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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.