Members Series
Passionate and enthusiastic, our members are the driving force of the Association. Equally to our Expert Team, members come from all over the globe, from Canada to Australia, forming a kaleidoscopic mixture of knowledge and competence.
Individuals who are also part of the "Members Series Programme" (featured below) actively promote the internationalisation of debate. In doing so, members carry out video podcasts; write blog articles; plan and execute international events; share and discuss key ideas.
If you are interested in becoming a member, if you want to take part in webinars and events, or if you just wish to learn more, do not hesitate to get in touch: recruitment@itssverona.it We are just one email away!
International System/World Order
USA
Irene Senfter
Irene Senfter holds a BA (Honours) in Business Administration from Bocconi University, and has studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and New York University. She has pursued a career in international business development and hospitality management. During her seven years in New York, she became passionate about US foreign policy, which she now covers for ITSS Verona. She is an MA candidate for International Affairs at King’s College London. Her research interests include international order and geopolitics, strategy, regionalism, security regimes, and international institutions. Her dissertation project is exploring how changes in the balance of power will affect Arctic security
Aida Cavalera
Aida is an M.A. graduate in European and International Studies at the University of Trento, Italy. Her thesis centered on the law and politics of Indigenous-led anti-fossil fuel movements in the United States. She spent one semester at Université Paris I - Panthéon Sorbonne, where her studies were focused on international security and European affairs. Aida holds a B.A. in Foreign Languages for Business and Economics at the University of Urbino and a diploma in European Affairs at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) in Milan. In September 2021, Aida joined the ITSS US foreign policy team.
Francesco Cirillo
I attend Political Science and International Relations at the Roma Tre University, I follow the fields of geopolitics and military strategy and geoeconomic systems, having above all as areas of study and research Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Asia with a focus on Sino-US relations.
I was part of the initial working group that led to the birth of "Starting Finance" of which I am now an effective member and where I hold the role of Head of Security.
I also held the position of Vice President of the Starting Finance Club Roma Tre from November 2020 to May 31 2021. Since 2021 I have been a Rotaract member of the Rotaract Club Roma Eur.
Anurag Mishra
Anurag Mishra is a Ph.D. Candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His doctoral research is focused on non-White leadership in the Republican Party. His research interests include American politics and foreign policy, American society and culture, Religion in Politics, Organized Crime, and Contemporary Ethics among others. He has published several articles and op-eds on multiculturalism, the Jammu and Kashmir Crisis, Biden’s Presidency, the Italian-American mafia, etc. Anurag has previously worked at a couple of law schools in Delhi, where he taught Criminal Jurisprudence and International Law.
He also holds an LL.M. from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
Asia & China
Carlotta Rinaudo
Carlotta Rinaudo is a Master student of International Affairs at King's College London. She has a strong interest in Asia-Pacific current affairs, with a particular focus on the implications of the rise of China.
Mariam Qureshi
Mariam Qureshi is a PhD Student in Politics at University of Reading. She received her MA in International Affairs concentrating in Espionage and Surveillance from King’s College London. Her research interests include cyber strategy, IR theory and Foreign Policy with a focus on Pakistan. As Lead Editor for ITSS Verona, she coordinates all publications of the Member Series.
Sandra Watson
Born in Toronto, Sandra Watson Parcels spent part of her youth in Harbin, China. She graduated with a BA in Policy Studies from Mount Royal University in Canada. She thrived in International Business in China, the USA and Canada before obtaining her MA in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security in 2018 from Reichman University in Israel. While in Israel, Sandra worked for Athena, a cybersecurity firm under Mer Group. There, she produced an extensive report on Chinese Hacker Groups that was published by the International Institute For Counter-Terrorism (ICT). Sandra is currently working as an intern researcher at ITSS Verona and pursuing a PhD.
Ho Ting Hung
Ho Ting (Bosco) Hung is a Politics and International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Bosco is a Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES) scholar. He has worked as a Research Assistant at the LSE Department of Government and he is serving as the Research Director of the LSE Undergraduate Political Review. Recently, he has presented at the Oxford Hong Kong Forum 2022 and he has written for Modern Diplomacy, The Geopolitics, and International Affairs Forum. He is mainly interested in Sino-US relations, Chinese politics, foreign policy analysis, gender, political economy, and human rights.
Manahil Masood
Manahil Masood is a BA (Honors) student at Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, Pakistan. She is a Research Intern for the China and Asia team at ITSS Verona. She was also a National Committee Council Member at Youth General Assembly, Pakistan. She is interested in working towards better policymaking and implementation for the safeguarding of freedom of speech, rights and justice, and veneration of minority sectors in society, particularly women and children..
