Nadia Khalique, a PhD student at the College of Communication and Information, had the unique opportunity to attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City along with Assistant Professor of Practice Joe Stabb from the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations.
Their participation came through Stabb’s work with the GIRL Institute, a global organization whose programming aims to help shape a generation of fearless, resilient, and inspiring women who will make a lasting impact in their communities and the world. Stabb serves on the organization’s board of directors and has been deeply involved in research and communication initiatives that support the institute’s mission.
Building the Foundation: White Papers and Tombras Collaboration
In spring 2025, Stabb partnered with graduate student Sydney Carter on an independent study project that produced a series of four white papers for the GIRL Institute. Covering topics like economics, entrepreneurship, health, and leadership, the papers provided a global snapshot of issues affecting women worldwide.
“We researched and wrote comprehensive documents summarizing the current state of these critical areas,” Stabb said. “The GIRL Institute then worked with the Tombras agency, which is their agency of record, to design and publish the papers.”
The papers were shared with UN partners through the institute’s established relationship with the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The work drew significant attention, ultimately leading to Stabb being invited to speak on two UN panels connected to the commission’s programming.
“That’s how all of this came to fruition,” Stabb explained. “The UN panels were directly tied to the visibility of the white papers and the GIRL Institute’s advocacy work.”
Creating Access for Students
When accepting the invitation, Stabb immediately asked if he could bring a student with him.
“Professional development at this level can be transformative, especially for graduate and PhD students,” he said. “I wanted to give one of our students the chance to learn in an environment that very few people ever get to experience.”
He opened an internal application process in which students responded to three questions:
• How would attending UNGA support their professional goals?
• How would the experience inform their research?
• How would it enhance their academic development?
Several PhD students applied, and Khalique was selected based on the alignment between her research and the global conversations happening at UNGA 80.
Experiencing Global Dialogue
During the summit, Stabb shared his professional expertise on data, analytics, and accountability—particularly how accessible data is essential to effective policy.
“Without data, voices remain invisible,” Stabb noted. “Global governance frameworks must ensure equal representation from marginalized groups and tie human rights benchmarks to international aid and development.”
Khalique engaged with global leaders and experts in discussions about technology, ethics, and access, which are topics directly related to her research in artificial intelligence and user experience design.
“Participating in such a significant forum was both an honor and a profound responsibility,” Khalique stated. “It allowed me to showcase my research while contributing to conversations that shape the future of technology and society.”
Khalique said witnessing real-time diplomacy and collaborative problem-solving brought her coursework to life and deepened her understanding of the link between technology, policy, and global equity.
She shared, “Hearing world leaders and experts discuss AI governance, equitable access to technology, and human-centered innovation reinforced the importance of designing systems that prioritize transparency, fairness, and usability, which are core principles of my research.”
Khalique gained valuable insights into the intersection of international decision-making and information sciences, which enhanced her understanding of the relationship between policymaking and higher education.
“This experience strengthened my dedication to advancing scholarship that bridges academia, industry, and international policy,” she stated.
Khalique noted that this opportunity allowed her to witness international diplomacy and collaborative problem-solving in action, expanding her grasp of how global agendas are shaped.
Impact on Teaching and Future Scholarship
Stabb described the experience as mutually beneficial for faculty and students.
“I’m able to share my professional expertise and bring that experience back to the classroom as a real-world example of how we operationalize what students learn,” he said.
Khalique plans to continue her work through research, teaching, and collaborations, now with a better understanding of how global leaders collaborate to address user experience and AI concerns. She expressed that this experience has strengthened her commitment to advancing access through innovation.
“Overall, this experience enhances my ability to mentor students and contribute meaningfully to interdisciplinary research that promotes equity and empowerment through technology,” Khalique said.