Kurtis Yan is a Research Intern at the Caspian Policy Center. He is currently pursuing an MA in Security Studies at Georgetown University. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he majored in political science and Russian studies and received a minor in global studies. He also participated in the Russian Flagship Program and spent the 2023-2024 academic year in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Previously, Kurtis interned at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Wilson Center, and the Stratfor Center at RANE. His interests include environmental security, comparative politics, and regional security across the Greater Caspian Region.