The American Branch is proud to announce this year’s Emerging Voices. Once again, we had a record number of applications, making the selection process exceptionally difficult. Thank you to the 2026 Emerging Voices Selection Committee: William Aceves, Christine Carpenter, Lisa Reinsberg, Tara Van Ho, and Elisabeth Wickeri. The selection committee will work with the successful applicants in the lead-up to International Law Weekend to polish and perfect their research papers.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation generously funds the Emerging Voices program. Their sponsorship ensures young voices have the means to travel to New York City and present their innovative works.

Shah Maruf Uddin Ahmad is a Lecturer at the East West University’s Department of Law, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He holds an LLM in International & Comparative Law and an LLB from the University of Dhaka. He has experience with the Bangladesh Law Commission and UNICEF. His paper is titled ‘Objective Obligations, Subjective Circumstances: Reconciling Due Diligence and CBDR-RC in the Post-Advisory Era of International Climate Law.’

Hosung Ahn is a DPhil Candidate in Law at Jesus College, University of Oxford. He holds an LLM in Public International Law from Seoul National University and a BA in International Studies from Kyung Hee University. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at the Korea Military Academy, a Research Assistant with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Korea, and as a Legal Intern with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations. His paper is titled ‘The General Assembly in Action: Exploring the Possibility of Adopting Institutional Sanctions Against a Member of the United Nations.’

Minju Kang is a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School and a Postdoctoral Fellow with ChainGE Lab, a European Research Council-funded project hosted by Tel Aviv University and the European University Institute. She holds a PhD in Human Rights and Social Law from Seoul National University and an LLM from Yale Law School. She has visiting and research experience with the Law and Society Institute at Humboldt University of Berlin, the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Minerva Center for Human Rights at Tel Aviv University, and more. Her paper is titled ‘Recovering the Social: Business and Human Rights and the Democratic Stakes of Polycentric Governance.’

François Naaman is an incoming Associate with Vinson & Elkins LLP and a recent law graduate of Columbia Law School. He holds a Master’s in International Law and International Organizations and a Dual Bachelor’s in law and Philosophy from Paris 1 Sorbonne Law School. He has experience with the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations, and the International Senior Lawyers Project. His paper is titled ‘Re-Humanizing International Law: Recovering the Individual at the Foundation of the International Legal Order.’

Gülce Ecem Uçar is a PhD Candidate in Crime and Criminal Procedure Law, Ankara University Graduate School of Social Sciences, Türkiye. She holds an LLM and LLB from Bilkent University, Türkiye. She has experience with the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law and the University of Passau, Germany. Her paper is titled ‘[R]evolution from Below: Deconstructing Waste Colonialism through Ecocentric Penal Dogmatics of Law.’

The 2026 Emerging Voices will present their work at the New York City Bar Association on Thursday, October 22nd, 2026, at 4:00 PM, immediately preceding the International Law Weekend Opening Plenary. Purchase tickets to International Law Weekend here.