Meet the new Postgraduate Network (PGN) committee

We’re delighted to introduce you to the new PGN committee for the next academic year.

We welcome back former Vice-Chair, Shivani Singh, as the new Chair, and former Events Officer, Chester Yacub, who will be this year's Communications Officer. We also welcome new committee members Ndidi Olibamoyo, Vice-Chair, and Massimo D'Angelo, who will take the combined role of Events and Elections/Funding Officer.

Last, but certainly not least, we thank Marion Greziller and out-going Chair, Joanna Wilson, for their hard work.

Shivani Singh - Chair

Shivani is a third year PhD student in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, UK. She finished her Bachelor's degree in Economics from Hindu College, Delhi University, India. Post that, she pursued her MA and MPhil in Politics with a specialisation in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. Simultaneously, she worked as a researcher, and later as a consultant, in the Nuclear Security Programme (NSP) at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), a policy-based think tank in New Delhi.

Her areas of interest include nuclear security and disarmament, with a special focus on postcolonial narratives in the nuclear decision-making in South Asian region, specifically India, China and Pakistan. She has published papers and commentaries on issues of nuclear politics in renowned Indian newspapers and journals.

Shivani is also the recipient of Aber doc scholarship and President's scholarship.

Shivani served as the Vice-Chair of BISA PGN for the academic year 2021/22 and is delighted and excited to be taking on the role of Chair for the 2022/23 term. She looks forward to working with a dedicated and enthusiastic team to continue the work of the PGN committee in making the postgraduate experience more engaging and enjoyable for all PGRs/ECRs, and building a strong network of scholars in the UK and worldwide.

Ndidi Olibamoyo, Vice-Chair

Ndidi is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Bath, UK. After her Bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations from the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, she commenced her research career as a Graduate Assistant and Researcher at the Redeemer’s University while studying for a Masters in History and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Building on her interest in Cyber Diplomacy, her PhD research explores the agency of select African countries in the cybernorm processes. She is excited to be a part of the PGN, and is on most social media platforms as @onyendidiO/@onyendidi.

Chester Yacub - Communications Officer

Chester is currently a doctoral researcher at the School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK. He holds Master's degrees in International Political Economy (LSE) and Economics (Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines). He was a Research Fellow at the John J Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (JJCICSI), an advocacy-oriented research institution based in the Ateneo. He has been interested in how material power and social structures influence both domestic politics and state relations.

Chester was the Events Officer of BISA PGN 2021/22 and will continue serving the community this coming academic year as Communications Officer. His experience in the PGN Committee has been rewarding in terms of practical skills (organising events and managing digital platforms) and working with a competent and dedicated group of officers. As incoming Communications Officer, he aims to reach out to as many fellow postgraduate students (and ECRs) as he can to promote relevant PGN-organised activities throughout the year.

Massimo D'Angelo - Events and Elections Officer

Massimo is a third-year PhD student in Diplomacy and International Governance at Loughborough University London. His research is on the international dimension of authoritarianism and the consequences of the negotiations to access the European Union to the Turkish democratic regime. At Loughborough London he was also a Research Assistant to Dr Cristian Nitoiu, researching how civil society enhances resilience in fragile democracies based on four cases: Nigeria, India, Turkey and Peru. During the academic year 2021/2022 he was appointed as Doctoral Representative at Loughborough London.

Previously, Massimo earned a Bachelor's Degree magna cum laude in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Rome 'la Sapienza'. He spent his final year at the Yildiz Teknik University of Istanbul. In 2015, he became one of the 100 selected students on the first edition of 'Scuola di Politiche', the School founded by Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister and Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) Science Po. The guarantors of Scuola di Politiche were the former European Commissioners, Pascal Lamy and Emma Bonino. Later on, Massimo earned a Master's degree with first-class honours in European and International Studies at the School of International Studies of Trento. In 2018, he obtained a Master's degree in Diplomacy, offered by the Italian Institute for International Politics (ISPI) of Milan. Before moving to London, he has lived in Italy, Turkey, and Argentina, and he is very interested in the foreign policies of these countries.