Sai University, Chennai, India.

2021-2025

My friend and colleague, Jamshed Bharucha, (my Provost at Tufts University for a decade) Founding Vice Chancellor & University Professor of Sai University, took me out of “retirement” to help create this new university’s curriculum. I entered the teaching ranks of SaiU as Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Global Affairs, an Ambassador for SaiU's vision of interdisciplinarity, and as an adviser for campus intellectual life, a role I held at Tufts University from 1985 onwards until 2016. The Institute I directed was known for its innovations and understood during Tufts President Larry Bacow and Jamshed Bharucha's decade as Tufts University Provost, as the University's "Cross-School Interdisciplinary Signature Program.” 

Jamshed expertly highlighted issues of Indian higher education in his Daedalus article “India’s Realignment of Higher Education.” Citing Sai University, he describes it as the first institution in India to integrate typically siloed programs in arts and sciences, technology, and law into an ecosystem whose approach is much like that of systems-level thinking at the U.S. undergraduate level. It was this approach that intrigued and attracted me.

To fulfil his expectations I was designated to teach a mandatory full-year Global Challenges colloquium that was intended to introduce and inspire students who traditionally majored in Computer and Data Science to explore the impacts of their studies of the social sciences and humanities. I also conducted Senior Honours Colloquia Seminars and on selected topics of International Affairs.

I convened 142 sessions featuring 153 lecturers (The entire roster can be found at the end of this narrative). Many of the lecturers were my former students from Tufts, Harvard, and Oxford who have gone on to accomplish great things in their lives and careers, just as I can already foresee for some of my wonderful SaiU students.

These were the first lecturers in 2021:

And these were the last three concluding lectures in 2025: (I currently sit on Seth’s PhD committee on UMass Boston)

I had a certain degree of skepticism about fulfilling this mission from afar. In all of this, I was extraordinarily enabled, from a distance of 8,190 miles, to construct this effort, by five incredibly talented Teaching Fellows and lecturers, Jyotsna Badrinarayanan, Megha Kapoor, (their last lectures are above) Ankita Kushwaha, Priyanga Pugazh, and initially and throughout, my invaluable friend and former student, Cody Valdes! Deepest gratitude to them all!

Likewise, dealing with the administration of my instruction and the ongoing descriptions described here in have only been possible because of SaiU students and other Indian students: Tarun Kumar Reddy, Tarun.M.R, Srikanth Reddy (Please see the end of this document for these indispensable interns.)

I have continuously built community. I also had the privilege of helping Megha prepare for her PhD Orals. Her thesis “Peace in Liquid Times: An Exploration through the Philosophy of Zygmunt Bauman and Śāntiparvan of Mahābhārata” expanded my knowledge of Indian politics and culture that began with reading books by Prof. Ramachandra Guha. It is a privilege to have had extraordinary Teaching Fellows who really were the frontlines of pedagogical forces, and they have fortunately entered Convisero as ongoing mentors. With Megha’s permission this letter embodies the friendship, care and concern that is wonderfully possible despite the massive distance, with technology that has forever changed global education. Click here to read Megha’s letter.

In June 2025 I had the honor of attending Cody’s wedding to wonderful Dr. Mehrunissa Anis. The wedding was held at the magnificent Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Art in Toronto, Canada.

My Colloquia and Coursework:

My SaiU Enrolled Students:

Sai enrolled students from the entire country, they came from many different ethnicities and backgrounds. It is a vibrant community.

Sai University Capstone Research Guided by the Trebuchet Community

I linked my Trebuchet Convisero Mentors with exemplary students to create a precedent to enable a tradition of Senior Honors Theses, an option open to any SaiU student, in any discipline.

Zeitgeist - A SaiU Student Journal

Zeitgeist is one of my supervisory efforts that I initially inspired the students to create. In its entire execution, students were dominant and the critical driving forces. In its one example reifying the original vision that SaiU be a leader in interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity. Many of the essays chosen for Zeitgeist on international relations themes were written by my students, who were computer and data science majors. 

