The Hart Leadership Program is pleased to announce the newest Fellows for the Patman Political Engagement Project. These politically-engaged students will spend a year learning about and practicing the art of ethical leadership in a democratic society.
The Patman Political Engagement Project is designed to inspire and equip future leaders in democracy, offering them avenues for meaningful participation. The program aims to contribute to more diverse and inclusive political engagement across all levels in the United States, prioritizing civil discourse and collaboration among policymakers and political leaders. The 2026 Patman Fellows will complete the gateway course, “Democracy Lab” (PUBPOL 564) during the spring of their junior year. Under the guidance of Professor Suzanne Katzenstein, this course addresses questions related to political leadership and structural impediments to political engagement. In the summer, Patman Fellows have the opportunity to apply their acquired knowledge through an immersive internship experience with a community partner or by working on research as part of their senior thesis project. Patman Fellows conclude their journey in the fall semester, engaging with Polis: Center for Politics events and workshops.
Introducing the 2026 Patman Fellows:
Aarav Dagar, originally from Tampa, Florida, is a junior at Duke University majoring in Public Policy with a minor in History. He was recently a Critical Language Scholar with the U.S. Department of State, where he explored U.S. – India relations while living in Jaipur and studying how local communities operate. Aarav has also served as a Mayoral Intern for the City of Durham, contributing to high-impact projects for residents and supporting the mayor’s communication strategy. He is driven by an interest in the religious intersections between community engagement and policymaking and looks forward to exploring that interest through the Patman Fellowship.
Amaia Clayton is a junior from Boise, Idaho majoring in Public Policy. This past summer, Amaia engaged in legal research as the Policy Intern at the ACLU of Idaho, examining the intersection of new Idaho state laws with existing federal statutes. She is interested in a number of policy fields but is especially passionate about gun violence prevention. At Duke, she serves as a Research Assistant in the Duke Center for Firearms Law and is a Woodman Scholar in the Duke Undergraduate Economic Analytics Laboratory. There, she partners with Dr. Jeff DeSimone in bringing together gun violence researchers around campus to explore collaborations and expand future gun violence prevention research at Duke. Amaia is also the Founder and President of Duke Students for Gun Safety, an organization working to involve Duke students in gun violence prevention advocacy and support Durham violence prevention programs. Outside of her policy work, Amaia loves the outdoors and works as a Trip Leader with Duke Outdoor Adventures. She can also often be found enjoying live music, good food, and Duke basketball.
Ameer Haidary, from Raleigh, North Carolina, is a Duke University student double majoring in Public Policy and Economics with a certificate in Energy and the Environment. He serves as a senator on Duke Student Government’s Services and Sustainability Committee, treasurer of the Arab Student Organization, and a member of the Duke Undergraduate Law Review. A licensed EMT, Ameer is passionate about sustainability, healthcare, and advancing equity through policy.
Annie Ming Kowalik is Duke junior studying Mechanical Engineering and Public Policy. Born in Seattle and raised in Shanghai and Sydney, she is interested in how technology and governance can work together to expand opportunity. At her public Australian high school, Annie Ming helped start a robotics program, to give students earlier access to engineering learning, and created low-cost projects that brought hands-on learning to regional communities across the country. Her curiosity about how innovation reaches people has led her to work on strategy in health technology, lead collaborative space engineering engineering teams across continents, as well as research education equity in Kenya’s Matopeni community. Moving between disciplines and cultures has taught her that progress depends as much on empathy and understanding as it does on invention. Annie hopes to continue exploring how technology and policy can create systems that are inclusive, sustainable, and human-centered.
Charlotte Curlin is a junior studying Environmental Sciences and Policy with a concentration in Energy and a minor in Spanish. Born and raised in Staten Island, New York City’s “Borough of Parks,” Charlotte is passionate about sustainability and energy policy. On campus, she enjoys being involved in climate and pre-law organizations. She spent the summer before her junior year studying at the University of Oxford, where a course in political philosophy deepened her intellectual curiosity about American liberties and democratic ideals. As a Patman Political Engagement Fellow, she looks forward to learning more about the vital role policy plays in shaping a responsive and equitable democracy. Charlotte’s biggest dream is to become an environmental lawyer because she appreciates the way prioritizing climate policy can make significant changes in peoples’ quality of life.
Emily Wang is a junior from League City, Texas majoring in Economics and Public Policy and minoring in Global Health. On campus, Emily is involved in the Duke Association for Business Oriented Women, Duke Student Government, and The Chronicle. Emily’s interests include criminal justice, carceral health, and public health. She has worked at The Bellwether Collaborative for Health Justice as an undergraduate researcher, analyzing data on health concerns and conditions among people who are incarcerated. Emily is currently a part of the Duke Law Wilson Center for Science and Justice, investigating judicial rulings in Harris County misdemeanor cases. She is also conducting research on community-based models of health and social care with the Margolis Institute for Health Policy. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, going on long walks, and trying new restaurants in Durham.
