Irwin Cotler Fellows 2022-2023

Dheekshi Arvind, United States, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. Prior to her graduate education, Dheekshi earned her undergraduate degree in International Development Studies with a concentration in African and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA). She has worked for state and federal legislators on various political issues, as well as with NGOs focused on helping marginalized groups. She is passionate about human rights and policymaking.

Gideon Belete, Canada, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gideon worked as a government relations consultant in his hometown. Gideon also served in provincial politics working as an aide to a Member of Parliament. He holds a BA with Honors in Political Studies and History from Queen’s University, where he specialized in politics of the Middle East and comparative ethnic politics. Born to Ethiopian Jewish and Israeli parents, Gideon is passionate about social innovation and combatting discrimination.

Dr. Margarita Belichenko, Ukraine, is pursuing an MA in Security and Diplomacy at Tel Aviv University. She is a Harvard Fellowship Awardee; Polish Government and Ministry of Science Scholar; Head of the Project “Check Point Secure Academy, Top 20 World Universities”; Head of the Project “Check Point Cyber Security Camp”; Head of the Department of Communications at the Institute of Information Technologies, Kyiv State Telecom University; Director of Cyber Training, IsTec – Cyber Security & Advanced Solutions; and research assistant at The Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center, Tel Aviv University. She earned her PhD at Warsaw University and was a Post-doctoral Fellow in Cyber Management and National Innovation Systems, at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Aniruddha Bera (Ani), India, is pursuing his PhD in Cancer Biophysics and Biochemistry at Tel Aviv University. Born in West Bengal, he has a keen interest in exploring the cultural and historical bonds between India and Israel, as well as advancing peace and democracy.

Maia Bornsztein, Argentina, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. Maia received her BA in International Relations from Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, where her awareness of the importance of working for a world with more justice and tolerance was strengthened. Active in the Jewish community, she is a member of the Latin American Jewish Congress.

Aryo Brahmantyo, Indonesia, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. He hopes to promote peace and cooperation between Israel and Indonesia, which currently do not have diplomatic ties. Aryo is eager to learn new cultures and meet new people and has traveled to many countries in Asia, most notably Japan, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Daniel Canosa, Colombia, is an MA student in the Conflict Resolution and Mediation Program at Tel Aviv University. Holding a degree in International Relations from the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, he previously interned at the Embassy of Colombia in Portugal and as a Project Manager at the ICRC-Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center. Possessing a keen interest in foreign affairs and conflict resolution, Daniel is slated to pursue another MA in Foreign Affairs at Johns Hopkins University in October 2023.

Gabriella Chernyak, United States and Israel, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. She recently made Aliyah, where she completed her BA degree in International Studies with minors in French and Chemistry at the University of Michigan. She is passionate about women’s involvement in security matters and policymaking. Currently, she serves as an intern at an Israeli non-profit organization that conducts training for Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations through a gendered lens.

Paul Frankel, United States and Mexico, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. He also holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Anthropology from the Universidad de las Américas-Puebla in Mexico. His academic training, professional experience and bicultural origin have allowed him to successfully implement various projects in international cooperation in private and public institutions in Mexico, among them the institutional design and creation of the International Museum of the Baroque, which opened to the public in 2016. Additionally, he has taught at various universities in Mexico, as well as for security-related areas of the Government of Mexico.

Binita Ghosh, India, is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Tel Aviv University. Originally from the tribal state Jharkhand, in 2017, she established her own lab, the first in her hometown, now popularly known as Kitchen Lab. Through her work, she hopes to make science more inclusive and accessible.

Nurgul Gokpinar, Turkey, is a qualified attorney and has been a member of the Istanbul Bar since 2019. She is an LL.M. candidate at Tel Aviv University and holds an LL.B. from Yeditepe University (Istanbul). While at Tel Aviv University, she studies the rights of minorities and freedom of expression and speech.

Ann-Kathrin van Laere, Germany, is an MA student in Cyberpolitics and Government Studies Program at Tel Aviv University. With a background in politics and public administration studies in Germany and Belgium, she worked as a project manager at the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ GmbH) on projects with a focus on innovation management and digitalization in the global renewable energy sector. Her research interest focuses on the effects of the digital era on human rights and democracies.

Dr. Jonas Ludwig, Germany, is a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Coller School of Management, Organizational Behavior Group. Before joining Tel Aviv University in April 2022, he held research and teaching positions at several universities in Germany. Jonas does experimental and cross-cultural research in social psychology and behavioral economics. His current interests focus on ethical behavior.

Olivia Mbonu, Nigeria, is an LL.M. Candidate in the Parasol Foundation International LL.M. Program at Tel Aviv University. She holds an LL.B. in Law from Afe Babalola University in Nigeria. Her research interests include technology and its influence on human rights and the creation of digital rights, as well as traditional and alternative finance.

Carina Mihalachioiu, Romania, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. She previously studied politics, philosophy and economics at the University of London. Deeply influenced by the history of her country and its communist past, she seeks to advance and make an impact in the global struggle for human rights, justice, and democracy.

Rafael Nabizade, Azerbaijan, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. Rafael received his LL.B. from Baku State University. He is active in several Azerbaijan-Israel youth associations that promote diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Shiven Nath, India, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. With a BA (with honors) in Global Affairs from O.P Jindal Global University, Shiven is deeply interested in Israeli politics, foreign policy, and Judaic studies. He previously served as the student coordinator and a researcher at the Jindal Centre for Israel Studies (JCIS). He interned in the Public Diplomacy Division at the Embassy of Israel in India.

Moses Toshimasu, Japan, is an MA student in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. Mose received his LL.B. from Osaka University, where he focused on international relations and diplomatic history. His thesis examined Japan’s policy toward Jewish refugees between 1935-1942 and is actively engaged in two Japanese-language YouTube channels that defend Israel and the Jewish people from antisemitism.

Nathaniel Myking Udjus, Norway, is pursuing his MA in the Security and Diplomacy Program at Tel Aviv University. He also works for MIFF (Europe’s largest non-religious pro-Israel membership organization) as Communications Advisor. Nathaniel’s professional background is in diplomacy, and he previously served as the Economic Officer at the Embassy of Israel in Oslo. He holds a BA in Communication Management and a BA in Digital Communication & Marketing from the BI Norwegian Business School.