(You may see a message regarding Zeitgeist Volume 2 saying the file is “too large for Google to scan for viruses. This site has been checked. Please click “Download anyway” to open without fear of infection.)

Research Folio

A recent compilation of papers written by my 2025 semester students, mostly seniors, and members of SaiU’s inaugural class with whom I worked for four gratifying years.

For nearly three years Jyotsna and I have formed an indispensable and unique teaching bond, one I never imagined possible across such distance.

Her contributions were powerful and invaluable. Her dedication to teaching and the mentoring of our students, her original scholarship, and intellectual curiosity are outstanding.

Our friendship is most meaningful, and we both anticipate future fruitful collaboration.  

Here is an example of her superb work:

A Note by Jyotsna Badrinarayanan:

My role in the Power & Memory and Redefining Security independent studies

While a large part of my role in the independent studies was administrative in nature, I was more involved in mentoring the students who formed the Redefining Security independent study as they did not have Convisero mentors for their research in the manner that P&M students did. I read through drafts, came to meetings with questions for students and prodded them to read more widely to ensure their papers were not encumbered in the narrowness of their topics.

Some students were still quite new to research, especially that which involved human subjects, so we spent some time discussing ethical and emotional implications of data collection and the larger goal and audience of their writing. What purpose did their writing serve in the larger fabric of existing writing on the topic of their choice? Rather than solely identifying research gaps, I asked the class to understand their personal motivations that interested them in their topic as that brings up a larger question on unresolved conflict or tension that they otherwise leave unanswered.

Nearly all the students ended up at a place where the material, the history and their ambitions in writing were looking quite unfamiliar. Nevertheless, my role was not to make them comfortable where they stood but rather to ask them if there was value to a segue, to further research into something that might look like a tangent at first glance and to also return to their original inquiry into the history, region, phenomenon. In my experience, the students in both independent studies were wonderfully adaptive, inquisitive and thoroughly confused in the best of ways. The support lent to them through the weekly speaker series and Sherm’s intellectual challenges in intervals stimulated their thinking and eventually reflected in their writing and presentations!

A Red Team AI Simulation: An Adversarial Scenario Regarding the Development of Bioweapons.

As an Board Member for the International Student and Young Professional cadre of Pugwash, the Nobel Peace Prize organization, my students of the SaiU chapter of Pugwash, which I created, worked with a wonderful friend, Convisero’s Tyler Peppel, now a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at NYU, on this exercise, which is ongoing.

Red Team AI

Mentor

Contributors

Journaling:

Aneesah Maryam - Team lead - Journaling

Hi! I’m Aneesah Maryam, an undergraduate Psychology major at Sai University. After growing up in the UAE and recently moving back to Chennai, I discovered a keen interest in understanding people and how we communicate. Whilst most of my years at school had unfortunately subdued learning languages for me, a spark subtly rekindled in me during senior high school when I first came across linguistics. I find languages deeply fascinating and wish to delve into the connections between psychology and language; the cognition of it is also an aspect I would want to study in the future.

Some of my aspirations are to be a polyglot and to travel the world, talking to the locals in their native language and eating all kinds of cuisines. I enjoy challenging myself in different fields and talking to new people. I also like dabbling in all sorts of activities (a true jack-of-all-trades, if you may) from research to design to theory. My interests include writing fiction, exploring genres of music and spontaneously researching about various topics while falling into an endless spiral of Wikipedia articles and Youtube videos. The broad range I have acquired – when it comes to learning – enables me to connect interdisciplinary realms towards exciting new projects, like the research we conducted through a red-team exercise.

