Dear Friends of CEM,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This spring has been a very productive one for the Center, not just in the number of seminars, publications, and awards, but also in what we were able to offer our students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We launched two major new programs for students that are likely to continue for years to come. In March, ten undergraduate students traveled to Washington, D.C. for the inaugural Windows on Washington: Commercial Diplomacy Program, made possible by a generous endowed gift from Ed and Colleen DiSanto. Over four days, they met with senior officials at the State Department, the Commerce Department, the World Bank, and several other institutions, attended a congressional hearing, and completed a mock strategic market entry project. That same month, CEM launched the Revvity Access CEM Scholarship Program, awarding $2,000 scholarships to four MBA students from emerging markets and pairing ten participants with C-suite leaders at Revvity's headquarters for a two-day executive shadowing experience. Our thanks go to CEO Prahlad Singh (and CEM board member) and General Counsel Joel Goldberg for making these programs possible through the Revvity Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our research programming remained strong. The Nardone Family Seminar Series featured six speakers this semester, covering everything from P&G's integrated growth strategy in emerging markets to the political activities of Ukrainian business tycoons to a wide-ranging fireside chat on India's economic trajectory with Amit Kapoor. The 16th Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Lecture brought Devesh Kapur and Arvind Subramanian to campus to discuss their latest book on India's post-independence development, A Sixth of Humanity. <\/em>CEM also hosted the 8th Annual Greater Boston Corporate Governance Workshop, organized by Prof. Ruth Aguilera, which welcomed 35 scholars from 16 institutions and featured a keynote by Mark Roe of Harvard Law School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our faculty have had a remarkable spring as well. Paula Caligiuri was named the 2026 recipient of the IM Division's AmorePacific Outstanding Educator Award by the Academy of Management, and Anand Nair received a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue AI-enabled health care research at Queen's University. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, Yakov Bart, Sonia Rolland, Mai'a Davis Cross, Maria Ivanova, and Nishith Prakash each earned significant recognition in their fields. CEM Faculty Fellows also published two new books, along with a substantial body of articles and chapters on topics ranging from state capitalism and multinational strategy to AI adoption and sustainability. The ninth issue of Insights @ Center for Emerging Markets, <\/em>led by Professor Valentina Marano, went out in May, and season eight of the International Business Today<\/em> podcast, hosted by Profs. Paula Caligiuiri and Ravi Sarathy, continued to feature CEM Faculty Fellows on global topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back on the student side, the Spring 2026 cycle of the Srinivasan Family Awards funded projects in Kenya, South Korea, Ghana, and West Africa's infrastructure sector, bringing the program's total to 68 students supported over nine grant cycles. Seven students completed semester-long research partnerships with CEM Faculty Fellows. We welcomed eight new CEM Student Associates in January and recognized eight more who will join the program in the fall. Finally, we honored three graduating seniors\u2014Brenda Belgamo, Anjali Laddha, and Rachel Le\u2014as CEM Student Fellows for their outstanding contributions as Student Associates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n None of this would be possible without the tireless work of CEM Program Manager Kathryn Slomski, who over the past three years has helped transform CEM into a vibrant organization on so many fronts. A passionate runner (who just completed the Boston marathon despite an injured foot), Kathryn brings the same grit, energy, and dedication to CEM. I am also immensely grateful to our generous benefactors, the creativity of our faculty fellows, the energy of our students, and the steady support of CEM's amazing board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ravi Ramamurti<\/p>\n\n\n\n Founding Director, Center for Emerging Markets<\/p>\n\n\n\n