Gabrielle Douglas is a junior from Richmond, Texas, double majoring in Political Science and Computer Science with a minor in Journalism and Media Studies. She is passionate about advancing food security and developing equitable policy solutions that address childhood hunger and economic inequality. At Duke, Gabrielle has served as the Social and Recruitment Chair and captain for Duke Mock Trial, a Judiciary Clerk, and a writer for the Duke Research Blog. She is also involved with Duke Justice Project, Duke Votes, and Flowers for a Future, where she teaches international relations to young women abroad. Beyond policy work, Gabrielle performs with Defining Movement, Duke’s multicultural dance group. Through her academic and extracurricular pursuits, she aims to bridge the gaps between technology, advocacy, and governance.
Jacqueline Dinh (she/her) is a junior from Charlotte, North Carolina studying sociology and history. She is a scholar of race and ethnicity and is interested in studying refugee diasporas in the United States. Funded by the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, she is researching right-wing political mis/disinformation in refugee communities. Aside from being a Mellon Fellow, Jacqueline is involved in the Bass Connections project Mental Health and the Justice System in Durham County, the LDOC Committee, and is a Trinity Ambassador for the Sociology Department. In her free time, she is a community organizer, sock collector, and Liverpool fan.
Lawrence Wu is a junior at Duke University majoring in History and Economics with a minor in Environmental Sciences & Policy. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he is passionate about advancing environmental policy through legal and economic frameworks. As a Climate Scholar at the Nicholas School, Lawrence works with Duke Law Professor Timothy Meyer on projects analyzing the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and global emissions-trading readiness. He previously worked with the Rachel Carson Council through the Stanback Fellowship, focusing on industrial decarbonization and regulation. On campus, Lawrence serves as Chapter President of KAPi Pre-Law Fraternity and works at the Duke Center for Firearms Law. He aspires to pursue a J.D. to work at the intersection of environmental law, trade, and industry. In his free time, Lawrence enjoys skiing, cooking, and watching Formula 1.
Lilly Gessner is a junior from Wilmington, Delaware, pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science. She is broadly interested in how politics, economics, and education intersect, focusing on the ways political systems and governance structures shape economic and education policy. Lilly has interned in the Delaware Office of the Governor, supporting education research, and worked for the Duke University Libraries on their Government Documents Project, contributing to archival efforts. She now assists with research for the Courage Project, exploring themes of leadership and resilience in group and organizational settings. On campus, Lilly is a member of the Duke Chorale, a facilitator for Duke Conversations, a campus tour guide, and a member of both the Undergraduate Education Student Advisory Board and the Undergraduate Library Advisory Board, where she works to enhance the Duke experience for students.
Lucas Wagner is a junior at Duke University studying Mathematics and Economics. He is passionate about strengthening democracy through data and design, and his work centers around helping candidates better understand intra-party voter behavior and participation patterns. At Duke, Lucas leads the Cyber Policy team and is involved in the Program in American Grand Strategy. He also conducts research in the Economics Department as a Woodman Scholar, studying the social and physiological effects of natural disasters. Previously, he worked with a nonprofit building affordable housing in Eastern Kentucky, an experience that deepened his commitment to equity and public service. Originally from Minneapolis, Lucas hopes to bridge quantitative analysis with human-centered policymaking to build more inclusive democratic institutions.
Nikki Tora is a junior from Langhorne, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in Public Policy, minoring in Sociology, and pursuing a certificate in Ethics and Society. Nikki is passionate about addressing structural inequities and exploring how policy can either reinforce or challenge racial disparities in marginalized communities. She hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice or immigration law. On campus, Nikki is a Baldwin Scholar and a member of the Black Pre-Law Society and the Duke Justice Project. She also conducts research with the Decarceration Project at Duke Law School, where her Bass Connections team works with parole applicants to create mitigation videos that share their stories and plans for reintegration. This past summer, she interned with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity and Root Legal, deepening her commitment to justice reform. In her free time, Nikki enjoys babysitting, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Ryan Kilgallen is a junior from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, studying economics and public policy. He is interested in areas of social policy and looks to apply economic theory and data analysis to better understand policy questions. On campus, Ryan is a senior editor for The Chronicle, Duke’s student-run newspaper, and he is involved with research projects in the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics. Ryan also works as a resident assistant and served as the Vice President of Communications for the POLIS Student Committee in his sophomore year. Last spring, he interned with the YMCA of the USA’s government relations team where he learned about the importance of the nonprofit sector and advocacy. He is grateful for the opportunity to join the Patman Political Engagement Project cohort and looks forward to growing as a student and leader through the program.
Simran Pandey is a junior from Pleasanton, California studying Public Policy, Linguistics, and Earth and Climate Sciences. She is interested in learning about how international regulations, legal frameworks, and public-private alliances influence space geopolitics and policy. Simran has spent her summers compiling political databases for Ballotpedia, building historical archives about outer space, and interning at Astralytical Consulting to research the effects of foreign markets on space policy. On Campus, Simran has been involved with Duke Mock Trial, Bass Connections, the Public Policy Majors Union, and ESL tutoring.
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