Nayana Reddy - Journaling

Nayana Reddy is an undergraduate student at Sai University, Chennai. She’s pursuing a degree in Data science. Her academic and research interests extend beyond her core discipline to include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the ethical dimensions of technology. She has worked on several machine learning projects, which have deepened her understanding of how models learn and sometimes misbehave. As part of a red teaming initiative, Nayana played an active role in developing and iterating prompt strategies to test the safety boundaries of large language models like Chatgpt. Her work focused on crafting subtle, targeted inputs designed to provoke unintended outputs, including the potential disclosure of sensitive information. The prompts were strategically designed inputs that could manipulate the model into revealing sensitive or restricted content. This experience strengthened her interest in the intersection of AI safety and human creativity. She’s looking forward to continuing this work that challenges and improves the boundaries of intelligent systems.

Writing:

Hariniy Gunaseelan - Writer, Researcher, Red-team lead

I am Hariniy Gunaseelan, you can call me Niy. I am a Data Science major, minoring in Philosophy. I am someone that has a deep curiosity for AI, large language models, and the ways technology intersects with art and philosophy, especially in light of the rise in AI.  Besides being the lead singer (and the guitarist, occasionally) of my college band, “The Surrogates”, I am also an indie singer-songwriter, a poet, and an artist of multiple mediums. My wish is to sing for people that can’t speak or find acceptance and make art more accessible to anyone and everyone. I believe that the study and expression of what it is to be human is the greatest of all. My favourite things to do when it’s raining and I am stuck at home are drinking tea, watching video essays, crying about AOT (It’s an anime), creating art to add to my room, riling up the dogs, singing to my birds that will only listen to either Queen or classical baroque music, and talking to my mom. As the Red Team Lead in this project, I directed the research, writing, editorial layout, and managed social media coordination. This process stretched me in every direction; it was challenging, fulfilling, and taught me how powerful patience can be. It helped me grow not just as a researcher, but as a collaborator and creator. I have deep respect for my mentors and my peers that made this project come so far! I am looking forward to making our Youth Red Team a bigger voice in our world that speaks for responsible and ethical AI use.

Tarun Raja - Writer, researcher

I’m Tarun M.R., a sophomore at Sai University, where I’m majoring in Computing and Data Science with a minor in Economics. I grew up in Trichy and moved to Chennai for high school, where I currently live. I’ve always considered myself to be a multipotentialite, with interests spanning various fields. Music plays a big part in my life — I listen to genres ranging from hip-hop and pop to jazz, J-pop, EDM, and indie. Moreover, I’ve been curious to learn about music production and I recently started learning how to play the guitar! I also love to watch a variety of anime and enjoy reading mangas and manhwas. When I’m not immersed in stories, I love watching and rating movies and series on Letterboxd or gaming on my laptop. I’ve developed a budding interest in philosophy, transitioning from reading fiction to exploring Eastern and Western philosophy, ethics, existentialism, and metaphysics. I'm also close to completing a one-year streak on Duolingo for German! At SaiU, I’m actively involved in several student clubs, including Astronomy, Chess, Photography, Gaming, and the Computer Society. I serve as the Vice President of the Entrepreneurship Club and am a member of the Nominations and Election Commission.

Danisha Shri - Writer

Undergraduate student of Philosophy, Psychology, and International Relations interested in working in the fields of History, Memory, and Peace Studies. Research interests include the role of collective memory in present-day politics, collective trauma and remembrance and forgetting, populist governments, surveillance governments, terrorism, conflict resolution, and diplomacy.

Abhinav Mohan Kumar - Writer

I am Abhinav Mohan Kumar, a first-year student at Sai University, majoring in Computing and Data Science. A student in the truest sense, I am curious and eager to explore a variety of fields. Some of the feathers in my hat of interests include technology, racing, economics, philosophy, politics, history, finance, psychology, and debate. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the red-team exercise, which is a fascinating intersection between technology and security. I look forward to collaborating with peers and experts across various disciplines and deepening my understanding of technology and its impact.