Russia
Igor Shchebetun
I am a specialist in the field of international relations. Bachelor's degree in finance. Master's degree in management and innovative technologies
Master’s degree in International Relations (2022-2023). Specialization; commercial and non-commercial national and international projects in USA and Europe as well as in Asian and Eastern European markets. Major experience in research and professional work in finance, immigration, investments, humanitarian values, peace, professional diplomacy, military and global strategy of regulation and prevention of global crises and cataclysms, global security and peace. Military experience: Second Class Lieutenant of artillery in reserve.
Davide Gobbicchi
Bachelor's degree at Luiss Guido Carli in PPE, with an exchange semester at Mosow HSE, where I begin specializing in the Post-USSR area. "Double-degree Master student - Luiss Guido Carli and MGIMO - of International Relations with a major in security; currently focused on energetic and environmental security.
Fabrizio Napoli
Fabrizio Napoli is taking an MA in East European and Eurasian studies at the University of Bologna, where he enhances his knowledge about the Russian Federation and the former Soviet space. Besides Russia’s foreign policy, his research interests concern the broader sphere of intelligence and security studies, stretching from military innovation to influence operations.
Previously, he spent a semester at the State University of Saint Petersburg and a whole academic year at the Higher School of Economics of Moscow.
Greta Bordin
Greta is a graduate student in Comparative International Relations (MA) at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, with a background in languages, civilisation, and science of language (BA). The pursued academic career allowed her to cultivate and broaden her primary research focus on Russia's foreign policy in the Middle Eastern quadrant, with particular attention to IR structure (classical realism) and international security-related issues. She is, moreover, interested in the geopolitical implications of Russian bilateral relations and transnational dynamics with/in the Syrian Arab Republic.
Central & South America
Marta Pace
I am a Master student of International Relations with a major in Security at LUISS University, in Rome. I hold a Bachelor's degree in International and Diplomatic Sciences from University of Bologna, during which I had the opportunity to study for six months in Brazil at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte. Therefore, through my studies, I was able to realise my strong interest in the Central and South America Region by entering more closely into this reality. Currently, I am doing an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation at the Press Office and I am also an activist for The ONE Campaign as Youth Ambassador, which gives me the great opportunity to deal with the international dynamics shaping our contemporary world.
André Carvalho
André holds an MSc degree with Distinction in IR from the Graduate Program in International Relations at the State University of Paraíba (Brazil). He is currently studying a short course on High Studies on Defence at the National Defence University of Argentina. Within ITSS Verona, he is the technical lead of ITSS Verona International Security Magazine, Social Media assistant, and member of the South America Team. Researches on; grand strategy, force design, military transformation, air power, rocket & missile artillery, deterrence and A2/AD on East Asia, and Asian geopolitics.
Giovanni Giacalone
Giovanni Giacalone, graduated in Sociology from the University of Bologna, MA in Islamic Studies from Trinity Saint David University of Wales and a further specialization in Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism from the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism-IICT. He is currently senior analyst at the Italian Team for Security, Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies-Itstime (Catholic University of Milan), at the Europe desk for the UK-based think-tank Islamic Theology of Counter-Terrorism, and for Kedisa-Center for International Strategic Analysis based in Athens, Greece. From 2014 to 2016 he was an associate researcher for “Istituto Studi Politica Internazionale-Ispi‘s “Observatory on Terrorism”, and he is now a researcher for Rome’s Centro Studi Machiavelli.
Giacalone was country-coordinator for the Globsec European project “From criminals to terrorists and back”, with the objective of analyzing the crime-terror nexus among jihadist foreign fighters.
UK & European Affairs
Alessandro Spada
I was born in Castelfranco Emilia, province of Modena, Italy, on January 13th, 1985. Between 2007 and 2014, I've been one of the founders and main activists for Partito Democratico in my hometown. I got my Bsc degree in political science from the University of Bologna in 2016. I wrote my dissertation on the incomplete democratic transition experienced by Russia from the fall of the Soviet Union until Vladimir Putin's presidency. I now live in Glasgow, Scotland.
Sonia Martínez Girón
Sonia obtained her Masters degree in International Affairs at King's College London. She previously studied a Bachelor's degree in Modern Languages, Culture and Communication at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. During her career, she has worked both in the food and technology sectors. Her core research topics are food security, violent extremism and soft power. She is ITSS Verona's Director of operations.
Alessandro Peluso
Born in 1997 in Naples, Italy, Alessandro graduated in Law at the University of Naples Federico II and he is currently attending a Master in International Public Affairs at LUISS University in Rome, where he is also a Teaching Assistant. Music, cinema and Greek literature addicted, he is also a contributor for a journal of law.
Januaria Gizzi
Currently studying Politics and International Relations (BA) at Durham University (UK), I am a passionate, enthusiastic and curious person who is interested in a variety of field passing from UK-EU relationship after and before brexit; Middle Eastern studies; The study of Power and Security; The Role of International Organisations within the international system and how effective are they nowadays. Besides my studies, my volunteering experience has given me invaluable leadership and communication skills and furthered my interest and passion about political and social dynamics. I am part of the World System (UK and EU Affairs) team.
