Tuesday, June 17, 2025
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The Diplomatic Envoy

Author: Katherine Dorrer

2025Student Internship SpotlightSchool of Diplomacy News
Katherine Dorrer

Internship Spotlight: The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

For the past two semesters, I have had the privilege of interning with the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies at the International Center for Terrorism Studies (ICTS). ICTS expands its focus beyond terrorism to investigate a broader spectrum of security challenges such as cybercrimes, emerging technologies, transnational organized crime, and hybrid warfare. This comprehensive scope has allowed me to engage deeply with the complex, evolving nature of global security. 

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2025BusinessSports Business and Culture
Katherine Dorrer

Trade Wars and the Drug War: How U.S. Tariffs Are Shaping Mexico’s Fentanyl Crisis

The United States’ battle against fentanyl has taken on a new dimension as economic policies, particularly tariffs, intersect with security efforts to curb drug trafficking. Despite billions in U.S. security aid, cartel influence persists, with most fentanyl entering the U.S. through the southern border. In 2024 alone, over 21,000 pounds of fentanyl were seized at U.S. entry points, reports The Associated Press. 

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March 20242024OpinionU.S.
Katherine Dorrer

Should the U.S. Prioritize Cyber Defense in its Budget?

The exponential growth of digital technologies and the pervasive reach of the Internet have revolutionized global communication, commerce, and information exchange. In today’s interconnected world, where a substantial portion of daily activities occurs online, maintaining robust cyber security standards is not just advisable but imperative. The United States, faced with escalating cyber threats from foreign adversaries and the pervasive digitalization of critical infrastructure, must prioritize cybersecurity in its budget allocations to safeguard national security interests and ensure resilience in the face of evolving threats.

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September 2022International NewsEuropeMiddle EastConflict and Security
Katherine Dorrer

U.S. Allies Doubt Iran Nuclear Deal Revival is Imminent

With the latest effort to revive the Iranian nuclear deal, U.S. allies have stated that they have “serious doubts” that Iran and the U.S. will strike a deal, reports Reuters. President Biden promised to restore the nuclear agreement during his 2020 presidential campaign, yet negotiations appear to be delayed ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

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Summer 2022Climate ChangeAnalysis2022Middle East
Katherine Dorrer

Water Scarcity and Armed Conflict Shaping Migration Patterns in the Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), water scarcity, worsened by climate change, has contributed to a rise in global migration. Climate change, environmental degradation, and water stress drive extreme migration patterns throughout the MENA region. As climate change intensifies in states with weakened central government authority, armed groups, and extremist organizations exploit these challenges and weaponize water.

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April 2022Opinion2022
Katherine Dorrer

“Weather” or Not: The Crisis of Global Environmental Governance

In the third volume of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report, Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, climate scientists suggest that the world is at a now-or-never point of global warming, where extreme climate events are imminent. This report, released on April 4, suggests that difficulties regarding greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuels are the product of socio-political issues, rather than technological shortcomings, as clean energy technologies have become more affordable and accessible.

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March 2022Opinion2022
Katherine Dorrer

As the Global West Prepares to Relax COVID Restrictions, is it Doing Enough to Combat Vaccine Inequality across Africa?

It has been two years since the World Health Organization’s designation of the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Since then, there have been 452,201,564 confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with 6,029,852 related deaths worldwide, reports WHO. As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local governments relax COVID-19 restrictions within the United States, the pandemic is still raging in developing nations, as both their economy and national morale struggle to regain normalcy. The COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately highlighted the growing global divide in the distribution of vaccine doses, particularly exposing vaccine inequality across Africa. 

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