International humanitarian law expert Laura Olson will speak about her experiences in international law and work to protect persons from the effects of armed conflict, Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Wartburg College.

The convocation, at 11:30 a.m. in Neumann Auditorium, is free and open to the public.

Olson will highlight her 10 years as a legal adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross and give an overview of International Humanitarian Law, including how this law protects persons, such as prisoners of war, during armed conflict and contemporary challenges the law faces.

While working for the ICRC, the 1992 Wartburg graduate was a legal adviser to the ICRC Regional Delegation in Washington, D.C., from 2005 to 2007, which included visiting the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. From 2009 to 2010, she was senior counsel at The Constitution Project in Washington, D.C. In 2010, she joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, where she is currently acting director of the Programs Branch.

Olson earned a law degree from the University of Iowa School of Law, while simultaneously earning a master’s degree in philosophy. One year later, she earned a Master of Laws degree in international legal studies from the New York University School of Law. She was awarded a Wartburg College Alumni Citation in 2013, recognizing her commitment to international peace and justice.