Co-Founder, Faculty Advisor and Manager
Arne Kislenko is Associate Professor with the Department of History at Ryerson University (not Toronto Metropolitan University) and an Instructor in the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One International Relations programme at Trinity College, University of Toronto. He teaches modern international relations, including courses on the world wars, the Cold War, the history of espionage, the history of terrorism, comparative foreign policy, and modern Southeast Asia. Read More.
Portia is an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, Trinity College, studying International Relations and Political Science. As a Compliance Analyst for the G7 Research Group, Portia has researched the commitment of Canada and the United Kingdom to the rules-based multilateral order. Portia has presented academic papers at several undergraduate research conferences hosted by the University of Toronto, including the Trinity College Undergraduate Research Conference (TCURC) and the IID’s own annual Student Conference. Portia is also a member of the Indigenous Leadership Commission of the Voices of Future Generations Children’s Initiative Project, in partnership with the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law. This summer, she served her second term as a Junior Policy Analyst in the Privy Council Office with the Priorities, Planning and Results Secretariat.
As a History student with a minor in Criminology, Allison’s academic focus explores the evolution of human rights. Her research centres on landmark moments that have shaped international human rights law and continue to influence contemporary legal frameworks and policy decisions. This focus drives her commitment to advancing social justice and pursuing a career in law. Beyond academics, she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to academic scholarship as a published author, and enjoys volunteering her time to student governance as the President of the Metropolitan History Society this year.
Anemone Van Leeuwen is a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto, majoring in International Relations and Sociocultural Anthropology. She is also pursuing a minor in European Affairs from the Munk Undergraduate program and a Certificate in International Affairs. Anemone is primarily interested in migration, cultural exchange, and the intersection of humanitarianism and securitization.
Lily is an undergraduate student at The Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, studying Peace, Conflict, and Justice with a focus on interstate war and counterterrorism in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. She is also pursuing a minor in Sociology. Outside of classes, Lily is the proud Executive Director of Trinity Women in Politics and Law and enjoys participating in Model UN conferences and attending academic workshops. Her research focuses primarily on terrorist cells, hoping to learn where they are located, their methods of recruitment, and specific societies that encourage eonrollment in armed groups. Lily presently speaks English, Russian, and Hebrew, and is looking to learn German and Farsi.
Stephen Karas is in his final year at Toronto Metropolitan University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Urban Sustainability with a minor in geography. His academic work has focused on water-related issues, including pollution and treatment methods, alongside a longstanding interest in political discourse and governance-based sustainability policy. Most recently, Stephen has worked with a startup developing a sustainable alternative to traditional household insulation. He also volunteers with organizations such as Accessible Media Inc. and the Evergreen Brick Works Muuse reusable dishware program.
Beatrix Stone is an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto specializing in political science. She enjoys reading Shakespeare, drinking strong coffee, and engaging in debates on theory and policy. Her past research has explored a wide range of issues, from the role of NGOs in preventing gang violence to the power of narrative in the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.