"On a professional level, SURF provided a unique opportunity for me to learn and generate ideas alongside students and colleagues whose education level and years of experience far exceeded my own. The quality and depth of every SURF-related conversation and meeting, from cultural outings to policy briefings, motivated me to produce my best work, pushed me to generate higher quality research, and equipped me with tools to advance my negotiation, people management, and public speaking skills to the next level. My participation in SURF has directly contributed to my ability to produce impact-driven deliverables and my capacity to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations — both skills that I find crucial in my work today."

"The Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum was a fantastic experience and was valuable on both a personal and an academic level. Interacting with Russian students provided me with a perspective on current events, politics, and cultural issues that I was unaware of, and the research project helped broaden my understanding of the energy sector beyond the ever-narrowing scope of my petroleum engineering research. Speaking with Russian and American politicians and academics put into perspective how critical energy policy is and gave some broader context to the importance of the energy sector to both countries. Our trip to Tyumen was particularly interesting, as it highlighted the importance of the oil industry to Russia and showed the challenges present under the current sanctions regime."

"Coming from a military background, I had an adversarial view of Russia. My myopic perspective was quickly altered as I started to work alongside my Russian colleagues on our SURF projects. Additionally, my visits to Moscow and Tyumen broadened my aperture and helped me realize there are so many people committed to cooperating with the US and improving relations between the two countries. The opportunities to engage with congressmen in D.C. and faculty at Stanford offered nuanced approaches to challenging topics. The best part about SURF, and what I'm most grateful for — are the friendships I've formed with people from across the globe."