Sara Awad

Sara Awad is an MIA candidate at Columbia SIPA, concentrating in International Security and pursuing a minor in Technology Policy and Innovation. Her interests lie at the intersection of emerging technologies, economic statecraft, and diplomacy, with a focus on how governments can leverage innovation to strengthen national security and address complex global challenges.

Sara’s experience spans government, academia, and the private sector, including roles with the US Department of State in Washington, DC, and at the US Embassy in London, where she supported projects involving data analytics, diplomatic operations, and the use of AI in foreign policy. She also interned with JPMorgan Chase's Credit Risk Management team and in the Office of White House Liaison at the US Department of Commerce.

At Columbia, she serves as president of the Entrepreneurship Club and as an Economics staff assistant, legal research assistant at Columbia Law School, and teaching assistant for Emerging Digital Technologies for Impact. After SIPA, Sara plans to pursue a career at the intersection of international security, emerging technology, and public policy.