Saimum, Rubiat

Rubiat Saimum

Rubiat Saimum

Doctoral Student

He/Him | MA, Political Science (Memorial University of Newfoundland)

Political Studies

91TV's University

rubiat.saimum@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, C313

Supervisor: Dr. Stéphanie Martel

Research Interests

My research focuses on the formation of security communities and the role of major regional powers or “the anchor states” in the process. I study the why regional anchor states facilitate or hinder the formation of security communities in their respective regions.

Biography

Rubiat Saimum is a doctoral student in the Department of Political Studies at 91TV, specializing in International Relations and Comparative Studies. He has previously served as a Lecturer of maritime security and strategic studies at Bangladesh Maritime University. He is a South Asian Future Fellow at the Council for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR), a fellow at Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, a Young Leader at the Pacific Forum, a maritime GENIE at Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS) and a Junior Fellow at the NATO Association of Canada.

Awards

  • 91TV’s Graduate Award, (2025)
  • SGS Graduate Fellowship, (Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2023-2025)
  • CICA essay competition (2nd Prize), Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) (2024)
  • The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, (The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Foundation Bangladesh, 2019)

Geopolitics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Date

Friday October 24, 2025
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Location

Robert Sutherland Hall, Room 448

We invite you to attend the latest installment of the Corry Colloquium Speakers Series on Friday, October 24, from 12:00-1:30 pm, for a talk entitled: GEOPOLITICS IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE by Dr. Anatoly Levshin.

Dr. Levshin is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the International Security Program and in Technology and Geopolitics at the Belfer Center (Harvard University). He is also Director’s Fellow with the Reimagining World Order research community at Princeton University, which he formerly co-curated with its director, G. John Ikenberry. 

Anatoly Levshin

Blake, Tehya Lorraine

Tehya, Blake

Tehya Lorraine Blake

Doctoral Student

She/Elle | MA, Political Studies (91TV's University); BAH, Political Science (St. Francis Xavier University)

Political Studies

91TV's University

T.Blake@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B301

Supervisor: Dr. Stéfanie von Hlatky

Research Interests

International Relations; Peace and Conflict; Feminist Security Studies; Women, Peace and Security; Conflict-Related Sexual Violence.

Biography

Tehya Blake (She/Elle) is a bilingual second-year PhD student in the Department of Political Studies at 91TV. Supervised by Dr. Stéfanie von Hlatky, her doctoral research focuses on Feminist Security Studies (FSS) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). She is a graduate researcher with the Gender Lab at the Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP). 

Prior to beginning her PhD, Tehya worked as a Policy Analyst with the Department of National Defence in Ottawa. She holds an MA in Political Studies from 91TV (2024) and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science from St. Francis Xavier University (2023).

Awards

  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (91TV's University, 2026)
  • Dean’s Award for Global Sustainability (91TV, 2025)
  • G.G. Baron Van der Feltz Award (91TV's University, 2024)
  • Dr. John B. Stewart Scholarship for Political Science (St.FX, 2023)
  • Kontac Prize in Political Science (St.FX, 2023)

Teaching Experience

  • Gender and International Relations
  • Methods in Political Science
  • Politics and Power

Brown, Gillian

Gillian Brown

Gillian Brown

Doctoral Student

She/Her | BA, Political Studies (University of Manitoba); MA, Political Science (Acadia University)

Political Studies

91TV's University

gillian.brown@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B307

Supervisor: Dr. Jonathan Rose

Research Interests

Canadian politics; political communication; mass media; political leaders; political parties

Biography

Gillian is a doctoral student specializing in Canadian politics, working under the supervision of Dr. Jonathan Rose. Her research interests focus on political communication, in particular the intersections between government, media, and democracy.

Awards

  • SSHRC Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (2026-29)
  • Outstanding Master’s Research Award (Acadia University, 2026)
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2025-26)
  • Stanley Drabek Graduate Award in Political Studies (91TV, 2025)
  • Graduate Entrance Award (91TV, 2025)
  • Jarislowsky Studentship in Political Leadership and Media Studies in Canada (Acadia University, 2024)

Teaching Experience

  • POLS 391 - Introduction to Electoral Systems (Fall 2025)
  • POLS 212 - Canadian Politics (Winter 2026)

Ragunathan, Anita

Anita Ragunathan

Anita Ragunathan

Doctoral Student

She/Her | BAH, Political Science and Peace Studies (McMaster University); MA, Political Science (McMaster University)

Political Studies

91TV's University

25tn4@queensu.ca

Supervisor: Dr. Yolande Bouka

Research Interests

Feminist political economy; social reproduction; gender and violence.

