Managing Editor's Message (M.E.M.)
In October 2025, after three years of silence, the Applied Dispute Resolution Journal returns—not as a relic of what was, but as a platform for what’s next. This special Fall edition, Student Perspectives, marks a new beginning: a space where emerging voices meet enduring values. The articles reflect curiosity, courage, and a commitment to ethical practice—qualities that define both the field of dispute resolution and the students who now shape its future.
Reviving ADRJ has been a labor of love and conviction. With a new cadre of contributors and editors, we recommit to the journal’s founding principles: fairness, transparency, and academic excellence. May this issue spark dialogue, deepen understanding, and remind us that scholarship is not just about publication—it’s about participation.
For this special student issue, you’ll find intriguing articles from graduate students of NCRP:
- Navigating Genetic Surprises: Emotional and Psychological Best Practices for Family Reunification – Alice Dean. This project looks into the emotional and psychological impact of unexpected DNA results—often called genetic surprises—revealed through at-home testing. It scrutinizes how individuals and families navigate identity disruption, grief, and relational conflict, offering trauma-informed strategies and restorative practices to promote healing and understanding.
- Enhancing Complaint Handling: A Digital System for Direct Administrator Access – Nicholas Gonzalez. This study examines how digital tools—such as AI, databases, and virtual assistants—can enhance the ombudsman model by improving efficiency and consistency in dispute resolution. It assesses the evolving role of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) and considers how technology might support, rather than replace, human judgment while preserving fairness and trust.
- Beyond the Nile’s Banks: A Conflict That Runs Deeper Than Water – Donna Martini. This essay analyzes the Nile Basin Dispute, tracing how resource scarcity, regional power struggles, and historical grievances have fueled conflict among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan. It focuses on the geopolitical and cultural significance of the Nile River, highlighting how competing claims to its waters have shaped colonial histories and modern tensions.
- The AI-Powered Ombudsman: A Boon or a Curse? – Masha Rusanov. This theoretical paper explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping workplace conflict resolution and the ombudsman role. It proposes a hybrid model where AI handles routine tasks while human professionals ensure empathy, ethics, and confidentiality—offering a framework for responsibly integrating technology into dispute resolution.
- Minority Police Officers in Law Enforcement: The Intersection of Identity and Experience – Yanick Mendes Tavares Varela. This research navigates how race, sexuality, and identity shape the professional experiences of minority police officers, drawing on historical events and personal reflection. It probes the impact of societal tensions on career trajectories and retention, offering insights into strengthening relationships between law enforcement and marginalized communities.
Welcome back to ADRJ!
Dr. Gerald R. Papica
