Spring 2023 Fellows

Thomas Brown

Sociopolitical Dialogue Fellow - Canada - Montreal, Quebec

Thomas Brown is a recent BA (Combined Honours) Political Science and History graduate from the University of Alberta, with a thesis focus on political behavior and Weimar history. Alongside work within the non-profit and government sectors, Thomas has spent recent years researching and writing about sociopolitical dialogue, dispute resolution, and peacebuilding. As an Al Fusaic Fellow, Thomas hopes to explore the different forms of dialogue and dispute resolution practice in the SWANA region.

Articles: Alalakh 101 | Chronicle of a Disappearance | Overview of Dispute Resolution in the MENA Region | Tamer Nafar | The Swimmers

Elaine Haddox

Culture and Geodiplomacy Fellow – USA – Oxnard, California

Elaine is a current 11th grader at Villanova Preparatory School, where she will graduate in 2024. After high school, Elaine hopes to major in International Relations and pursue law as a career. She has participated in multiple leadership programs throughout her life such as HOBY and JrNYLC, and hopes to attend more in the future. Elaine is fairly new to learning about the MENA region but is thrilled to learn, grow, and educate others on information from this part of the world. Elaine’s fellowship will mainly focus on the impacts of ancient civilizations on the modern culture of the MENA region.

Articles: Abdel Halim Hafez | Ahlam Al Shamsi | Civilizations in Review: Qarmatian Civilization | Nancy Ajram | Qarmatian 101

Alphaeus Hanson

Innovative Futures Fellow – USA – St. Augustine, Florida

Alphaeus is a Delaware native and a graduate of the University of Delaware. He is currently an Analyst covering technology policy and geopolitics at Krebs Stamos Group (KSG), and the 2023 U.S. economy delegate to the G7 youth summit. Alphaeus holds a BS in Economics and Foreign Language Certificate. After beginning his studies in Arabic at the University of Delaware, Alphaeus has continued studying Arabic with online tutors. Since graduating, Alphaeus has gained pertinent expertise through a variety of self-guided study conduits. Outside of work, he enjoys reading and publishing his personal writings on his Substack and Patreon pages.

Articles: Ahmed Kamel | Civilizations in Review: Nabhani Dynasty | Nabhani 101 | On the Middle East | The Status

Kirsten Mullin

Policy and Culture Fellow - Rabat, Morocco

Kirsten is currently a Fulbright Student Research Fellow based in Rabat, Morocco. Her research is focused on how to strengthen partnerships between Moroccan-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international NGOs, donors, and UN agencies to improve humanitarian and development work. Kirsten's interest in the SWANA region began during a summer internship in Sefrou, Morocco, where she worked at a women's cooperative and empowerment center. After graduating from Haverford College in 2019, Kirsten received the Middle East and North Africa Regional Fellowship (MENAR) to teach English in Tunis, Tunisia. Prior to her Fulbright Fellowship, Kirsten spent two years at InterAction, the largest alliance of US-based NGOs, where she worked with NGO partners to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment by and of NGO workers. She is excited to be back in North Africa and is looking forward to exploring and learning more about Morocco.

Articles: Aghlabid 101 | Civilizations in Review: Aghlabid Dynasty | Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits | In the Country of Others | Un Divan à Tunis

Matteo Piovacari

Peace & Conflict Fellow - Italy - Forli, Italy

Matteo Piovacari is a Master’s graduate in International Security and Law, undertaken at the University of Southern Denmark. Previously, he earned a Bachelor’s in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs at the University of Bologna, Italy. His current projects focus on peacebuilding and conflict transformation in conflict and post-conflict societies (Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan) as well as on other issues such as the radicalization of youngsters in Western countries. His interest in mediation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding derives from his personal involvement in Lebanon, assisting the Syrian refugees with a Civil Peace Corps, and in Kosovo, with the International Civil Service.

Laura Robinson

Moroccan Cultural Fellow – USA - New York, NY

Laura is currently living and working in New York City after an event year living in Casablanca, Morocco. She holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and Anthropology from Denison University. In her free time, she can be found practicing French, trying out new baking recipes, and exploring restaurants and museums around the city.

Tanner Willis

Information & Communication Technology and International Affairs Fellow - USA - Greenup, KY

Tanner is currently a graduate student at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Geneva, Switzerland) in collaboration with the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) studying international affairs and diplomacy. He earned his bachelor’s in international business with a focus on international affairs and economics from Marshall University (Huntington, WV, USA). Tanner plans for his master's thesis research to be on advanced digital communication technology and the correlation it has to the quality of life. His fellowship will focus on digital information and technology and its influence on current international affairs between countries in the SWANA region and between the SWANA region and the rest of the world.

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