Isabel Dekker
I am an undergraduate student at Zuyd university in Maastricht, the Netherlands, majoring in European Studies. The bachelor’s multidisciplinary approach allowed me to explore various interests in international relations, cultures, and languages. During my Erasmus Program at Sciences Po Lille, I participated in numerous human rights projects, highlighting human rights violations in North and Latin America. My keen interests are International Relations, human rights, diplomacy, US politics and society. I dream to work on these themes in the nearby future. As for the ITSS, I am part of the EU/UK affairs team.
Federico Alistair D'Alessio
Born and raised in Italy, Federico holds a BSc in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Derby, and a MSc in International Security and Risk from the University of Southampton. He has worked and volunteered in various countries, including Italy, the UK, Turkey, and the Czech Republic, and was previously a research assistant at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT). He now collaborates with youth-led initiative Council for Global Cooperation as a Research Director, as well as ATLAS of Today’s World as a General Editor. He has also published articles for E-International Relations, Modern Diplomacy and Small Wars Journal among others.
Italy
Filippo Grassi
I graduated from the University of Perugia in Political Science and International Relations. I have always cultivated a passion for issues related to Diplomacy and International Security. This is why I decided to enrol in the Master in International Relations and Security at LUISS in Rome, where I currently live. A lively spirit and always ready for new experiences, I decided to gain experience in the field of international economic development and cooperation with an internship at INSME- the International Network for SMEs. I am currently laying the foundations for a future career in the world of diplomacy.
Maria Chiara Aquilino
Maria Chiara Aquilino is a student in Crisis and Security Management (MSc) at Leiden University, The Hague. She has recently graduated from King’s College London, where she studied International Relations (BA) while developing a strong interest in Security Studies, and particularly in the topic of migration. Her thesis, supervised by Prof. Leila Simona Talani, focused on the strategic use of politics of fear in Salvini’s propaganda, exploring how it targeted southern regions and their perception of migration. Besides, Maria Chiara is a student at Scuola di Politiche, a political mentoring fellowship programme focusing on public policy founded by former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta.
Sarah Toubman
Sarah recently graduated with her MA in War Studies from King’s College London, where she wrote her dissertation on Venetian regionalism during the Second World War. Her main research focus is the intersection of regional identity and security, specifically in northeastern Italy. However, she has explored these themes across different geographical areas, having previously conducted research on Basque separatism while at the University of Michigan and investigated irregular warfare in South America while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Michele Affinito
I am currently a third-year bachelor student in Diplomatic and International Sciences at the University of Bologna. I am interested in environmental issues, energy security and sustainable development in the context of North-South relations, and the links between security and the climate crisis. For this reason, after the end of my BA I will be attending a Joint Master’s degree (MSc) in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management at the Central European University of Vienna and at the University of Lund.
Africa
Alessandra Gramolini
Alessandra is a graduate of the Master in Global Affairs Program from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Spain) and the University of Prince Edward Island (Canada). Alessandra also holds a Law degree with a specialization in International and European Law from the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo". Over the last several months Alessandra co-founded and is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of a new project called the Global Affairs Review. Throughout her academic career Alessandra has developed a keen interest in conducting research, particularly in the fields of International Relations between Africa, China and the European Union.
Rebecca Pedemonte
I’m currently finishing my master’s degree in Human Rights, Migrations, and International Affairs at University of Bergamo. During the past six months I have been writing geopolitical analysis on migrations from West Africa and Human Rights violations. Over the past 4 years I’ve been interviewing migrants from West Africa, to deploy my thesis research. Recently I decided to publish videos in which I try to sensitize people on issues such as discriminations, racism, gender equality and geopolitical dynamics. My main research interests are: migrations; the Sahelian band flows and human trafficking; Lybian detention centres; gender gaps and gender equality; intersectionality.
Michele Tallarini
Born in 1992, Michele holds a MA Degree in Human Rights and International Cooperation Ethics at the University of Bergamo, where is currently working as a researcher on topics such as security, migration and radicalisation prevention policies. He takes part in several cooperation projects, especially in Sahel and North Africa, raising his interest and expertise regarding these key-areas. History, sport and literature addicted, he is also a contributor for an international cooperation's blog and a karate trainer.
Middle East
Angelo Calianno
A freelance reporter, Angelo specialized in ancient history and Islamic influence across the world. In the last 14 years, he has written, and continues to write, about conflicts and stories in several states of Africa, Asia, Middle East, and South America. He has published reports and stories in war-torn areas, the latest, in chronological order, from Chad, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Through his photo exhibitions, Angelo tours Italy and Europe, sharing stories with powerful images.
