Dr. Richard Friman

Professor of political science; Eliot Fitch Chair for International Studies

An author of seven books on international affairs and transnational justice and a former fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., Dr. Richard Friman can now add Way Klingler Fellow to his list of accolades. Awarded annually, Way Klingler Fellows in the humanities receive $20,000 annually for three years to pursue critical research that requires time, access to information and travel.

The Eliot Fitch Chair for International Studies and professor of political science, Friman will use the grant to study anti-smuggling policies in advanced industrial nations. Friman explained that smuggling comprises both the inbound and outbound flow of contraband and – traditionally – inbound smuggling receives the most attention.

“In the U.S. post 9/11, there’s been a focus on dangerous things coming into the country,” he said. “There has since been a realization that what’s smuggled out – for instance, firearms and money fueling violence in Mexico – is just as important.”

Friman will travel to Washington, D.C., Ottawa and Mexico City to explore the impact of this shifting prioritization, including what it means for law and policy enforcement and the effect it has on smuggling patterns.

A new research focus for Friman, this project dovetails with his previous work on international drug control policies and human trafficking. “I’m excited to move in a new direction, especially one that has a more explicit focus on policy-relevant research,” he added.

Dr. Rajendra (Raj) Rathore

Professor of chemistry

Dr. Rajendra (Raj) Rathore, professor of chemistry and 2012 Way Klingler Fellow in science, is looking to add his grant to existing funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health and parlay his initial research findings into additional support from the U.S. Department of Energy. As a Way Klingler Fellow in science, he will receive $50,000 annually for three years to cover research that requires higher-expense items, such as equipment, supplies and research staff.

An organic chemist, Rathore studies synthetic organic molecules involved in storing solar energy. “My efforts are focused on designing novel molecular building blocks that can be incorporated into more complex assemblies, and ultimately devices, that can harvest light and convert it to electrical and chemical energy,” he said.

Rathore added that existing mechanisms for capturing sunlight and converting it to energy are inefficient and costly. In his new project, he will use his expertise as an organic chemist to examine electron transfer in molecular assemblies to identify more efficient means of converting sunlight to usable energy.