2024 COHORT

PODCAST TEAM

Josefine Paulsen

Josefine, from Norway, has experience both from the military and the civilian sphere, with a BA in Middle Eastern studies and Arabic and a military rank of Sergeant 1st class. She has 2,5 years of working experience from the Norwegian Armed Forces. She is interested in everything related to the Middle East, especially Iran, non-proliferation and Russia in the Middle East, as well as trans-Atlantic defense cooperation.

Roumaissa Amrani

Roumaissa is an IMSISS student, interested in political thought, MENA history & politics, and anything related to intellectual history. She is an ardent supporter of interdisciplinary research. 

She has over four years of experience in journalism and radio broadcasting and was awarded and won multiple competitions in that regard. 

Roumaissa, as part of the podcast team, (inevitably) gets political (controversial, says things as they are, you name it) and poetic at other times.

You might like and agree or not like and disagree with what she says on the Security Distillery podcasts. That is why you can always get in touch and find her on X.

Angus Cooper

Angus, from Scotland, is a graduate of the University of Glasgow and holds a first-class honours degree in Politics and International Relations. He has a particular interest in non-traditional security issues including disinformation and climate change. His passion for global affairs was sparked during the 12-month period he spent working for an NGO in Myanmar. As part of the podcast team, Angus enjoys the process of distilling complex issues into concise and digestible briefs.

James Shepherd

James is a Geordie from Newcastle Upon-Tyne, with a background in History and Classics from The University of Edinburgh. His main interest areas in Security relate to emerging technologies especially the rapid development of drones in warfare. He also is interested in the spread of the far-right.

Buster N. Hartvigsen

Buster holds a B.Sc in International Studies from Roskilde University in Denmark and a diploma degree in Military Studies from the Royal Danish Defence College. He has five years of experience as an officer in the Royal Danish Air Force. In his last position, Buster served as the director of education for all command and reporting officer cadets in the Air Force. He currently serves as a reserve officer. His main areas of interest are nuclear weapons strategy and military affairs, with a specific interest in air power.

Johanna Stauder

Johanna, from Austria, holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Prior to pursuing the International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies, she completed a Traineeship at the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Her main interests revolve around everything related to the EU in general and its Security and Defence Policy in particular. Outside of university, there is a high chance that you can find her at some Model European Union around the EU, simulating the EU´s legislative process.

Costanza Olivia Balmer

Costanza, from Italy and England, holds a BA in Global Governance from the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. Her main (and varied) areas of interest include Russian politics and the post-Soviet space, the Middle East, humanitarian response  to emergencies and disaster relief, OSINT, new technologies and their potential impact on security issues. Outside of university, she is an Italian Red Cross Volunteer.

María Dolores García Penillas

Dolores, better known as Dolo, is a Mexican national. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and a specialisation degree in Leadership from the Anahuac University in Queretaro. Besides Spanish and English, she speaks German and French and is currently learning Italian and Arabic. Previous to her time in IMSISS, she served as a civil servant for the Queretaro State Government, specialising in data analysis and team coordination for the healthcare services project aimed at remote communities. In the field of Security, she has a special interest in Latin American, postcolonial, and feminist studies, as well as the influence of organised crime in these areas.