Anna Lorenzini
Anna Lorenzini holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa-Middle East curriculum (Arabic and Turkish)- and a Master’s Degree in Comparative International Relations, both at Cà Foscari University of Venice. During her academic career, she had the opportunity to deepen and cultivate her passion for International Relations, foreign languages and cultural diversity, especially approaching the Islamic one thanks also to a period where she lived in Morocco and attended the EGE. In 2021 she also earned a Master at the SIOI in Communication and Lobbying in International Relations. She speaks 5 languages.
John Devine
A British and Irish citizen John is originally from Scotland. He studied his undergraduate degree in International Relations and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews from 2016-2020. Along with this, he worked for several years with Dyslexia Scotland - a charity close to his heart. He is currently studying for his Master’s degree in International Affairs at King’s College London (PT/DL) and is also working as an EFL teacher in Bari, Puglia, Italy.
Martina Gambacorta
I am a second year International Relations graduate student at Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna—curriculum “Crime, Justice and Security”. I am really passionate about criminology, terrorism and organized crime, and I am approaching the study of international systems with particular focus on the Middle East area. My background is on Arabic language, literature and culture, but I am also proficient in English, French and Spanish.
Omri Brinner
Researcher, analyst and historian of Middle Eastern and terrorism issues. I studied history at San Jose State (BA) and have a masters in terrorism studies from King’s College London. My thesis examined the effectiveness of three Israeli counter tactics against suicide terrorism during the Second Intifada - Targeted killings, territorial control and target hardening. After my studies I worked as an intelligence analyst and risk manager and today I am a financial fraud analyst and a teaching assistant at the IDC. I manage a blog on Middle Eastern geopolitics, where I analyze current events in a wider historical and regional context.
Chantal Elisabeth Hohe
Just started my first master's semester in International Studies and Peace and Conflict Resolution Goethe-University, Frankfurt on the Main. Passionate about foreign policy analysis global governance, and international peace and security -focusing on issues of state fragility, conflict resolution, and global repercussions of local conflicts. Geographically, I am most interested in the US, the MENA Region, and Latin America. Apart from my mother tongue, which is German, I speak four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. For my future career, I aim to work in the fields of diplomacy, policy analysis, and strategic consulting.
Iran
Shahin Modarres
Born in Tehran, Shahin holds a Bachelor's degree in "Politics, Philosophy, and Economics" and an MA in "Government and Politics" with a focus on Security Studies from LUISS Guido Carli University. He has successfully done courses in Counterterrorism Studies, Intelligence, and Diplomacy at King's College London and NATO Defense College. Shahin is a polyglot and he has done an Internship at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an analyst. Shahin's research is mostly focused on Critical Security Studies in Radicalization, Intelligence, and conflicts in the Middle East.
Yasmina Dionisi
Born in Beirut, Yasmina is an undergraduate in Political Science and International Relations at Luiss Guido Carli University and Rome, exchange student at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) and intern at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), Herzliya. Native French and Italian speaker, she is fluent in English and Spanish and knows Arabic and Russian. Within the realm of international security and affairs, she is interested in Counter-Terrorism, Nuclear Politics and Foreign Policy in the Middle East and Iran.
Margherita Ceserani
Margherita is a M.A. student in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs at the University of Bologna. Previously, she has obtained a double degree in International Studies|Politics and Society at the University of Trento and the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. During her academic career she had the chance to work as an intern at the Turkish think tank TESAD, where she focused on European security. As a member of ITSS Verona she is part of the Iran Team.
South East Asia & Oceania
Alberto Trame
Born in Jesolo in 1989, Alberto holds a MA Degree in Economics at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. He also obtained a 2nd-Level Master degree in Strategic Studies and International Security after taking part in a joint program with the Italian Navy at Venice’s Institute of Maritime Military Studies. He likes to describe himself as curious about everything. Sports addicted, he loves running and is a fencing enthusiast.
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Harshul Singh
Harshul Singh is a Political Science graduate from the University of Delhi and holds a diploma in International Affairs and Diplomacy. He is also a master's candidate at SOAS, University of London. He is currently a member of the IAPSS Asia and Oceania Student Research Committee. He also serves as Research Associate and Analyst for various youth-led global projects and organizations aimed at public policy and political discourse engagements. He upholds an appreciative perspective on issues in academia to bring forth critical and dynamic contrasts. His area of interest are Democratic Studies; South Asian Political Discourse; and Militariasation-Gendered perspectives.
Davis Vavachan
Being a graduate in Political Science harboring a strong interest to comprehensively analyze issues related to Political and Public Policies, I aim to ask pertinent questions and arrive at logical conclusions through constructive debates and meaningful discussions. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Moscow State Institute Of International Relations (MGIMO) in International Relations, specializing in Multilateral Diplomacy. My fields of interest are International Law, Post-Conflict Construction and Development, Security and the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. I have worked as a community development worker amongst the youth, children and migrants for two years. Currently, I am working as a Research Intern with a think- tank in India called Chennai Center for China Studies and The Peninsula Foundation where I work on writing research articles and am in deliberation with ex-veterans, policy experts and scholars.
