Featured News Prev Next NewsSummer 2025 reading from MITJune 26, 2025 CommentaryBRICS’ new map Is taking shapeJune 25, 2025 NewsMIT-Africa launches new collaboration with AngolaJune 16, 2025 NewsJacobovits wins MIT Excellence AwardJune 06, 2025 NewsSudan’s intractable warMay 29, 2025 CommentarySudan’s intractable warMay 29, 2025 NewsMIT announces the Initiative for New ManufacturingMay 27, 2025 NewsCIS congratulates our 2025 graduatesMay 27, 2025 NewsRobert Wilhelm visits CISMay 22, 2025 NewsMIT students turn vision to realityMay 19, 2025 MIT-Africa launches new collaboration with Angola Through collaborative education and innovation, the new Angola initiative aims to spark novel approaches to global sustainability challenges and strengthen academic ties on both sides. Learn more Our Experts Staff Ari Jacobovits Lead, Africa Managing Director, MIT-Africa Program Faculty and Researchers Mai Hassan Faculty Director, MIT-Africa Program Associate Professor of Political Science Faculty and Researchers Evan Lieberman Director, Center for International Studies Faculty Director, MISTI Director, Global Diversity Lab Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa Faculty and Researchers Akintunde Akinwande Faculty Director, Empowering the Teachers Thomas and Gerd Perkins Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty and Researchers Danielle Wood Associated Faculty, MIT-Africa Program Associate Professor of Media Arts and Science Associate Professor (Joint) of Aeronautics and Astronautics Faculty and Researchers Mihaela Papa Director of Research Principal Research Scientist Staff Brenna Ketchum Program Assistant, MISTI Events See all events There are no upcoming events. Please check again later! Opportunities See all opportunities MISTI Africa MISTI Africa matches MIT students with tailored internship, research, teaching and study opportunities in countries across Africa. Explore MISTI Africa Global Seed Funds The MIT Global Seed Funds grant program enables new collaborations between faculty and research scientists at MIT and their counterparts around the world. Browse seed funds Student Spotlights CIS makes it possible for MIT students to experience the world while advancing knowledge, tackling tough challenges, and preparing for lives of impact, service, and leadership in an interconnected global society. Prev Next Amulya's story MEng '24 MEng graduate Amulya Aluru interned at Jean Piaget University of Cabo Verde in the fall of 2024, where she worked on a project centered around understanding what factors impact vector borne disease, from climate change to nutrition. Nickie's story Mechanical Engineering '24 Nickie Mpofu '24 interned with Semiconductor Technologies Limited (STL), a Kenyan startup focused on semiconductor manufacturing in the summer of 2024. Vin's story Computer Science and Engineering '27 Vin's internship at Startgate, a startup incubator in Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco, focused on enhancing internal operations and promoting data-driven decision-making. Student opportunities Publications See all publications ReportPapa, Mihaela, and Evan S. Lieberman. “Global Climate Adaptation: Overcoming Political and Policy Challenges.” MIT Center for International Studies, Post-Workshop Report (April 2025). April 2025 PaperPapa, Mihaela, and Zhen Han. “The Evolution of Soft Balancing in Informal Institutions: The Case of BRICS.” International Affairs (London) 101, no. 1 (2025): 73–95. January 2025 PaperCharnysh, Volha, Jared Kalow, Evan Lieberman, and Erin Walk. “How Information about Historic Carbon Emissions Affects Support for Climate Aid: Evidence from a Survey Experiment.” Climatic Change 177, no. 12 (2024). December 2024 PaperLockwood, Sarah, and Evan Lieberman. “Politician Responses to Material Incentives for Participation in Surveys: Experimental Evidence from South Africa.” Research & Politics 11, no. 2 (2024). June 2024 PaperHassan, Mai, Horacio Larreguy, and Stuart Russell. “Who Gets Hired? Political Patronage and Bureaucratic Favoritism.” The American Political