role: Interns

Ms Hirniak is a young Analyst in International Relations, a graduate student at the International University of Japan, and alumna of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv with a degree in Sociology.

As a native of Ukraine, she has experience in qualitative and quantitative research, international conflict analysis, and humanitarian diplomacy. She collaborates with several initiatives and organizations, including Helping to Leave, Truth Media, and Scruples Research.

Ms Hirniak currently works at the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan (Tokyo), in the Cultural Department and the Economic Section.

Prannavan Surendran is a graduate of LMU Munich, where he earned a first-class degree in History with a focus on international relations and East Asian security and history. His academic work centres on the political dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region, with particular interest in Japanese and Korean foreign policy, historical memory, and strategic cooperation.

Prannavan has gained practical experience through research and internships at the German Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo, the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr in Potsdam, and most recently with the Japan Chair of the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) in Tallinn. He has also contributed to the student think tank EPIS and supported the Young Indo-Pacific Forum as a volunteer.

Having studied abroad at Yonsei University in South Korea and Kyushu University in Japan, Prannavan combines academic and intercultural insights to explore security policy in East Asia. He is particularly interested in Japan–Korea relations, the strategic responses of democratic states to China’s rise, and Europe’s evolving role in the Indo-Pacific.

Torrence Smith is an American national living in Japan, where he is engaged in various academic and professional activities. Currently, he is a student at Rikkyo University. Torrence specializes in economic research, particularly focusing on macro and microeconomic trends in the Indo-Pacific region. He has a background in business leadership from the University of Toledo and has been an advocate for deeper cultural and economic ties between the East and West.

Torrence values connections with people, especially in Japan, where he appreciates the opportunity to engage with a culture different from his own. Torrence’s journey in Japan has broadened his worldview, and he aims to foster further connections between Eastern and Western cultures.

Rupal Kalebere is a researcher in defence policy and law, currently serving as Senior Researcher at the Society for Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Studies (SAMDeS) and Programming Director at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) Tokyo. She regularly writes on India’s defence developments in national and international contexts, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific.

Mark is a current Masters Student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), studying for a MSc Strategic Studies degree. His research interests consist of Japanese and Philippine defense/foreign policies.

Prior to his Masters, Mark has conducted freelance work researching on Islamist extremism in the Philippines in 2021. From 2020 to 2021, he interned at the Counterterrorism Analyst Intern as a PACOM (Pacific Command) specialist, where he conducted research on Japanese defense, foreign and social issues for security briefings and reports. He also collaborated on working on writing reports in other parts of the Indo-Pacific, including South and Southeast Asia.

Jonas Matenia is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Coding & Software Engineering at XU Exponential University in Potsdam, Germany. During his studies, he also completed a semester abroad in Kofu, Japan, where he deepened his understanding of both Japanese culture and the technological landscape.
With a strong interest in Artificial Intelligence, Jonas plans to focus his Bachelor’s thesis on automation on the battlefield, particularly the use of FPV drones. This interest is rooted in his 1.5 years of service in the Bundeswehr as a rifleman (OR-3) in the mechanized infantry, where he gained practical experience and developed a keen interrest in understanding military operations.
Additionally, Jonas interned at the Bundeswehr Centre of Military History and Social Sciences, where he contributed to the S6 department of military staff. This experience further solidified his interest in the intersection of technology and defense.

Having gained insights into both Europe and Japan, Jonas is particularly interested in fostering connections between these parties.
After completing his Bachelor’s degree, Jonas plans to return to military service before pursuing a Master’s degree in AI and autonomous systems.