Researcher & Founder Aybars Arda Kılıçer
Aybars Arda Kılıçer is a PhD Candidate in Political Science and International Relations at Koç University, Istanbul. He holds a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Boğaziçi University and an MA in International Relations from Koç University. He wrote his master’s thesis on “Assessing Regime Survivability During Civil Wars: A Comparative Analysis of the Russian (1917-22) and the Spanish (1936-39) Civil Wars”. He specializes in Comparative Politics, specifically interested in Balkan Studies, Caucasian Studies, Studies of Post-Soviet Sphere, and Security Studies. Since August 2022, he is also the Editor-in-Chief of Transatlantic Policy Quarterly (former Turkish Policy Quarterly). Apart from being a native Turkish speaker, he is fluent in English and knows Russian at the pre-intermediate level.
Researcher Esin Özgür
Esin Özgür is an undergraduate student at Istanbul University. She has studied for a semester via Erasmus exchange program at the University of Tübingen, Germany. She is interested in Cold War Era Balkans, the waves of migration after WW1 and the relations between Turkey and Balkanic Countries after the founding of the Turkish Republic. Esin’s professional journey includes internships at esteemed organizations such as the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs Strategic Research Center, where she engaged in diplomacy simulations, document editing, and archive analysis. She also contributed to conference organization and analytical research during her time at TASAM (Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies). As a dedicated volunteer at the Association for Supporting Modern Life (ÇYDD), she has empowered children by teaching English and organizing events. Fluent in English and proficient in digital tools like Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, Esin excels in teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking. Her dual citizenship (Turkish and Bulgarian) and travel experiences further enrich her global perspective.
Researcher Yoseph Alsena
Yoseph is an undergraduate student from California studying International Relations at San Francisco State University. Currently living in Tübingen, Germany, as an exchange student, he is pursuing political science while immersing himself in European culture and politics. With a strong interest in diplomacy, Yoseph is particularly passionate about world politics and the historical and contemporary dynamics of the former Ottoman Empire. He is deeply intrigued by the relationships between the countries of the Balkans, exploring how their shared Ottoman past continues to influence their interactions today. Yoseph is especially interested in Turkey’s current role in the region and its evolving political, economic, and cultural relationships with former Ottoman territories in the Balkans.