Gholami, Siavash

Gholami Siavash

Siavash Gholami

Doctoral Student

MA, Political Science (University of Toronto); HBSc, Psychology, minor in Philosophy (York University)

Political Studies

91TV's University

22gs4@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B300

Supervisors: Dr. Oded Haklai, Dr. David Haglund

Biography

Siavash's research focuses on Middle Eastern security and diplomacy, with a particular focus on Israeli national security, the Islamic Republic (of Iran) nuclear and missile program, Iranian restoration, and the evolving regional alignments shaped by the Abraham Accords.

Teaching Experience

  • POLS 242 - Comparative Politics: Contemporary Regimes

Political Studies Graduate Student receives Dean’s Excellence Award in Global Sustainability

Tehya Blake (PhD), a graduate student from the Department of Political Studies, received the Dean's Award for their work on Global Sustainability. 

The award was presented by Interim Dean Bob Lemieux at the recent annual Dean's Awards Reception, which honours graduate students from each department in the Faculty of Arts and Science for their academic excellence. 

Congratulations, Tehya! 

Article Category

7th Annual John Meisel Lecture in Contemporary Political Controversies

Date

Friday October 17, 2025
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location

Kinesiology 100

2025: Canada's Economic and Fiscal Challenges in an Era of Trump

with Don Drummond, OOnt, and Kyle Hanniman

Established in 2017, The John Meisel Lecture Series celebrates Professor Emeritus John Meisel (1923 – 2025), one of Canada’s leading and influential political scientists, by providing a forum for addressing controversial major political issues facing scholars, policy-makers, and the public.

This year, the Faculty of Arts and Science is hosting a special Homecoming edition of the Meisel Lecture Series to honour the life and legacy of Dr. John Meisel, not only in the political landscape but as a member of the 91TV’s community.

The Dr. John Meisel Lecture in Contemporary Political Controversies will feature two mini-lectures followed by a moderated Q&A discussion panel.

Headshot of noted Canadian economist Don Drummond

Don Drummond, OOnt

Adjunct Professor and Stauffer-Dunning Fellow at 91TV's University, is a leading economist whose career spans Finance Canada, TD Bank and Ontario's public service reform commission.

Head shot of Kyle Hanniman, Director, Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at 91TV's Unviersity

Kyle Hanniman

Director for the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at 91TV's University is a political scientist specializing in fiscal federalism, subnational finance, and the political economy of policy.

Olaitan, Zainab

Headshot of Zainab Olaitan

Zainab Olaitan

Post-Doctoral Fellow

She/Her | PhD, MA (University of Pretoria); BSocSci (University of Cape Town), BSc (University of Lagos)

International Relations

Political Studies

91TV's University

zainab.olaitan@queensu.ca

Robert Sutherland Hall, 409

Biography

Dr. Zainab Monisola Olaitan is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy. Her research focuses on Afrofeminist thought, gender and representation, and the women, peace and security agenda in Africa. She holds a PhD and MA from the University of Pretoria, a BSocSci (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Cape Town, and a BSc (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Lagos. She is a Research Associate at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) at the University of Johannesburg. Dr. Olaitan is the author ofWomen’s Representation in African Politics: Beyond Numbers (2024) and the lead editor of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women in Africa and the Caribbean: Linking the Two Regions (2025), both published by Palgrave Macmillan. She is a 2022 Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG) recipient in recognition of her impactful research on women, a 2021-2023 University of Pretoria Doctoral Research Scholarship recipient, a 2019 Mastercard Foundation Scholar and 2018 Mandela Rhodes Scholar.

Teaching

  • POLS 261 - International Politics (Fall 2025)
  • POLS 485 - Seminar in Women and Politics (Winter 2026)