Science Diplomacy

I have a decade of experience working in science diplomacy. I currently serve as Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors of the Malta Conferences Foundation (MCF), a nonprofit organization that uses science diplomacy as a bridge to peace in the Middle East. The Malta Conferences are the only platform in the world where scientists from 15 Middle East countries can meet face-to-face with Nobel Laureates to develop friendships and collaborations on topics including water scarcity, renewable energy, climate change, and science education. Prior to being elected Treasurer, I served as Senior Assistant to the President of MCF (2023 – 2024) and Assistant to the President (2016 – 2023). In November 2025, I was a representative for Princeton at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) in Belem, Brazil. In January 2024, I was an official observer for Princeton of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  In March 2025, I was invited to participate in the Global Ministerial Dialogue on Science Diplomacy at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. I am part of the organizing committee for the Raiffa Center for Science Diplomacy at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). From 2019 – 2022, I served as the Science Diplomacy Chair of the Board of the Northwestern Science Policy Outreach Taskforce (SPOT) (2019-2022) and was a member of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN) science diplomacy committee from 2020 – 2022.

Science Diplomacy Publications and Articles

Fuentes, M; Lawler, D & Zajdela, E.R. Toward a New Framework for Science and Technology Diplomacy in Addressing Emerging Global Challenges: Complex Adaptive Science and Technology Diplomacy (CAST-D), CILAC Forum, 2025 https://forocilac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CAST-D.pdf

Mauzerall, D. & Zajdela, E.R. Trip Report: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment (C-PREE), School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, February 13, 2024.

Zajdela, E.R. & Lerman, Z. (2021). Malta X Anniversary and COVID-19. Chemistry International, 43(2), 16-19. https://doi.org/10.1515/ci-2021-0204

Guest editorial: Lerman, ZM; Zajdela, ER Malta conferences use science diplomacy as a bridge to peace in the Middle East. Chem. Eng. News, March 16, 2020, 98 (10), p. 2. https://cen.acs.org/education/outreach/Malta-conferences-use-science-diplomacy/98/i10.Reprinted by permission:

Zajdela, E.R. SPOTlight: Science Diplomacy in the Middle East. Science Policy Outreach Taskforce Newsletter, December 2019. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.northwestern.edu/dist/0/3810/files/2020/04/December-Newsletter-2.pdf  

Science Diplomacy Lectures

On January 25, 2021, I organized and moderated a virtual talk with Dr. Fadila Boughanemi, Deputy Head of Unit for Asia, Africa, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the European Commission, Directorate General for Research and Innovation. Her lecture was titled “EU International Cooperation Strategy in Research and Innovation – A Contribution to Science Diplomacy” and focused on the EU’s science diplomacy activities in Africa and MENA countries. The talk was the first in the new Science Policy Outreach Taskforce (SPOT) Science Diplomacy Series. View a recording of the event:

On November 4th, 2019, I organized and moderated an event at Northwestern University featuring Prof. Zafra Lerman (President of the Malta Conferences Foundation), Prof. Omar Farha (Northwestern University Chemistry Department and President of NuMat Technologies), and Dr. Suleiman Halasah (Founder and Co-Director of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies Jordan-Israel Center). The event was sponsored by Northwestern’s Science Policy Outreach Taskforce (SPOT). Read more about the event in SPOT’s December Newsletter or view a recording of the event:

Malta Conferences Foundation

Malta VIII “Frontiers of Science: Research and Education in the Middle East – A Bridge to Peace” Group picture

From 2016 – 2024, I served as assistant and then senior assistant to the President of the Malta Conferences Foundation, Prof. Zafra Lerman. The Malta Conferences are the only platform in the world where scientists from 15 Middle East countries, Morocco, and Pakistan can meet face-to-face with four Nobel Laureates and develop collaborations on water, education, environment, and entrepreneurship. In 2017, I attended the Malta VIII Conference, supported by the University of Illinois President’s Research in Diversity Travel Award. Read more about the Malta Conferences Foundation: www.maltaconferencesfoundation.org. Read the guest editorial about Malta IX in the American Chemical Society Chemistry and Engineering News I co-authored with Prof. Zafra Lerman: https://cen.acs.org/education/outreach/Malta-conferences-use-science-diplomacy/98/i10.