The son of Paul Armony. Ariel C. Armony leads the University of Pittsburghs global engagement as the Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Director of the University Center for International Studies, home to the University's top-ranked thematic and area studies centers. He also holds faculty appointments in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Department of Political Science in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. In his role as Vice Provost for Global Affairs, Armony works to advance the University's global plan "Embracing the World", which places global learning, research, partnerships, and community engagement at the center of het University's mission. The plan takes a strategic approach to international part- nerships, encourages concerted decision-making that leads to transformational action across all Pitt campuses, and guides Pitt toward real-world impact through global learning and research. Armony is a frequent commentator for U.S. and international ,madie most recently on the topics of innovation in international education, the globalization of cities, and the changing role of China in Latin America. His research areas also include democratization, civil society, and human rights topics. His work has been published in top university presses (Cambridge, Stanford, a n d University of California) and his academic work has been influential in shaping major debates such as the relationship between democracy and civil society.