Military Strategy & Intelligence
Marco Verrocchio
Marco Verrocchio was born in 1993 in Rome, Italy. History addicted, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in History, Geography and International Cooperation. In 2019 he graduated with honors in European History at King’s College London, through a Joint Master of Arts. In 2019 He worked at the Presidency of the Italian Republic as tour leader. Recently he obtained a Postgraduate Specialization at the Italian Central Archive (Rome). Dedicated to Global History and History of International Relations, he is currently collaborating with Alpha Institute of Geopolitics and Intelligence, a thinktanks dedicated to the culture of security and intelligence.
Javier Olaechea
Javi is a young passionate Spanish Intelligence Analyst graduated as such with an MA in Brunel University (London). Passionate for both traditional military handbooks and the modern Cybersecurity world. Currently working as Head of Editors (GreyDynamics, London) and Recruitment Consultant for the Cybersecurity German Market (Parallel Consulting, London). Fluent in Spanish, Italian, English and German Among his passions: Italy and Italian, Football, and Surfing.
Danilo delle Fave
Born in 1996, Danilo is a holder of a Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy at the University of Padua and is currently in the last year at the Galileian School of Advanced Studies. His research topics are hybrid warfare and the strategic use of terrorism as a mean to achieve political goals, the evolution of the international system from the Cold War to our days, along with Italian and German foreign policy. He is author of a book on the response of the Italian government and Italian left-wing parties to the Palestinian terrorism between 1967 and 1973.
Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, & Space
Zrinka Borić
Zrinka Boric comes from Dubrovnik, Croatia. She is a political science and international relations graduate (University of Bologna) currently working at the Libertas International University in Dubrovnik. Her primary research interests are international relations, artificial intelligence, environmental science, and diplomacy.
Renata Safina
Renata is a first-year MA International Affairs student with a specialization in Cyber Security at KCL. Trilingual in English, Russian and French, with experience working in international environment, providing administrative support for diplomatic missions. She holds a BA in Global Business Management from RBS London and has a particular interest in international security and geopolitics.
Oleg Abdurashitov
Oleg is a government affairs professional with international track record of award-winning campaigns and lobbying initiatives for the world’s largest technology and cybersecurity companies. He completed his Bachelor degree in Journalism at the National University of Uzbekistan and his Master degree in International Affairs at King’s College London. As an expert in technology and cybersecurity regulation, he has contributed to a range of cybersecurity and cybercrime studies published by the leading think-tanks, including UNIDIR (Switzerland), Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (India), RSiS (Singapore), ICT4PEACE (Switzerland) and others, and served as an acting member of the INTERPOL Global Cybercrime Experts Group.
Beatrice Gori
Beatrice Gori is a Master student of International Relations at the University of Florence. She hold a bachelor’s in Political Science from the same Institution. She has recently done an internship as research assistant at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism of Herzliya, in Israel. Her works have been published by Pandora Rivista, the Italian Center for Strategy and Intelligence (CISINT), the Center for International Studies (CeSI) and the Center for Cyber Security and International Relations Studies (CCSIRS). Her main research interests are related to the security and geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area.
Giorgia Zaghi
Giorgia holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and diplomatic affairs from the University of Bologna and is currently a graduate student in International Security at Sciencespo, Paris. Her majors are intelligence and sustainability/food security. Throughout her academic career she had the opportunity to analyze topics related to sustainability, food security and violent conflicts as well as the role of secret intelligence in the digital age. Concerning her professional experience, she worked as an intern in the Cyber Strategy service line for Deloitte Risk Advisory.
Giovanni Tricco
I am a PhD candidate in the joint international doctorate in Law, Science and Technology. I research how AI should be regulated in Outer space given the advent of the New Space Economy.
Alongside my research my interest includes Privacy, Cybersecurity, Data protection. Previously, I have been a Digital Policy intern at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) a Washington D.C. think-tank focused on the transatlantic relationship. I love to travel, running and I am always ready for new adventures!
Political Economy, Development, & Energy Security
Lorenzo Caruti
My name is Lorenzo Caruti, I am from Venice and I study Political Sciences, International Relations, Human Rights at Università degli Studi di Padova. I am the President of Rotaract Club of Venice for the Year 2022/23 and I am also a member of ITSS Verona, Movimento Federalista Europeo (MFE), Gioventù Federalista Europea (GFE), Young Ambassadors Society (YAS), Movimento Studentesco per l'Organizzazione Internazionale (MSOI), Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista (in Venice). I also write for MSOI thePost (section “Diritto internazionale ed europeo”), CoseNonCose (section “Attualità” and “Politica”), Footballnews24. I speak English and Spanish. I am very passionate about diplomacy, geopolitics and international relations.
