About Me
From Field Sites to Summit Trails: A Global Security Journey
I recently earned my doctorate in Global Security from American Public University, where I focused on the human and environmental dimensions of global threats. My research spans space security, climate change, and the unique vulnerabilities of river deltas and island nations, particularly in the face of pandemics, natural disasters, and emerging climate risks.
As a 2024–2025 Fulbright Scholar, I conducted fieldwork in Romania’s Danube Delta to explore how communities experience and adapt to these challenges.
I currently teach political science as an adjunct professor at Georgia Military College. In 2024, I contributed to curriculum development in space security at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Earlier in my career, I supported planetary science and mission operations at NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Between every two pines there is a doorway to a new world. – John Muir
In my spare time, I enjoy hiking the local peaks of Southern California and exploring the forests of Romania. I also make a point to find new trails whenever I travel for conferences.
Hiking offers physical, mental, and emotional balance, benefits that sustain both my academic work and personal well-being.
In addition to hiking, I have a deep appreciation for primates and their complex behaviors and social structures. Whether visiting sanctuaries or observing them in the wild, I am continually inspired by their intelligence, resilience, and the vital role they play in ecosystems. This passion has led me to support conservation efforts and to deepen my understanding of our closest animal relatives.
From Transylvania to the Frontlines of Global Security
I recently defended my doctoral dissertation at American Public University, earning a doctorate in Global Security, an interdisciplinary field that reflects my longstanding commitment to both science and policy. Drawing on my background in space and global security, my research has increasingly focused on the complex relationship between climate change and human security. Choosing the Danube Delta as my field site reflects a deep personal and professional commitment: it bridges my Romanian heritage with my global academic pursuits, allowing me to ground security studies in place-based, community-centered research.