The Sine Institute is a laboratory for university-wide collaboration and an incubator for policy innovation, convening the best and brightest in the public, private, academic, and nonprofit sectors, as well as journalism.

This fall, the Sine Institute will celebrate its 5th Anniversary! Stay tuned for more information.

Committed to real, lasting change in policy and politics

Today’s interconnected world offers an unprecedented opportunity to bring together experts and top scholars in the field with students in research and scholarship to work on the nation's most pressing challenges in a way that promotes common ground and nonpartisan policy solutions. The Sine Institute of Policy and Politics seizes that opportunity at a defining moment for our democracy and the world.

The Sine Institute harnesses AU’s capital city location at the nexus of government and a growing international business center to connect diverse perspectives from around the country and around the world with our world-class academics and research, experienced practitioners in international and domestic views, leaders in business, nonprofits, and government, and one of the most politically-active student bodies in the US to make real, lasting change in policy and politics.

The Institute stands apart through its focus on the role of business and the nonprofit community in public policy, the rise of the importance of economic regions in the United States, and international policy issues.

Harnessing the Power of AI for National Security

Join 2023 Sine Institute Distinguished Lecturer Horazio Rozanski, CEO Booz Allen Hamilton, for a discussion on Harnessing the Power of AI for National Security. This event will be held on September 11, 2023 @ 2:00 pm in the SIS Founders Room.

Register

More Upcoming Events

Meet the Spring 2023 Sine Institute Fellows

A cornerstone of the Sine Institute is its Institute Fellows program. Each Spring semester the Sine Institute hosts six Fellows. Institute Fellows are selected via a Sine Institute selection committee.

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Sine Student Programs

Are you a student at AU? Learn about all the ways you can engage with the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics!

Student Associates
Student Advisors
Collaborative Leadership Certificate
Sine ON: The Sine Institute Outreach Network
Sine Institute Impact Community

Learn More

Institute Advisory Board

The Sines will be joined by a group of bipartisan visionaries from across sectors to guide the Institute and inspire the next generation of leaders.

Meet the Board

Ways to Engage

Sign-up for Email Updates

Collaborative Leadership Certificate

Attend a Seminar

Become a Student Associate

Apply for Fellowship

Sine Institute of Policy & Politics

Sine Spring Events 2023

Videos in this playlist

To play a specific video, use the playlist icon in the player or view each video on YouTube.

Video: introducing the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics.

A Generous Gift

The Sine Institute is made possible through a milestone gift of $10 million from AU alumnus, trustee and entrepreneur Jeff Sine, SIS/BA ’76, and Samira Sine, an advocate for women and children and seasoned journalist. The gift is the manifestation of the Sines’ interest in making positive change that will inspire future generations of leaders.

“Through this gift we wanted to empower American University to make an immediate and lasting impact at the intersection of politics and policy, increasing AU’s national and international visibility.”

Joining forces, the Sines and President Sylvia Burwell will leverage their shared passion to shape the next generation of leaders.

Fellowship Program

The Institute Fellows program is a cornerstone of the Sine Institute. Selected each academic year, our six Institute Fellows will consist of innovative leaders in government, politics, journalism, nonprofits, and business. Fellows will collaborate with renowned AU academic, research and scholarship experts, as well as students, to uncover new ways to help theory inform cross-sector solutions. The entire AU community will have the opportunity to learn from the Institute Fellows and the powerful conversations they lead on these issues.

Program Details

Areas of Focus

Drawing on their expertise in government, politics, academia, journalism, nonprofits, and business, Sine Institute Fellows uncovers new policy solutions and problem-solving methods informed by evidence and a cross-sector perspective. Each is asked to explore a timely aspect of policy and politics that will benefit from these dynamic conversations.

In our interconnected world, policy changes ripple through our nation at the federal level and have significant consequences at the regional level. Those ripples cross sectors and impact international and national affairs, as well as our local communities. These complex influences are the crux of the conversations to be discussed and debated by Sine Fellows.

Regional influence on politics

Cross-sector perspectives driving public policy discourse

International and domestic policy dynamics

Capitalizing on Our Core Strengths

In its 125-year history, American University has established a reputation for producing changemakers focused on the challenges of a changing world. AU has garnered recognition for global education, public service, experiential learning, and politically active and diverse students, as well as academic and research expertise in a wide range of areas including business and communication, political science and policy, governance, law, and diplomacy.

A university-wide initiative, the Sine Institute leverages the university’s intersection of multiple sectors and industries to convene powerful conversations. The Institute engages each of AU's schools and experts throughout campus – including the School of Public Affairs, School of International Service, School of Communication, Kogod School of Business, and the Washington College of Law – to fuel and facilitate ongoing dialogue and debate to gain insights and engender knowledge.

Journalism, Private Sector, Academia, Public Sector, Nonprofit

Photo Gallery: The Sine Institute makes its home at AU

Global leaders come to American University to engage with our world-class faculty and politically-active students on pressing topics.

Politics and policy, both foreign and domestic, are core strengths at American University.

Our location in the nation's capital provides unparalleled access and opportunities.

Global leaders, like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, come to American University to engage with our world-class faculty and politically-active students on pressing topics.

Sine Fellow Bill de Blasio speaking at event.

Our location in the nation's capital provides unparalleled access and opportunities.