Sofia dal Santo
Sofia Dal Santo is from Verona and graduated in a Master in International Relations at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, where also attended a Bachelor in Middle East Languages and Culture. Her curiosity and experiences abroad led her to undertake this university path and to show more and more interest in MENA Region his political, cultural and ethnical realities. Her main interests are reading books, travelling and enjoying good food and a glass of wine with a couple of friends. A ITSS Verona is dealing with Political Economy, Development, & Energy Security.
Miguel Jiménez
Miguel has a degree in International Studies at Carlos III University which rounded his economics training with political perspective and knowledge of the regional and multilateral institutional setup. He obtained a Double Degree Master's program in Economic Development and Growth at Carlos III University and Lund University, which endowed him with the critical-thinking, theoretical framework and rigorous empirical training to confront and discern dilemmas faced by developing countries. In his academic journey, he has gathered knowledge in different development and welfare economic issues, with analytical tools, methodologies and conceptual frameworks required to address relevant debates. He is now working as a Research Assistant on the economics and finance department at IESE Business School.
Riccardo Bosticco
Riccardo Bosticco is a 21 years old student attending his Research Master in European Studies at Maastricht University. He holds a BA in International Studies and Diplomatic Affairs from the University of Bologna, where he graduated with honours. His main interests go from political theory and political philosophy to the IPE approach to international relations and European Foreign Policy. Currently, his research queries EU actorness in the contest of international economic fora..
Michele Mignona
I have always had much interest in cultures and cultural differences and similarities. During my last year in High School, I was a participant at the National High School Model, a programme of the Italian Diplomatic Academy. This programme concluded with an official visit to the UN in New York where we had the opportunity to stage an official Summit. That pushed me to enrol at the University of Pisa for my Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations, focusing on European Law. Then, I started my Master in European Legal Studies at the University of Turin, where I explored advanced EU Law, administrative and comparative EU laws and International Institutional Law, with the intent to develop good research skills in legal and geopolitical sectors.
Human Rights
Simona Sagone
Simona was born in 1997 in Messina, Italy. She graduated in law with honors in march 2021 and she’s currently finishing a Master of Arts in International Public Affairs at Luiss Guido Carli University. She previously did two Internships (in Rome and Berlin) about researching on international law and human rights issues, and a study visit at the Council of Europe. In September 2022, she started an Internship in Brussels during which she supports the General Secretariat of GERG, a company involved in the european energy community.
Vittoria Brunazzo
Vittoria Brunazzo is an Italian-Brazilian undergraduate in Political, Social and International Sciences – curriculum “International Relations” – at the University of Bologna, expected to be graduated in December 2022. She is currently writing her B.A. Thesis on the field of international law and humanitarian intervention. Her main research interests are international public law, humanitarian intervention, conflict resolution and human rights.
Maria Makurat
Maria Makurat is an M.A. graduate in International Affairs with focus on cyber security from Kings College London. Her thesis centered on to what extent one can evaluate the U.S Cyber Strategy and deem it effective by looking at case studies from Iran, China and Russia. Additionally, Maria regularly writes articles for the Kings College London Policy Think Tank, mainly on topics related to cyber strategy and how Germany should prepare for the future. Maria holds a B.A. in Sociology with focus on political science from the Ruprecht-Karl University Heidelberg, writing her thesis on white-collar crime. During her Bachelor, she spent a year researching and documenting the Burundi conflict for the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research, which was published in the 2016 Conflict Barometer. In March 2022, Maria joined the ITSS Cyber Security and AI team and is passionate about themes related to cyber security, international conflicts and strategy.
Luca Mattei
Luca is a Candidate for the Master’s Programme in Public International Law at Utrecht University, where he is pursuing his interest in International Human Rights Law. Previously, he obtained a Master Degree in Law at Roma Tre University with a final dissertation concerning the ‘access to justice’ from the perspective of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. During the latter experience, he matured a keen interest in ‘human rights’, ‘global health law’ and ‘disaster response law’. Outside the academic sector, Luca strongly believes in volunteering and in the work of civil society associations.
Culture, Society, & Security
Julia M. Hodgins
Deputy of Research
MA in International Affairs from King’s College London also earned the AKC – Associateship of King’s College. The University of the Fraser Valley granted her a BA in Sociology concentrated in Social Research and an Arts Associate, both with Distinction. She also holds a Data Analytics Certification and a Group Dynamics Diploma. Julia is a seasoned researcher with academic publications in English and Spanish, articles and podcasts in ITSS and other academic blogs, and has presented her research at multiple conferences. Her primary interests are strategy, policy, inequalities, and social movements. Julia is a KCL international alum representative involved in educational, intercultural, and communicational volunteering. She lives in Vancouver Island, Canada, with her family.
