Advancing international trade research and finding community

2026-03-23 · Source: MIT News - Artificial intelligence · Field: Government & Public Sector — Public Policy & Governance, International Relations & Diplomacy, Regulatory & Compliance · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, medium

Summary

Sojun Park, a postdoc at the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS), has significantly advanced his research on international trade, intellectual property, AI, and global governance during his fellowship. His work includes a forthcoming book, "From Privilege to Prosperity: Knowledge Diffusion and the Global Governance of Intellectual Property," which explores legitimate technology transfer across borders. Park has published articles in the *Review of International Organizations* and the *Review of International Political Economy* and is collaborating with undergraduate fellows to develop a dataset on green technologies. His interdisciplinary approach, fostered by MIT's environment and CIS faculty, has broadened his intellectual horizons, leading him to accept an assistant professor position at the National University of Singapore starting in fall 2026.

Key takeaway

For researchers considering postdoctoral fellowships, prioritize programs like MIT's CIS Postdoctoral Associate Program that offer interdisciplinary environments and strong mentorship. Your ability to connect with scholars across fields and communicate complex research to diverse audiences will be critical for expanding your intellectual scope and securing future academic positions. Embrace opportunities for collaborative projects, such as working with undergraduate fellows, to develop new datasets and refine your teaching approach.

Key insights

Interdisciplinary collaboration and mentorship are crucial for expanding research scope and developing effective communication skills.

Principles

• Interdisciplinary environments foster broader intellectual horizons.
• Quantitative methods can illuminate international relations.
• Community support enhances research and presentation impact.

Method

Park's research method involves creating systemic frameworks to study under-researched topics like intellectual property's global governance, applying quantitative methods to political economy, and developing new datasets.

In practice

• Seek interdisciplinary research environments.
• Engage with diverse faculty and student communities.
• Apply quantitative methods to international relations.

Topics

• International Trade
• Intellectual Property Rights
• AI Governance
• Technology Transfer
• Green Technologies

Best for: AI Researcher, Research Scientist, Policy Maker

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by MIT News - Artificial intelligence.