Sina Azodi, ESIA BA '10, MA '13
Sina Azodi is a PhD candidate in International Affairs at the University of South Florida. His research interests include international security, nuclear non-proliferation, and US-Iranian relations. He previously worked as a Research Assistant at Princeton University’s Program on Science and Global Security and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Sina is a frequent commentator on both English and Persian speaking media, including BBC Persian service, Sky News, Al-Jazeera, TRT World and i24. His analysis has appeared in Columbia University’s Journal of International Affairs, The National Interest, LobeLog, and the Middle East Institute. Sina earned his BA and MA in International Affairs from GW's Elliott School of International Affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @azodiac83.
What is your current research project?
My research project focuses on Iran's nuclear program from its inception in the 1950s until 2003. It specifically focuses on how Iranians view the nuclear program as essential to their security and a symbol of Iran's entry to the nuclear club. It seeks to analyze the strategic logic of Iran's nuclear program and its roots.
I believe GW's Gelman library and National Security Archive provide essential resources that are vital to my research.
What advice do you have for students thinking about going on to a PhD program?
Do not get discouraged if you are rejected -- keep trying and make sure you have related work experience. Do not forget to take the GRE seriously.
Dania Thafer
Dr. Dania Thafer is a political scientist with a focus on the political economy and international relations of the Arab Gulf states. More specifically, her area of expertise is on the Gulf region’s geopolitics, US-Gulf relations, and the political economy of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Her current research explores the effect of state-business relations on economic development for the existing youth bulges in rentier economies with an emphasis on the Arab Gulf states.
What is your current research project?
A book examining how the surge in youthful human capital and the institutionalized dominance of the business elite affect innovation and economic diversification in the Arab Gulf states.
Are there unique research tools or resources available at GW that brought you here?
There is a substantial surge of interest in Gulf studies and there is an increase of opportunities in the field. According to Google Scholar, the number of publications focusing on the Gulf States experienced a threefold increase — from 346 to 1,040 — between 2008 and 2016. Likewise, from 2008 to 2017, the publication output of the top six Middle East-focused think tanks increased by 400%.