Leigh Dawson
My name is Leigh Dawson and I’m from Perth, Western Australia. I currently work as the Public Engagement Director at the US Consulate in Perth where I'm responsible for growing the diplomatic mission of the United States across Western Australia. With the view to enter into politics or work abroad in diplomacy, I’m keen to network with other experts in this space to expand my knowledge. My research interests lay in religion and foreign relations, and the impact of sport as a tool for policy formation and implementation. Outside of work and study, I’m a qualified Australian Rules Football umpire, an avid news hound, coffee connoisseur and global traveller.
Sofia Staderini
Post-graduate student in International Affairs with a particular focus in International Security and currently a participant in the 2021-2022 class of the Académie Notre Europe. She graduated cum laude in July 2021 in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice with a dissertation on post-truth politics. She took part in several conferences and study projects in Europe such as the Global Studies at the Institute of Maritime Military Studies of Venice, the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung’s "War or Peace" program in Berlin, yet ensued by Scuola di Politiche and the Women In International Security Network. Fluent in Italian, French, English, and Spanish. Currently studying German and Russian.
Defence & Procurement
Giovanni Rasio
Giovanni is a postgraduate student in National Security Studies (MA) at King’s College London. He graduated from the University of Bologna in 2019 with a BA in International Development and Cooperation, spending one year abroad studying at Vilnius University and at Universidad Argentina De la Empresa. In Argentina, Giovanni worked as a volunteer for the General Consulate of Italy in Buenos Aires. Within the realm of security and defence, he is interested in European Security and Defence Policy, NATO, Italian Foreign Policy, Defence Industry, and Geopolitical Risk.
Arnaud Sobrero
Arnaud Sobrero is a professional in the Aerospace and Defense industry with more than 12 years of experience. Arnaud has worked with well-established organizations such as the Dassault Group, Textron and Raytheon Technologies in various capacities (Sales, Marketing, Strategy). He is a French citizen and has lived in 6 different countries including 6 years in Singapore and 5 years in Japan. Arnaud is a graduate of the Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques (‘IRIS’), a top French think tank specialized in International Relations. Arnaud is currently a MA candidate at King’s College London in International Affairs (Cyber Security specialism).
Romain Gallix
Currently completing the final year of his PPE BA at Durham University (UK), Romain is mainly interested in European strategic autonomy issues, the security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific and their implications for Europe. His dissertation focuses on the French Indo-Pacific policy and "third way" narratives in the regional US-China rivalry. Romain has been 2021 summer intern at the Security & Defence team of CNAM research centre in Paris, where he participated to international research collaborations with a focus on arms and Transnational Organised Crime. He is part of the Defence & Procurement team.
Aline Blanchard
Aline is a graduate student in the Joint Master in International Security Studies from University of Trento and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and European Institutions from University of Milan. Trilingual in English, Italian and French, Aline deepened her curiosity about international security through a Diploma in Geopolitics and Global Security. Within the realm of security and defence, her primary research interests are European Security and Defence Policies, EU-NATO Relations, Geopolitical Risks and EU Disarmament.
Iris Anna-Maria Raith
Iris completed her law degree (Mag. iur.) at the Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf in Germany in 2019 and recently acquired her BSc in Political Science (International Relations) from Leiden University in The Netherlands at the beginning of 2022. She is now a Master candidate at the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID), following the MINT specialization in Conflict, Peace and Security. She has been Vice-Chair of the student research committee “Conflict, Security & Crime” at the International Association for Political Science Students and an Editor for Medusa, the Leiden University Journal for Undergraduate Research. During her studies she has conducted research on small terrorist organizations, arms imports of non- state actors and intelligence reform. She has recently acquired experience at The Counterterrorism Group and the European Commission. Her research interest focuses primarily on international security, more specifically terrorism, intelligence, military cooperation and non-state actors.
Joseph Moses
My name is Joseph Moses and I am currently a Master’s student of International Relations at Moscow’s State Institute for International Relations. I have a background in Political Science. I am also currently a research intern over at C3S (Chennai Centre for China Studies). I am interested in the topics of security, foreign affairs, identity, geopolitics and international theory. Structural “inevitability” and how socio-political identities react or act in the international system has always intrigued me, especially with regards to notions of justice. This is one of the main reasons I have continued to pursue this field of study.
Crime, Extremism, & Terrorism
Adelaide Martelli
Adelaide is a Research Assistant at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, in the Grant Research Project. Prior to her current position, she served as an Intern in the Index of Islamic Radicalization Project at the ICT.
Francesco Bruno
Francesco Bruno is a first year PhD candidate in the Defence Studies Department at King's College London. His main area of specialization is Counterterrorism with emphasis on the operational and organizational choices of Al-Qaeda. Previously, Francesco has obtained a Bachelor Degree in Economics and Social Sciences in International Politics from Aberystwyth University in Wales and a Master Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Manchester. His background has allowed him not only to conduct fieldwork research during his master studies across a range of countries and continents, but also to publish a number of papers with Peer-reviewed journals.