Social Media:

Vishnu Surya Teja -  Social Media Manager

I am Vishnu Surya Teja, a second-year B.Tech student specializing in Computing and Data Science at Sai University. Over the past two years, I have immersed myself in core programming languages, data structures, and machine learning fundamentals. My coursework has covered algorithms, database management, and statistical modeling, giving me a strong foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of computing. I maintain a GPA that reflects my dedication to learning, and I often collaborate with peers on coding projects to deepen my understanding of complex concepts.

Beyond academics, I am passionate about leveraging technology to drive meaningful change. I believe that computing and data science hold the key to the next technological revolution whether it’s developing AI-driven solutions for real-world problems or creating scalable data pipelines that reveal hidden insights. In my free time, I enjoy experimenting with small-scale machine learning projects, exploring new programming frameworks, and staying up to date with the latest research in artificial intelligence. As the social media manager for our Red Team project, I have applied my technical skills to curate content, analyze engagement metrics, and craft strategies that highlight our work’s impact. Looking ahead, I aspire to combine my B.Tech knowledge with innovative thinking to build tools and platforms that make technology more accessible and transformative for everyone.

The Global Maritime Accord Academy

After being introduced by Jamshed to Admiral “Robin” Dhowan, the former Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy, we created this unique Academy. It is a project of the Global Maritime Accord is the first integrated and coordinated approach towards the harmonized administration and governance of oceans, especially the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. I created this Academy as a Senior Fellow at the LISD. SaiU students are engaged to help conceptualize and administer the courses. As with the AI simulation I will continue to work with SaiU students into the future. A wonderful SaiU student Garima Singh a graduate in Biological Sciences with a minor in International Relations from Sai University was our first wonderful intern who helped launch this initiative.

Sai University Graduation Ceremony

Letters from SaiU Students:

I’m Sreepreya Srinivasan, a final-year cognitive neuroscience major with a minor in international relations at SaiU, currently at Dartmouth for an Exchange Internship. I joined SaiU knowing I wanted to study the brain but left with a fascination for borders, conflicts, and the forces shaping our world. Neuroscience made me curious about how we think, while international relations made me question why we act the way we do. The more I studied, the more I saw how the brain and the world mirror each other—both shaped by history, conflict, shifting environments and dynamics.

My work with Professor Jamshed Bharucha on cognitive neuroscience and my time at various labs exposed me to the depth of research, while my discussions with Sherman pulled me into the messy, complicated world of global politics. Somewhere in between, I became an international relations minor because understanding people, whether through neurons or nations, felt equally essential.

When I came to Dartmouth for an internship, it only reinforced this. Classes, conversations, and debates have made me realize just how interconnected everything is. A lecture on neuromarketing suddenly linked back to narratives of power; a casual chat on security studies turned into a reflection on how fear shapes decision-making. I feel prepared, not because I have answers, but because I know how to ask the right questions.

Beyond academics, dance and music have been constants. Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music are where my analytical mind quiets down, where storytelling moves beyond words. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned—whether from neuroscience, politics, or art—it’s that stories shape everything. As a young woman in this era, in India and beyond, I see both promise and peril. The world feels more connected yet deeply fractured. But if anything, my journey so far has convinced me of one thing: curiosity, questioning, and a bit of rhythm can take you far. I’m excited to see what’s in store for me next and to take on the world with all my quirky ideas and questions along the way.

I was very fortunate to meet Sreepreya when she visited me in Boston. I gifted her this book “The Ideological Brain” as I love using books as my medium of exchange in appreciation of my students.

Hello Sherman,

I’ve taken about nine months to work on myself, reflect, and restart my undergraduate education in the UK. During this time, as I unpacked the experiences I’ve had over the past two years, I realized how much gratitude I owe you a great deal for the impact you’ve had on me, both directly and indirectly.

I applied to Sai during a very turbulent period. I was juggling offers from universities in the U.S. and India, torn between pursuing my childhood dream of studying physics and diving into the social sciences and humanities, which had recently captured my imagination. On top of that, the pandemic was still a significant factor, and I ultimately decided to stay closer to my family, at least for the short term.

