Editorial Team
EDITORIAL TEAM
Editors-in-Chief
Valeria Santos Garcia
Valeria is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science. She is currently completing Honours degree in International Studies and a certificate in Legal Studies. Her concentration in IS is Comparative World Politics Culture and Society. Her research and writing interests are migration, anti-colonial movements and gender politics around the globe. Valeria was inspired to join Confluence because of her deep passion for research and her desire to amplify student voices in the field of International Studies. She hopes to help foster a community where students can engage in meaningful discussions and explore new ideas, ultimately enriching the academic discourse at SFU.
Mariah Yorke
Mariah is a fourth year student currently completing her undergraduate degree in International Studies and minoring in Political Science. Her research is concentrated in critical security studies and its implementation in public policy. Mariah’s interests in critical security has taken her abroad with the SFU NATO Field School and expanded into the realms of surveillance, immigration, and war studies. Additionally, throughout her time in university Mariah has gained a deep appreciation for writing and research which prompted her to join the Political Science student journal Gadfly as an editor, and later Confluence as Editor-In-Chief. Her hope is to strengthen students engagement in research and contributions to meaningful discussions.
Journal Manager
Suma Pallapothu
Suma is a 1st year Masters Student at Simon Fraser Univeristy and she is currently working towards a thesis. Her research and writing interests are catered around the effects of decolonization on social relationships along with labor relations. Suma was inspired to join confluence because she wants to pursue being a journalist and a researcher along with wanting to be involved in the International Studies community at SFU.
Section Editors
Mason Mattu
Mason is currently completing a major in International Studies (concentration in International Security and Conflict) with an intended minor in History. His research interests surround the Sikh community and their past and continued struggles within India, as well as diaspora politics. He believes that research is not just a passive endeavour and prompts public attention and advocacy. Mason joined the journal for this reason, to ensure that SFU students have the information they need to pursue advocacy. Outside of Confluence, you can find Mason working as a News Writer for SFU's student newspaper The Peak and teaching musical theatre to youth!
Phone Min Thant
Phone Min Thant is a 3rd year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is currently completing a major in International Studies (Hon.), with a concentration in International Security and Conflict. His research and writing interests include civil-military relations in Southeast Asia, the influence of China’s rise to global power and state fialure, with a major focus on the Southeast Asia region. A policy brief on sustainable aviation co-authored by Phone Min will be published in an upcoming edition of the UBC Journal of International Affairs. He was inspired to join Confluence to give students a larger opportunity to make their voices heard and their academic achievements seen and to show the larger SFU community the merits of a student-led publication. He is also currently working as a Staff Writer for the Peak SFU.
Copyeditor
Zarena Mohd Zaidi
Zarena is a third year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She is currently completing a double major in English and Communications, a minor in International Studies and certificate in Writing and Rhetoric. Their intended concentration in IS is International Development, Economic and Environmental Issues. Her research and writing interests are based on the importance of digital literacy in our globalized communication systems. Zarena was inspired to join confluence because she is passionate about fostering outlets for academic expression and values the opportunity to gain editing experience.
Layout Editor
Nigel Tan
Nigel Tan is currently a second-year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is currently working towards a double major in International Studies and Human Geography, with his intended concentration in IS being States, People, and Power Around the World. His work and research interests lie within the boundaries that enclose placemaking and identity via state-defined infrastructures, with a greater focus within Southeast Asia regionally. He was inspired to join the Confluence team as a means of further pursuing the innate human desire to connect with and quench his curiosity alongside like-minded individuals.
Associate Editors
Yulissa Huamani
Harvey Riches
Harvey is a 4th year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He is currently completing a major in International Studies and minor in Political Science. His research and writing interest are in security studies. Harvey was inspired to join confluence to assist in facilitating student work for publication.
Amélie Coen
Faculty Support
Darren Byler
Anushay Malik
Digital Publishing Librarians
Ioana Liuta
Kate Shuttleworth
For information on how to join our team, click here. If you have any specific questions, contact the journal at issa.confluence@gmail.com.
