Hatem completed his PhD in International Relations from the School of International Service in July 2023. His dissertation, titled “Hiding in Plain Sight,” explored how Egyptian Nonprofit Organizations adapt to shrinking civic space, and specifically how their funding model impacts the ways in which they navigate restrictive government policies. While at SIS, Hatem has worked as a research fellow at the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab (RIPIL) as well as a fellow at the Accountability Research Center (ARC) in addition to other teaching and research assistantship roles. Before the PhD, Hatem worked in several national and international NGOs in the human rights and development space in Egypt. He has since been an independent consultant on areas that relate to governance, accountability, education reform, and monitoring and evaluation. His primary area of research expertise is the Middle East and has published on topics which relate to civic space, advocacy, student movements, and community mobilization.

Manuel Reinert completed his PhD in International Relations from the School of International Service at American University in April 2023. His dissertation, titled "Ostracizing Pariahs? Why Terrorist Designations Often Fail" analyzes the generalization of designations and sanctions as tools of global governance, and explores the political, economic, and humanitarian consequences of these policies. Manuel Reinert's research has appeared in a variety of outlets such as The Washington Post, War on the Rocks, E-International Relations, and Mediapart. Manuel Reinert is a consultant with the World Bank Group and an Adjunct Faculty at Georgetown University. He holds a BA and an MA from Université of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and an MPhil from American University. 

Jong Eun Lee completed his PhD in International Relations from the School of International Service at American University in May 2023. His dissertation, titled "TO END THE WAR, OR TO KEEP FIGHTING: WHEN SMALL ALLIES RESIST THE DEMANDS OF GREAT POWERS,” explored conflicts between the supwerpower and their allies during the Cold War, from the perspectives of small allied governments. His primary areas of research include U.S. foreign policy, South Korean politics and foreign policy, alliance management, East Asian regional security. He has taught for four years as an adjunct faculty at American University School of International Service. Prior to joining the Ph.D. program, he has served as South Korean Air Force Intelligence Officer. 

Adam Yang completed his PhD in International Relations from the School of International Service at American University in December 2022. His dissertation, titled Dreams of Victory, explored the relationship between military warfighting culture and the strategic preferences of civilian leaders, and their resultant influence on organizational resource decisions toward military innovations. Professionally, as an active duty Marine Corps officer, he is a military strategist and is assigned to the Strategy Branch, Headquarters Marine Corps at the Pentagon. Within this assignment, he has supported strategic writing and research projects for the Joint Staff J-5 and the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. Beyond his military duties, he also serves as the Director of the Ellis Fellowship at Marine Corps University and as an Editorial Board member for the US Naval Institute’s Proceedings magazine. He received his commission through the US Naval Academy and holds graduate degrees from Georgetown University, the Naval Postgraduate School, and Marine Corps University.

Cherie Saulter's research focuses on informality, housing stability, and urban politics, primarily in Africa. In her PhD dissertation, she explored these topics in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, where she conducted extensive qualitative research. After receiving her PhD from American University, Saulter was awarded a postdoctoral writing grant from the British Institute in Eastern Africa in 2022.

Mashal Shabbir just graduated from the Ph.D. program in International Relations from American University, during which she specialized in the study of political violence. For her dissertation project, she focused on the decision-making of mid-level commanders with insurgent groups to explain ways in which these groups disintegrate. Her primary area of expertise is South Asia with a secondary focus on the MENA, the Sahel and East African regions. She is a former Peace and Security fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, during which her research was supported by the USIP and the Minerva Research Initiative at the Department of Defense. She has also worked as a Research Manager for the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab (RIPIL), an affiliate of the Bridging the Gap project. Prior to joining the Ph.D. program, she graduated from the War Studied department at King’s College London.