James Milner and Lama Mourad receive 2026 FPGA Excellence Awards, Carleton University, 14 May 2026.
We are proud to announce that two LERRN colleagues have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Faculty of Public and Global Affairs (FPGA) Excellence Awards at Carleton University. Each year, the FPGA recognizes outstanding individuals among its faculty and staff.
- Lama Mourad has been selected as the recipient of a 2026 FPGA Teaching Excellence Award
- James Milner has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 FPGA Community Engagement Excellence Award
Through experiential learning opportunities developed in collaboration with LERRN and the R-SEAT team (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table), Lama Mourad has challenged graduate students to engage in contextual analysis and research on refugee protection through refugee-led initiatives. Students were tasked to produce real-world contextual reports and policy mapping on refugee leadership ecosystems, directly contributing to R-SEAT’s mission of advancing refugee inclusion and participation in global decision-making. Reflecting on the experience, one student shared:
“The opportunity to collaborate with dedicated civil society actors and observe their work in strengthening connections between domestic and international policies within the global refugee regime was an invaluable, hands-on, and enriching experience.”
Lama Mourad has also been recognized by receiving the 2025–26 Future Learning Innovation Fellowship for her exciting and innovative teaching project focused on immersive diplomacy and negotiation simulations using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Supported by Teaching and Learning Services, Dr. Mourad’s project will bring a fully immersive, AI-enhanced negotiation simulation into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience navigating the challenges of global diplomacy. Using adaptive AI “Deputies,” the simulation presents students with real-time prompts, counterarguments, and evolving scenarios that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and strategic decision-making.
Through his leadership of the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN), James Milner has been recognized for demonstrating the transformative impact of meaningful collaboration between academia, international organizations, and community leaders in advancing the rights and protections of forcibly displaced people. LERRN work has strengthened evidence-based research, advocacy, and policy development while centering the voices and experiences of displaced communities.
LERRN’s commitment to meaningful engagement and experiential learning has supported more than 200 graduate students and enabled 12 graduate students to conduct fieldwork on refugee issues in the Global South. Through a partnership agreement between UNHCR Canada and Carleton University, more than 25 Carleton students have also completed internships supporting UNHCR Canada’s efforts to find durable solutions for refugees while gaining valuable hands-on experience.
In collaboration with Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R-SEAT), LERRN also helped mobilize more than 20 Carleton graduate students to provide research support and contributed to the development of an advocacy training program that has benefited more than 250 refugees participating in global meetings in Geneva.
Congratulations to Dr. Mourad and Dr. Milner on these well-deserved achievements!