Ame Khin May-Kyawt is a PhD candidate at York University, Social and Political Thought Department. Her dissertation project focuses on the process of dislocation/relocation, its adversities, and resilience in the resettlement process of Karen refugee women in Canada via a gender and developmental approach, which seeks to analyze the causes of gender inequality within the context of relations between women and men.

Aung Kaung Myat is a PhD student at McGill University studying political science. He has completed an MPhil degree in political science from the University of Hong Kong. His research interests include nationalism, authoritarianism, in Burma and wider Southeast Asia.

I am a fourth-year college student pursuing a bachelor's degree in Global Studies with a specialization in Peace and Conflict Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. I grew up in a small village in Karen State, Myanmar. My parents, as do most people in Myanmar, come from a multiethnic background, including Pa-O, Karen, Mon, and Shan. Due to the political turmoil and poor economic conditions in Myanmar, I left school at the age of 11 and went to Thailand, where I worked as a migrant worker in Bangkok for six years. While in Bangkok, I attended the Dear Burma Academy, where I learned English and Thai. In 2018, I successfully applied and enrolled in the Minmahaw School (a one-year program), and Minmahaw Higher Education Program (one-year GED diploma) in Mae Sot, Thailand, near the Thai-Burma Border. In 2020, I was offered a scholarship to study at Wilfrid Laurier University by Prospect Burma and International Students Overcoming War. Iam fluent in Pa-O, Burmese, English, and Thai. The tortured history of Myanmar since the early 1970s, when General Ne Win came to power, is chronicled by successive dictatorships and the brutal repression of revolutionary movements. The most recent tragedy occurred in February 2021, when the military overthrew a democratically elected government headed by the National League for Democracy. Since that time, Myanmar has devolved into a failed state, and the reality of the everyday conflict is beyond words. Over three million people are now displaced from their homes. Now, as in the past, the ruling junta is attempting to use divisive tactics through the 'divide and rule' policy and weaponizing the vestiges of diversity and mistrustamong different ethnic groups that have had a lasting impact - especially the mistrust of the Burman (Bamar) majority. As a result, trust has become a scarce commodity. As the entire nation is engulfed in fighting the military junta through many ethnic armed organizations and the People's Defense Forces (PDF), my interest lies in dismantling the discriminatory policies and corrupt systems that have existed for decades and building trustamong ethnic groups.

Calvin is an MA student in UBC's Department of Political Science. He is also an Institute of Asian Research Fellow (2023-2024), and program coordinator for UBC's Centre for Southeast Asia Research. He has been involved with the Myanmar Initiative since last year, and helps organize events at UBC. Calvin's research agenda lies at the intersection of state-society relations, ethnic politics and cultural politics. Particularly, he is invested in why and how non-democratic regimes utilize questions around national identity, ethnicity and ideational elements to constrain or promote political change. Calvin is also interested in the policy implications of identity-based contention for state-building and the pro-democracy resistance in Myanmar.

Constant Courtin is a PhD candidate at UBC's Department of Political Science. Constant was the research manager of the Center for Diversity and National Harmony (CDNH), a research organisation based in Yangon, from 2014 to 2019. As a research manager, Constant conducted numerous research projects throughout the country on inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations as well as on State-, Nation- and Peace-Building. Most of the research he has been involved in are publicly available at www.cdnh.org. Currently, Constant focuses his research on a comparative analysis of Democratization in Myanmar and Indonesia. His most recent co-authored publication has been published by Contemporary Southeast Asia 42, no.2 (2020). (https://www.jstor.org/stable/26937798).

Htet Paing Oo is a seasoned research analyst with a primary focus on communal tensions, social cohesion, security, migration, and peacebuilding within Myanmar. A graduate of the Australian National University with a specialization in International Relations, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work. Over the course of a decade, he has provided invaluable policy advice to Myanmar's civilian government, political leaders, and the international community, including the United Nations (UN). In his capacity as a policy advisor, he has conducted extensive research into the multifaceted challenges impacting the daily lives of Myanmar's populace, encompassing social, political, and economic dimensions. His insights have played a pivotal role in informing decision-makers within Myanmar's civilian government and other relevant stakeholders. Moreover, he has consistently advocated for and recommended appropriate measures to address these pressing issues effectively.

I am the Education Researcher and Regional Research Director at International Rescue Committee – Airbel Impact Lab. I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in August 2023. My research interests lie in comparative political economy and conflict studies, with expertise in Southeast Asia and colonial contexts. My research examines the key conditions that historically influenced state development, specifically how states allocate their resources for physical coercion and education provision under significant and chronic fiscal constraints. I do so within the historical context of colonial states (with a focus on British Burma), where such constraints were especially prevalent when compared to the contemporaneous European states. Through my research, I show that pre-colonial indigenous institutions, which were fundamental in shaping state-society relations, explain the spatial and temporal patterns of state violence and state involvement in education in colonial states. My policy research, including my work at the International Rescue Committee, investigates the impact of state policy on post-independence education outcomes in the Global South.

Isabella Aung is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University, researching grassroots women’s digital activism in the ongoing anti-authoritarian movement in Myanmar. Her research explores how contemporary authoritarian power is both contested and sustained through social media. She is currently a UBC Myanmar Initiative Fellow. She holds a doctoral scholarship, funded by the Research Network on Women, Peace, and Security (RN-WPS) at McGill University. She also holds a Graduate Research Fellowship at the Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP). She has been recognized as an emerging scholar by le Réseau d’analyse stratégique/the Network for Strategic Analysis (RAS-NSA). She has recently been chosen as a Civil War Paths fellow at the University of York and an inaugural Public Scholarship Fellow at Queen's University.

