New fiscal year brings changes to the Watson Institute leadership team

The start of Brown's new fiscal year on July 1, 2023, brought a number of leadership changes to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and its centers.

September 1, 2023

A number of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs programs and centers have new leadership as the University's 2024 fiscal year begins.

Associate Professor of History, Neil Safier assumed the role of director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS). In a statement sent to the Watson community, Watson Director Edward Steinfeld welcomed Safier and thanked outgoing director Patsy Lewis for completing two successful three-year terms and thanked her for her "outstanding scholarly leadership."

Senior Lecturer in International and Public Affairs Anya Bassett assumed the role of faculty director of the International and Public Affairs Program (IAPA), the Watson Institute's undergraduate concentration. She will also serve as the director of undergraduate teaching and learning at Watson. Bassett joins Brown from Harvard University, where she served as the director of undergraduate studies in the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, an interdisciplinary concentration. 

Associate Professor of the Practice of International and Public Affairs David Blanding also officially started his new leadership role as faculty director of the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program on July 1. Blanding succeeds Susan Moffitt, who will continue in her role as Watson's director of academic programs overseeing both the MPA and IAPA programs. In his new role, Blanding will provide high-level strategic direction to the MPA program, leading curricular development and other efforts to strengthen the program's impact and visibility.

Richard Holbrooke Professor of Political Science and International and Public Affairs and Director of Climate Solutions Lab (CSL), Jeff Colgan takes on a dual leadership role as acting director of the William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance. William R. Rhodes '57 Professor of International Economics Mark Blyth will return to the role of Rhodes' director after a 2023-2024 academic year sabbatical. In a statement to the Watson community, Watson Director Edward Steinfeld thanked Colgan for taking on the additional role in Blyth's absence.

— Pete Bilderback