Joshua Thomas Baker

I am a current graduate student at The Johns Hopkins University – School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C.  At SAIS, I am concentrating on Security Studies where I am focused on developing the necessary skillset and knowledge to work for the Department of National Defence and later with NATO. In May and June of 2018, I completed the SFU NATO Field School, and I am confident it was one of the best decisions I made as an undergraduate student. Before the Field School, I was studying at the University of Calgary, beginning my undergraduate thesis on the First Canadian Army in the Normandy Campaign. Though studying military history is a passion of mine, I became very interested in current international issues, such as the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and the growing military presence of China in the South China Sea.

It was the NATO Field School that allowed me to combine my passion for military history and my growing interest in international security. While on the Field School, it became clear that if I wanted to work on the international stage, I would need to continue my education at the graduate level in international relations. The NATO Field School allowed me to develop an in-depth understanding of current contentious issues and how international organizations like NATO, respond to new threats, such as hybrid warfare, dis-information, refugee crises, and climate change. As such, my experience with the Field School gave me a competitive edge on my resume.