Hello and welcome to the SPSA about page!
The Schar PhD Student Association (SPSA) is a student-run organization for all Ph.D. students in the Schar School. It provides a platform for professional and intellectual support, student-led initiatives, and opportunities for greater student interaction and collaboration. We sponsor a variety of events to help students progress through the program such as the Ph.D. student research workshops, student-led panels on different stages of the program, and of course, happy hours.
Below you will find background and contact information for our organization’s leadership. If you would like to be involved in SPSA, have ideas for events, or are looking for peer-to-peer support that would help you in the program, please reach out to any one of us!
Executive Board 2024-2025
Aishwarya Sriraman (Biodefense): Aishwarya is a third-year PhD student in the Biodefense program. Her research explores how emerging technologies influence the scientific and security dynamics of CBRN threats. She holds an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and B.S. in Biochemistry.
Annette Prieto (Biodefense): Annette is a second-year PhD student. Her research focuses on the intersection of CBRN threats and national security policy. She holds an M.S. in Biodefense from George Mason University and a B.S. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Miami.
Julianna Thomson (Political Science): Julianna is a fourth-year PhD candidate. Her research addresses religion and politics and political communication in the United States. She has a M.B.A. from Villanova University and a B.A. in Religion from Dartmouth College.
Stephen Gailliot (Political Science): Stephen is a fourth-year PhD student. His research interests include strategic alignment under Great Power Competition, war and regional stability in the Middle East and Africa, and Iran’s foreign policy decision-making. He has an M.A. in International Security from George Mason University and a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University.
Youngjin Kim (Public Policy) : Youngjin Kim is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Public Policy program. His research interests lie in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), entrepreneurship, and international migration, with a focus on applied microeconomics. Prior to joining the program, he worked as a researcher at several government think tanks under the Prime Minister Office and the Ministry of Science and ICT in Korea, specializing in science and technology policy. He holds an M.S. in Energy Policy from the University of Sussex (UK), and an M.A. and B.A. in Management of Technology from Korea University of Technology (South Korea).