Science Review 118, no. 4 (2024): 1913–30. January 2024 BookDeath Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs Stanford University Press 2023 PaperHan, Zhen, and Mihaela Papa. “Leadership and Performance in Informal Institutions: The Internal Dynamics of BRICS.” Contemporary Politics 30, no. 1 (2024): 87–107. October 2023 PaperHassan, Mai, and Ahmed Kodouda. “Dismantling Old or Forging New Clientelistic Ties? Sudan’s Civil Service Reform after Uprising.” World Development 169 (2023): 106-232. September 2023 PaperPapa, Mihaela, Zhen Han, and Frank O’Donnell. “The Dynamics of Informal Institutions and Counter-Hegemony: Introducing a BRICS Convergence Index.” European Journal of International Relations 29, no. 4 (2023): 960–89. July 2023 PaperHassan, Mai. “Coordinated Dis-Coordination.” The American Political Science Review 118, no. 1 (2024): 163–77. May 2023
Faculty and Researchers Mai Hassan Faculty Director, MIT-Africa Program Associate Professor of Political Science
Faculty and Researchers Evan Lieberman Director, Center for International Studies Faculty Director, MISTI Director, Global Diversity Lab Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa
Faculty and Researchers Akintunde Akinwande Faculty Director, Empowering the Teachers Thomas and Gerd Perkins Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Faculty and Researchers Danielle Wood Associated Faculty, MIT-Africa Program Associate Professor of Media Arts and Science Associate Professor (Joint) of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Amulya's story MEng '24 MEng graduate Amulya Aluru interned at Jean Piaget University of Cabo Verde in the fall of 2024, where she worked on a project centered around understanding what factors impact vector borne disease, from climate change to nutrition.
Nickie's story Mechanical Engineering '24 Nickie Mpofu '24 interned with Semiconductor Technologies Limited (STL), a Kenyan startup focused on semiconductor manufacturing in the summer of 2024.
Vin's story Computer Science and Engineering '27 Vin's internship at Startgate, a startup incubator in Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco, focused on enhancing internal operations and promoting data-driven decision-making.
ReportPapa, Mihaela, and Evan S. Lieberman. “Global Climate Adaptation: Overcoming Political and Policy Challenges.” MIT Center for International Studies, Post-Workshop Report (April 2025). April 2025
PaperPapa, Mihaela, and Zhen Han. “The Evolution of Soft Balancing in Informal Institutions: The Case of BRICS.” International Affairs (London) 101, no. 1 (2025): 73–95. January 2025
PaperCharnysh, Volha, Jared Kalow, Evan Lieberman, and Erin Walk. “How Information about Historic Carbon Emissions Affects Support for Climate Aid: Evidence from a Survey Experiment.” Climatic Change 177, no. 12 (2024). December 2024
PaperLockwood, Sarah, and Evan Lieberman. “Politician Responses to Material Incentives for Participation in Surveys: Experimental Evidence from South Africa.” Research & Politics 11, no. 2 (2024). June 2024
PaperHassan, Mai, Horacio Larreguy, and Stuart Russell. “Who Gets Hired? Political Patronage and Bureaucratic Favoritism.” The American Political Science Review 118, no. 4 (2024): 1913–30. January 2024
BookDeath Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs Stanford University Press 2023
PaperHan, Zhen, and Mihaela Papa. “Leadership and Performance in Informal Institutions: The Internal Dynamics of BRICS.” Contemporary Politics 30, no. 1 (2024): 87–107. October 2023
PaperHassan, Mai, and Ahmed Kodouda. “Dismantling Old or Forging New Clientelistic Ties? Sudan’s Civil Service Reform after Uprising.” World Development 169 (2023): 106-232. September 2023
PaperPapa, Mihaela, Zhen Han, and Frank O’Donnell. “The Dynamics of Informal Institutions and Counter-Hegemony: Introducing a BRICS Convergence Index.” European Journal of International Relations 29, no. 4 (2023): 960–89. July 2023
PaperHassan, Mai. “Coordinated Dis-Coordination.” The American Political Science Review 118, no. 1 (2024): 163–77. May 2023