The Human Rights Lab is a rare gem in terms of the research opportunities it offers to undergraduates in MSU’s James Madison College.
Students in the lab employ their technical and investigative skills to contribute evidence that has helped to solve real-world problems. A recent project helped the justice organization TRIAL International to build a case against smugglers of Libyan gasoil. Student researchers contributed analyses of satellite imagery that confirmed vessel tracking data. That’s a lot of high-stakes, high-impact work for a lab that, until recently, has been operating on a shoestring budget.
That all changed thanks to a successful fundraising campaign through MSU’s CrowdPower platform—along with a $5,000 matching gift from alumnus and Spartan Bold donor Robert W. Rathke (’81)—which netted more than $14,000 in support from more than 120 donors.
This will help the Human Rights Lab expand, enhance its operations, and provide more opportunities for students like 2021-2022 lab leaders Carly Sandstrom (’23), Sophia Colvin (’22) and Jackie Genaw (’22). Last year they used data and satellite imagery to study illicit shipping around North Korea and human rights abuses in Libya. This year they will lead a team of students focused on human rights abuses in Northern Nigeria involving the Boko Haram terrorist organization, continue their work associated with the Libyan Civil War, and create a database of private military corporations.
Last year, I conducted research using open-source data collection and various other tools the lab has taught me. I’m very excited to work on new projects this year, and continue the mission of the Human Rights Lab.
-- SOPHIA COLVIN, ’22, James Madison College