investment in the youth has detrimental effect for the long run however since these younger individuals are not able to work to their full potential;. In developed states, increased inactivity, lack of job security or even lack of successful entry into the labor force by the youth has contributed protest movements and demands for labor reforms. In developing states, the lack of sustainable employment opportunities has contributed to more young people falling into the working poverty. As the struggle to participate in the labor market and to make decent income intensifies, young people will only feel more socially excluded and politically marginalized. As such, socio-economic inequalities will only be perpetuated and will continue to hinder states from achieving long-term economic development.

Good luck to everyone and I will see you in November!

Shreya

My name is Neha Parikh and I will be your director for the United Nations Development Program.  For years in both middle school and high school, I participated in Model U.N. Joining IDIA was different, because I wouldn’t actually compete, but I think I like it better. I like seeing topics come to life, and how passionate students are about what they are debating because it reminds me of my days as a delegate. As a first time director, I cannot wait to see how well my students will handle these two topics. I hope that my students will like the topics as much as I do, and I look forward to seeing some lively and substantive debate! Outside of IDIA, I am in a pre-law fraternity which is starting to prepare me well for both attending law school and becoming a lawyer. Additionally, I like to dance outside of IDIA because for nine years, I took lessons in Odissi, which is a form of Indian classical dance.

Our first topic will evaluate the relationship between population growth and environmental degradation. Population growth causes environmental degradation, which in turn causes environmental migration. As millions of people flee from harmful environments, they move to cities and cause a depletion of resources and a spike in population in their new residence.

In regards to our topic about alternative development, drugs, together with organize crime, jeopardize the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Alternative development measures attempt to get rid of illicit crops, but have been met with criticism because sometimes they cause more problems than they fix. Therefore, effective measures must consider socio-economic and political aspects of alternative development.

See you all in November!

Neha

My name is Ilya Grabylnikov and I am a junior at Rutgers University majoring in microbiology and biochemistry.  I have been actively participating in Model UN since my freshman year of high school and have developed a passion for it since.  RUMUN holds a special place in my heart as it was the first non-mock conference that I attended as a delegate.  Being a member of IDIA has fostered an appreciation for international relations as well as allowed me to develop my critical thinking and public speaking skills.  In my leisure time I enjoy competitive swimming, reading, video games, and physician shadowing.

            In regards to our first topic, the concept of trade liberalization in LDCs is paramount to the overall prosperity and security of not only individual nations, but entire regions and ultimately the world.  In the WTO, students will utilize various innovative strategies for trade streamlining and liberalization in order to promote growth in LDCs.  Students will also be expected to collaborate on solutions that take into account both their respective national policies as well as individual nuances of specific LDCs introduced in committee.

Our second topic will evaluate the transit systems in LLDCs.  Development of the transit systems in LLDCs serves a multifaceted purpose of both reducing the cost of goods transport and improving the quality of life in the general population. In this committee students will assess various scenarios in which transit system development plays both an economic, and national security role. By evaluating pre-existing transit frameworks and anticipating the need for future development, students will be able to understand the pivotal role of transit systems in regional and global economics.

I wish you all the best of luck and I look forward to meeting you all in November!

Regards,

Ilya