Assoc. Dr. Bahadir Pehlivanturk has studied in the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey and received his Ph.D. degree in Kyoto University, Japan at Faculty of Human and Environmental Sciences. Currently, he is an associate professor in TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Department of Political Science and International Relations. Besides TOBB ETU, he also gives classes in METU and Ankara University, on Asian International Relations and Japanese Foreign Policy at graduate and undergraduate levels. He has publications in domestic and international journals on Asian IR, Japan-Turkey Relations, Japanese Foreign Policy, and Turkey-East Asia relations. His current research interests are Japan’s Security Policy, Japan’s ODA and Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health Diplomacy. Has been a visiting scholar in Kobe University in 2019-20 as a Japan Foundation fellow.

Prof. Dr. Şaban Kardaş is a faculty member at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at TOBB ETU. He has published scholarly articles and book chapters on Turkish domestic and foreign policies, human rights, energy policies and international security and has been an occasional contributor to Turkish and international media. He has taught classes at Diplomacy Academy, Sakarya University, Police Academy and Turkish Military Academy. He received his doctoral degree in political science from the University of Utah. Dr. Kardas also holds a master’s degree in international relations from the METU in Ankara, and a second master’s degree in European Studies from the Center for European Integration Studies in Bonn, Germany.

Prof. Dr. Haldun Yalçınkaya is the chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at TOBB Economics and Technology University in Ankara / Turkey. Professor Yalçınkaya has been conducting research on Foreign Terrorist Fighters of DAESH and Countering Violent Extremism since 2014 and serving as an academic advisor for the different activities of the NATO Center of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism since 2019. He graduated from Kuleli Military High School and later Turkish Military Academy. During his military service as an officer, he completed his post-graduate studies in International Relations at İstanbul University. Dr.Yalçınkaya studied “peacekeeping” at MA level and “transformation of war” at Ph.D. level. After earning his Ph.D. degree, he had post-doctoral Research and joined the Changing Character of War Project in Oxford University between 2009-2010. Furthermore, during his military service, he served in Afghanistan in 2005. He published two books on war issues and several academic articles/book chapters on International Security issues focusing on new actors of the battlefields as well as terrorism. After serving more than ten years at Turkish Military Academy he has been Professor in International Relations at TOBB University of Economics and Technology since 2013.

Elif Merve Dumankaya is an MA student and a teaching assistant in the Security Studies Graduate Program at TOBB University of Economics and Technology. She holds a B.A. degree in the Department of International Relations from TOBB ETU. During her undergraduate education, she completed cooperative education programs (internships) in institutions such as Center for Middle Eastern Studies (ORSAM), SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research and STM ThinkTech and conducted researches on areas as follow: defense industry, defense spending/military spending and terrorism. Her current areas of interest focus on terrorism, counter-terrorism and intelligence.

Göktan Muhammed Fırat is a graduate student and teaching assistant in the Security Studies Graduate Program at TOBB University of Economics and Technology in Ankara, Turkey. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations from the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. During his undergraduate education, he worked as an intern at Foreign Affairs Office of Justice and Development Party Headquarters, Nurol Holding Inc., Competition Authority and Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. His current research interests are energy security and policies, international security, foreign policy and defence industry.

Mustafa Kaymaz is a Ph.D. student and graduate assistant at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at TOBB University of Economics and Technology. Formerly, he was a research assistant at Al Sharq Forum. He completed an internship at Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB). Kaymaz received his B.A. and M.A degrees in Political Science and International Relations from Boğaziçi University and Istanbul Şehir University, respectively. His research interests include comparative politics, armed group-state relations, Iraqi politics, and quantitative research methods.

Orçun Demir holds bachelor's degree from Ege University, Department of International Relations. During his studies, he also participated in an exchange program at the Department of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen (Norway). He completed his master's degree in international relations at the TOBB University of Economics and Technology while working as a teaching assistant during this period. He is currently continuing his Ph.D. studies in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at TOBB University of Economics and Technology. Mr. Demir is also working as a research assistant in the same department. His research interests include international political economy, energy security, renewable energy, environmental issues, and sustainable development.

Taha ACAR was an MA student and a teaching assistant in the International Relations program at TOBB University of Economics and Technology. He holds a B.A. degree in the Department of International Relations from TOBB ETU. He completed his internships at the Foreign Policy Institute and the Ankara Chamber of Commerce. His main areas of interest are alliances, Japanese foreign policy, and the Indo-Pacific construct.

Fatma Sever is an M.A. student and teaching assistant in Security Studies at TOBB University of Economics and Technology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Eskisehir Osmangazi University. During her undergraduate education, she completed the internship programs at the United Nations Population Fund-Women and Girls Safe Space (UNFPA-WGSS) Project and Directorate of Migration Management. Her current research interests include overlapping regionalism, regional security and security governance studies.

Doğukan Baş completed his undergraduate education at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University, and his graduate education at the Department of Eurasian Studies (with Thesis) at Middle East Technical University. During his undergraduate education, he did his first internship at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Washington D.C, and his second internship at the Competition Authority. He is currently a student and teaching assistant at TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Political Science and International Relations Doctorate Program. His research interests include foreign aid and security policies of Japan.

Elif Kelekci received her BA in Political Science and International Relations from TOBB University of Economics and Technology. During his internship periods she completed in institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, the Directorate for EU Affairs and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, she prepared relevant reports on Turkey-European Union relations and gained experience in corporate projects and activities. Currently, she is a student at TOBB University of Economics and Technology International Relations graduate program and a teaching assistant in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Global governance, European Union and climate negotiations are among her fields of study.