Sai offered an incredible opportunity to be part of a revolution in Indian education, which I was proud to join. My first real taste of studying politics and IR beyond my personal explorations came in your Global Challenges module. It ended up being one of the key magnets that drew me to the field. I still credit you for so many of the positive changes I experienced while I was in your classes. Even though I never mustered the confidence to schedule a one-on-one meeting, the energy you brought into the room stayed with me and continues to motivate me today.

Jyotsna, Cody, and Justine were also integral to that journey. They were pillars of strength as I began exploring my academic and personal interests in new ways. Some of my best memories from Sai include our discussion classes with Jyotsna, which I looked forward to every week, late-night movement sessions with Cody after class and hallway discussions about history and philosophy, and an unforgettable hour-and-a-half conversation with Justine that completely cracked my brain open. Hosting Pugwash also became an incredible avenue to nerd out about tech developments with my classmates and place them in political contexts.

All these experiences have shaped me into someone who is far more comfortable with myself as I step into my 20s. Since restarting my studies, I’ve stayed connected with British Pugwash, attended discussions with MPs and ambassadors, grabbed a beer with UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, joined the Rethink Economics movement, and worked with a six-student team organizing a philosophy conference at the University of London. These are merely the headlines which don't come close to describing the change in my energy and mindset. It feels unreal to wake up with a renewed sense of excitement to take on the day and all its endless possibilities.

Looking back, I struggled a lot with my mental and physical health during my time at Sai, but your classes and the discussions afterward were always a bright spot. They gave me something to look forward to, and the foundation and can-do attitude you helped build has stayed with me. I feel incredibly privileged that my introduction to politics and IR began with such force and inspiration.

Today, I’m in a much better place—confident enough to write this email, reach out to people, speak up in rooms I never imagined I’d find myself in, and embrace the surreal opportunity of being a student in London.

This email barely scratches the surface of the impact you’ve had on me, and I can’t thank you enough. I’d love to stay in touch, and if you’re open to it, I’d love to visit sometime since I’ve been visiting family in Boston fairly often!

Gratitude and love from London, 
D.

Leaving does not mean I’m saying goodbye…

A surprise moment after concluding my last lecture occur with some of my senior honors students enrolled in my last colloquium “Redefining Security” saying goodbye in May 2025.

Into the Future!

I have invited a number of the stellar graduating seniors into the mentorship role of Convisero the community of the Trebuchet and there will be ongoing projects and initiatives and memberships beyond graduation. One example is that Tyler, myself and Hariniy are working on the utilization of the impact of AI on journalism and I will be working with SaiU students on projects related to the Global Maritime Accord, other Pugwash AI projects including Negotiation and Mediation initiatives regarding regional nuclear non-proliferation and the conflict in Kashmir with ISYP’s Sanaa Alvira. Those of you in the SaiU student body, I am open to hearing from you and I will be working closely with Tarun M R.

A Gallery of Four Years of Colloquium Seminars (2021-2025)

Global Challenges; Redefining Security; Peace and Conflict Studies; Frontiers Of Knowledge; Power and Memory; The Middle East and North African Crises; Confronting and Resolving Complex Global Security Challenges.

Trebuchet Team Members

This site has been wonderfully enabled by the talented Trebuchet team members: Tarun Kumar Reddy, Tarun M R, Srikanth Reddy. Their skills, intelligence, and most of all, their patience have been wonderful.

Many of the posters were designed by two “Taruns" - wonderful SaiU students and members of my Trebuchet intern Team.

The “Tarun’s” who assiduously assisted me with humor, patience, great skill, computer knowledge and chops. I learnt that in the world of special AI expertise enables a person to be called a savage — these guys fit the moniker.

Wonderfully, by serendipity, I have been creating an Indian family, as Srikanth is the brother of Tarun Kumar Reddy.