Camilla Cormegna
Camilla Cormegna is an MSc student in Crisis and Security Management at Leiden University specialising in the governance of radicalism, extremism and terrorism. She graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice where she developed an interest in security issues and, in particular, in the topic of terrorism. Her curiosity led her to write a dissertation based on a cross-national study between Scotland and Italy exploring the fear of Islamic and right-wing terrorism with a focus on the othering process of Muslim communities.
Isabelle Despicht
Isabelle is a European Studies undergraduate at Zuyd University in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Next to her studies, she completed an internship with the Armenian Embassy in The Hague where she was, among other things, tasked with researching Human Rights violations in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. She speaks five languages, is a passionate Human Rights advocate, and has a keen interest in international organizations, the European Union, security and foreign affairs. She is also an upcoming intern at the Geneva International Centre for Justice, a Human Rights NGO reporting to the UN human rights council.
Shams Jouve
I am an undergraduate student of European Law at the Catholic University of Lille, France, currently completing an exchange at the European University of Valencia, Spain. I am fluent in French, English and Spanish and I am actively developing my international relations and security knowledge. Driven to the study of human rights and terrorism, my primary research interests are the radicalization process and counterterrorism.
Human Security
Arslan Sheikh
Arslan is a MA Candidate at Defence Studies Department, KCL. He did his previous postgraduation focusing mainly on Modern History of South Asia from JMI, New Delhi. His research interests include areas of international security, transboundary water cooperation, and conflict resolution.
Réka Szabó
'Réka Szabó is a research intern at International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in Vienna, participating in the Sustainable Practices of Integration of Newly Arrived Migrants (SPRING) project. After having completed a bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Corvinus University of Budapest, she obtained two master’s degrees in the same field at the University of Bologna and at Central European University, Vienna. During her studies, she developed her interest in (critical) security studies, European security policy, transnational terrorism, and the dynamics in the functioning of hybrid and authoritarian regimes.'
Esther Brito Ruiz
Esther Brito Ruiz is a Master’s Graduate in Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics; specializing in ethnic conflict and women’s rights. Currently, she is writing a book on urban governance at the IESE Business School. She was previously a Global Shaper within The World Economic Forum, where she co-founded the Empowering Diversity in Tech and Entrepreneurship (EDiTS) initiative, seeking to increase diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Esther has lived and studied in 6 countries across 4 continents and is passionate about generating positive social impact.
Ludovica Aicha Brambilla
Ludovica recently completed her Bachelor degree in International Relations at the Università Cattolica of Milan and will soon start the MA programme in Conflcit, Security and Development at the University of Sussex. Ludovica deepened her curiosity about security studies through extracurricular courses and a Diploma in Geopolitics and Global Security. She is tailoring her academic interests around the interconnections between human security and development with particular attention to urban contexts. Ludovica has always been involved in social work activities in the city of Milan and she is currently collaborating as editress with a municipal project dedicated to the common good of the city.
Federica Montanaro
Federica Montanaro comes from Naples, Italy. She is an International Security student at the joint Master’s degree by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and the University of Trento. She is currently working as an intern at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Latin America Office). Her main research interests are related to the interaction between human rights and novel sociotechnical apparatus, such as smart borders, automated weapons, and mass surveillance devices.
Social Media and Strategic Communication
Rebecca Pedemonte
I’m currently finishing my master’s degree in Human Rights, Migrations, and International Affairs at University of Bergamo. During the past six months I have been writing geopolitical analysis on migrations from West Africa and Human Rights violations. Over the past 4 years I’ve been interviewing migrants from West Africa, to deploy my thesis research. Recently I decided to publish videos in which I try to sensitize people on issues such as discriminations, racism, gender equality and geopolitical dynamics. My main research interests are: migrations; the Sahelian band flows and human trafficking; Lybian detention centres; gender gaps and gender equality; intersectionality.
Natalia Leurs
Natalia is a recent graduate in International Relations and Political Science from Universidad Siglo 21 in Cordoba, Argentina. She spent one semester at the Metropolitan University of Prague, where she discovered the International Security field. Since then, and with a solid background as a volunteer in many local and national NGO´s, she embarked on the University Observatory of Terrorism (IRI) as a Data Analyst. Her research interests revolve around the interconnectedness of geopolitical threats and its impact on human security dimensions of marginalized communities, as well as terrorism and the wide realm of Human Rights. She seeks to enhance her analytical and research competences, along with intercultural and open-mindedness skills.
Kateryna
Kateryna is currently working for Cognizant as Senior Content Analyst in Krakow, Poland. She deals with social media policies for the Eastern European market. She is bilingual Russian and Ukrainian and a fluent English and Polish speaker. She is currently involved in a number of social media projects outside ITSS Verona with focus on Instagram as an advertisement tool.
The International Team for the Study of Security – Verona
