Astrid Schnitzer-Skjønsberg
Astrid is a development expert with 20 years of experience in aid effectiveness and South-South cooperation, working with international organizations and non-DAC donors. In addition, she has worked with the Austrian foreign ministry, the OSCE, and Reuters. Astrid completed her PhD in January 2026. In her dissertation, she explored the practice of sociability in diplomacy, with a particular focus on China. Astrid holds master degrees from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (Business Administration and Chinese, including an exchange year at Peking University) and Columbia University (International Affairs) on a Fulbright scholarship.
Dissertation Title: When Diplomats Meet: The Diplomatic Corps, Sociability, and China
Supervisor: Selver B. Şahin
Graduation Year: 2026
Research Interests: China, Diplomacy, Development Studies
Mehmet Çağatay Güler
Mehmet Çağatay Güler graduated from the International Relations Department at Hacettepe University. He has also received an education in Political Science and International Relations at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. He completed his master’s degree in Eurasian Studies at Middle East Technical University with top honors. Güler has conducted research for his master’s thesis in the Department of Social Sciences at Hamburg University. He completed his Ph.D. at Bilkent University’s Department of International Relations (2026). He served for two years at the National Defence University, Turkish Military Academy; teaching courses on the Russian Federation, Introduction to International Relations, and Turkish Geopolitics. During this time, he participated in two courses conducted under the auspices of NATO (Counter-Terrorism and Civil-Military Cooperation). Dr. Güler is currently working at the National Intelligence Academy of Türkiye. His academic and other works have been published in Turkish, English, and Arabic. He is fluent in English and has intermediate proficiency in Russian and Italian.
Dissertation Title: Glory to Motherland: Putin’s Grand Strategy
Supervisor: A. Tudor Onea
Graduation Year: 2026
Affiliation: National Intelligence Academy (Millî İstihbarat Akademisi)
Research Interests: Russia, Strategic Studies, Grand Strategy
Contact:
Aygül Laçin Artıkoğlu Uyguntürk