Navigating the policy, think tank and academic worlds: Reflections, challenges and opportunities

IAS Open Programme Fellow Dr Florin Ion Pasatoiu delivers a seminar on his research - 

Dr Florin Pasatoiu will draw on his experience of working in policymaking, think tanks, business and academia, and provide a series of reflections on how to manage these worlds. He has worked in different capacities for local and national governments in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, as well regional and global international organisations, together with spearheading a number of civil society organisations and think tanks (most recently, the Center for Foreign Policy and security Studies).

Switching between these identities and his academic career has not been without challenges, but has allowed Dr Pasatoiu to have different types of impact on the real world. Much of the focus will be on the series of skills that have proven useful for Dr. Pasatoiu’s career across these fields. This crucially involves the ability to translate findings from academic research into clear and concise insights that can be easily understood and used by policymakers. Dr Pasatoiu has also had the opportunity to work on and research issues that affect local, national, regional and global spaces, most times focusing on developing a bridge between them.

This seminar will also feature discussant Dr Ronan Lee - 

Dr Lee is a Doctoral Prize Fellow at Loughborough University London’s Institute for Media and Creative Industries. His research focusses on the Rohingya, genocide, hate speech, and Asian politics. Ronan was a Queensland State Member of Parliament (2001-2009), serving on the frontbench as a Parliamentary Secretary (2006-2008) in portfolios including Justice, Main Roads and Local Government, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. He has also worked as a senior government policy advisor, and as an election strategist and campaign manager.

By booking a place at this event, attendees agree to behave in a respectful manner such that everyone feels comfortable contributing as they wish. The IAS reserves the right to eject anyone who does not abide by this policy.

IAS seminars are typically recorded, minus any Q&A sessions at the end, again to encourage contributions. The recordings are then uploaded to our website on a Fellows bio page and/or Programme page, along with our IAS YouTube Channel. If you are not able to attend a seminar live, please do still register as we will email everyone who registered to let them know once the recordings are made available.