Diplomat starts campus tenure

As a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State for over 20
years, UCLA’s new Diplomat-in-Residence, Robert Wang, has
experienced his fair share of foreign highways.

In a presentation to students, Wang used examples from his own
diplomatic career to demonstrate cultural differences in the
broader context of international diplomacy.

Wang recalled one experience of selling his car in a country
where people drive on the left side of the road. Sitting in the
passenger seat, Wang recalled a feeling of dread for both his own
life and that of his car as an American buyer ran the vehicle far
too close to oncoming traffic.

Apparently, adapting to foreign driving and other cultural
differences can be difficult even for experienced diplomats.

Ethnic minorities are currently underrepresented in the foreign
services. In an effort to bridge the cultural gaps between
diplomats and their countries of residence, the Department of State
is looking to recruit diplomats from more diverse backgrounds.

The large diversity in minority ethnic backgrounds present at
UCLA specifically and in the Southern California region in general
makes this area an ideal recruiting ground for the Department of
State, Wang said, and it was one of the criteria on which the
university was chosen.

“(My job is to) create interest in students at UCLA, both
undergraduate and graduate, in careers in foreign affairs and the
State Department,” Wang said.

Wang will be responsible for encouraging the students at UCLA
and at other schools in the region to pursue careers in foreign
service through his participation in career fairs and information
sessions and by talking to classes about foreign policy.

Although Wang’s primary responsibility will be Southern
California, he will also be traveling as far north as Seattle to
reach West Coast students.

Wang is scheduled to teach a seminar on U.S.-China relations in
winter and spring quarters, a primarily graduate course that will
have some space for undergraduate students.

Wang will also help students interested in State Department
careers prepare for the Foreign Service Exam.

The exam is a written test of a person’s language ability
followed by an all-day verbal test where small groups participate
in simulated situations requiring the group to come to an agreement
through compromise.

The Diplomat-in-Residence program was started by the State
Department with schools on the East Coast several decades ago.

More recently, the program moved to two West Coast campuses, one
in Northern California and one in Southern California.

The Southern California branch moved from USC to UCLA two years
ago upon the appointment of Don Terpstra, Wang’s
predecessor.

UCLA is one of 17 college campuses chosen by the State
Department to host a Diplomat-in-Residence this year.

There are several criteria for the selection of college
campuses, including “regional diversity, academic curriculum,
(and the) size and composition of (the) student population,”
according to the Department of State Web site.

“UCLA is an ideal place (for the program),” Wang
said.

Cooperation from the university contributed to the State
Department choosing UCLA as its Southern California location, Wang
said.

“The School of Public Affairs is a very good fit for the
State Department because of its focus on policy as well as … its
more academic perspective,” Wang said.

Wang has most recently served as Economic Minister Counselor at
the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

The Vietnam War helped to spark his interest in diplomacy as
early as high school, he said. His interest continued through
college and ultimately led to his career in the Department of
State.

Wang completed undergraduate study in political science at
Rutgers University and the University of Washington, and earned his
Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, with a focus on international
relations.

After a one-year tenure at UCLA, he will continue his career
with the Diplomatic Corps as the Deputy Director of the American
Institute in Taiwan.

Wang held one of his first events at UCLA Wednesday night: an
information session detailing U.S.-China relations and
incorporating some of his own experience as a diplomat.

Nesma Sharafeldin, a third-year political science student,
stressed how interested she is in a career in the U.S. Department
of State.

“I am looking forward to learning more about the
Department of State from Dr. Wang,” Sharafeldin said.