Robert F. Byrnes
Russian and East European Institute

Robert Breen is an Active Duty Air Force Officer, coming to us from the US Air Force Academy. He’ll train to be a pilot and then teach history at the USAFA. He would like to purse the Air Force’s Regional Area Specialist (the Air Force’s everyday diplomats) career track.

Megan Burnham studied Comparative Politics and Cultures at Michigan State University and her interests are quite topical, focusing on Russian media rhetoric and interference.

Tiffany Confer studied Russian and Slavic Studies at the University of Arizona and she plans to pioneer rehabilitation and sports clinics for peoples with disabilities in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Clare Angeroth Franks completed her BA in Russian Area Studies and French at Saint Olaf College in 2014. She looks forward to building her language development as she continues her studies.​ She is working with Wookjin Cheun as the Library Assistant GA this year.

Nicholas Jackson studied Comparative Politics and Cultures at Michigan State University. After some working plus intermittent travel through the former Yugoslavia, he is looking forward to researching cultural and political phenomenon affecting diplomacy in the former Yugoslavia. Yours truly is serving as the Publications Editor GA this year.

Kayla MacDavitt is currently a FEMA reservist and studied Psychology and Russian at St. Thomas University. She is excited to study the region in preparation for a career serving her country in the civil or foreign service.

Madeline McCann studied Russian and East European Studies at the University of Chicago. She’ll be researching national conflicts and minority politics in Russian borderlands and preparing for a PhD program.

Nikola Parlic studied International Political Economy and Russian at Beloit College. He looks forward to increasing his linguistic proficiency and researching and understanding the political and economic challenges of Russia and Serbia.

Austin Wilson studied Russian history at Indiana University, Bloomington before teaching English in China. He is interested in Sino-Russian history, and conducting research on the Russian Far East and Northeast China.