¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥

Savannah is an undergraduate student at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University, completing a Joint Honours degree in Political Studies and Psychology. Her research interests centre on international political economy, as well as Middle Eastern and feminist politics.

Savannah has previously published work with the Global Undergraduate Awards, where she analyzed the role of postmodern feminism. In addition, she has contributed to psychology research focused on Indigenous well-being at post-secondary institutions. She has also worked for the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and the Principal’s Office at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University, where she assisted in developing policy initiatives.

This year, at IIGR, Savannah will be researching the role privilege plays in illicit sex trafficking, with a particular focus on the Epstein files.

Beyond academia, Savannah plays competitive soccer, enjoys painting portraits, and loves travelling and learning new languages.

Bianca Silva is a Bachelor of Arts student at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University, specializing in Political Studies with a minor in World Languages. As a recent alumna of the Nato Field School with Simon Fraser University and an Intern at the Centre for International and Defence Policy at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University, Bianca strives to research and work in the defence and international security sector. On campus, she has been involved in ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s International Affairs Association and ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s White Ribbon. Her research interests span from violent extremism and international organizations to the intersection of conflict and post-conflict issues regarding the peace and security of women. Her current project with the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, as part of the ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s Undergraduate Student Summer Research Fellowships, examines the impact of sanctions on Iran’s oil exports following the withdrawal from the JCPOA. In her free time, Bianca enjoys reading, pilates, and listening to pop culture podcasts.

Eden is an undergraduate student at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University, pursuing a degree in Political Studies. She aims to continue her studies after graduation with a master's degree in international Affairs. Her academic interests include Canadian politics and federalism, which she has explored through research projects on the Ontario education system and political representation in Canada. Eden is involved on campus, participating in several politics-focused clubs and serving as an incoming Director for ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s Model United Nations (2025–2026).

This is Eden’s first year with the IIGR, where she works as a student research assistant on a comparative project examining money laundering, terrorist financing, and the illicit use of cryptocurrency.

Outside of academics, Eden enjoys reading, hiking, listening to history podcasts, practicing French, and spending time with her family. 

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Sydney is a fourth-year undergraduate student at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Throughout her studies at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s, she has developed an interest in fiscal federalism, particularly intergovernmental transfers. In her spare time, Sydney enjoys cycling and reading.

Nicholas Donaldson holds a BA (Honours) in Political Studies and History with Distinction from ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University (2023). He is now a graduate student pursuing an Advanced MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University. His thesis examines small–state diplomacy and offshore financial centres resistance to global regulation and club diplomacy.

Nicholas has worked at the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations since August 2024, where he leads a project on transnational state capture. His research interests include transnational corruption, organized crime, global finance, international organizations, global governance, and sustainable transitions. He is also a Junior Research Fellow at The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, and previously worked with the Institute for Security and Global Affairs on ERC-funded terrorism and foreign policy projects.

In his spare time, Nicholas enjoys cycling the dunes near The Hague, collecting secondhand books, and perfecting his photography.

Henry Kerr is an undergraduate student at ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s University in the Political Studies program. Henry is a keen student of international relations and geopolitics, particularly tied to issues of conflict resolution, terrorism, and human rights. Henry has published previous research work with the University of Alberta’s Journal of Family and Youth Studies, analyzing the experiences of Albertan students with violent extremism online. Henry was awarded the ²Ï³Ü±ð±ð²Ô’s Chancellor’s Scholarship and is keen to develop academic and policymaking skills, with ambitions to attend graduate school and work in the field of global affairs. This year at IIGR, he will be researching state capture and political corruption in international contexts.

Beyond the classroom and work, Henry enjoys reading about history, practicing French and Spanish, along with travelling with friends and family.