John Jonaid, a Rohingya refugee, is a refugee advocate and human rights Journalist. Born in Myanmar, Jonaid endured persecution because of his Rohingya identity. Now residing in Canada, he remains dedicated to raising awareness about the Rohingya crisis. He co-founded Archipelago Magazine,amplifying refugee voices and shedding light on their struggles. Jonaid's impactful work inspires both compassion and action. Additionally, he co-founded Humans in Flight, furthering efforts to advocate for the rights and well-being of displaced individuals globally.

Khin Htet Htet Pyone is a scholar and conservation professional with a strong interdisciplinary background. Throughout her ten-year career, she has contributed to forest, land, and conservation research, along with policy development and capacity-building programs for research institutes, consulting firms, and NGOs in both Myanmar and the United States. In her current role as a graduate research fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, her research focuses on the potential of community-led conservation and analyzing patterns of land use change within the ethnic regions of southern Myanmar. Beyond her professional pursuits, she is a passionate advocate for youth and grassroots empowerment in sustainable conservation. She co-founded the Myanmar Chapter of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, the official youth constituency for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This initiative has empowered hundreds of youths across Myanmar to develop youth-led conservation efforts. Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Forestry from the University of Forestry and Environmental Science in Myanmar, and a Master of Environmental Management from the School of the Environment at Yale University. She will begin her PhD at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Forestry in September 2024.

My name is May Shine, and I come from Matupi Chin State, Myanmar. In 2008, I left Myanmar with my siblings to reunite with our parents in Malaysia. In 2010, my family and I were grateful for the opportunity to immigrate to the United States. I began my education in middle school and recently earned a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Management from the College of Central Florida. Currently, Iam a student at George Washington University, working towards a Master's degree in International Affairs with a focus on US foreign policy. Currently, my research is centered on resetting US policy towards Myanmar.

As a fourth-year political science student at UBC, my focus on comparative politics, particularly ethnic politics, has been shaped by my personal experiences. I'm from Chin State, Myanmar, and I have a deep-rooted interest in understanding and addressing the challenges my home state and similar regions face. My academic background has ignited my passion for exploring the complexities of ethnic dynamics, especially in conflict-affected areas. I'm excited to lead as a Board of Director for a non-profit organization, Chin Youth Organization of NorthAMerica (CYONA), about the opportunity to contribute to meaningful research that has practical implications for the well-being of affected communities through our research internship in May 2024.

Min Zar Ni Lin is the Myanmar team leader for the Efficient and Sustainable Apparel Myanmar (ESAM) project at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), a hands-on support project for garment factories and their workers in Myanmar, designed to enhance productivity and occupational health and safety (OHS) conditions in the workplace. He is also a doctoral student in the Global Sustainable Production section at SDU in Denmark. Previously, he worked as the Deputy Director of Research for the Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) in Myanmar and as a Deputy National Coordinator for the Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (MEITI). He holds a Master’s degree in economics from Chiang Mai University, Thailand. His research interests include supplier development, labor market reforms, migration, and natural resource governance.

Myat Su Tin is a Ph.D. student in the Global Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with a master's degree in economics from the International University of Japan and a B.A. in English for Professional Purposes from Yangon University in Myanmar. Her research interests include applied microeconomics, development economics, labor economics, agricultural economics, and educational economics. Currently, she is conducting research on the impact of "Operation 1027" on citizen political engagement during the Myanmar Spring Revolution, using a mixed-method approach to provide a thorough knowledge of social media dynamics and their consequences for political engagement. Myat Su, who has experience in research coordination, policy analysis, and teaching support, combines interdisciplinary knowledge with a commitment to social impact and is well-positioned to make substantial contributions to Global Studies and socioeconomic development.

Napas Thein is a graduating Master of Public Policy Student at the University of Toronto, incoming UBC-Chiang Mai University Research Fellow, and Burmese Canadian Community Organizer. He is a second-generation Burmese-Canadian and holds board membership in the Burmese-Canadian Association of Ontario (BCAO), Burma Scholar, and is an inaugural Fellow of the University of Toronto MyPACK Hub. His current research topic is on understanding the policy landscape of Burmese migrants at the Thai Myanmar border given the current crisis in Myanmar. He is always engaged in Burmese-Canadian community work and is actively interested in policy work that improves humanitarian, democratic, and policy outcomes in Myanmar.

I am a dedicated PhD student in Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts (Lowell), USA. My rich educational background includes degrees from institutions in Myanmar, Korea, and Japan, which have culminated in my ongoing doctoral research on conflict and political violence. I have a notable track record of scholarly contributions, including presenting at major conferences and publishing in respected journals on subjects like the impact of the civil war in Myanmar. My commitment to research excellence is also evident in my roles as researcher manager and senior researcher, where I lead studies on social cohesion and public opinion during political crises. Beyond academia, I actively contribute to community and volunteer services, providing translation for special education needs and participating in various educational initiatives. My work reflects a deep commitment to both scholarly pursuits and community engagement.

Nay Yan Oo is currently a PhD student in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he also serves as the Project Coordinator for the UBC Myanmar Initiative. With a background in international development and policy research, he has previously served as a Research Advisor and Program Manager at several international NGOs, including The Asia Foundation, Kivu International, and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. He earned his Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford and holds an MA in Political Science from Northern Illinois University. His research interests include democratization, civil-military relations, election and political parties, and the politics of development.

Ngu Wah Win is Research Fellow at the Knowledge Circle Foundation, a non-profit charity organization dedicated to inclusive development of migrant children in Southeast Asia. Prior to joining the KCF in 2022, she also worked for several multilateral organizations, bilateral aid agencies and international NGOs as a technical consultant in many reform initiatives of Myanmar, including public financial management and tax reforms, agriculture value chains development, national aquaculture development plan, labor market and migration governance, and housing and urban planning initiatives. She also served as a member of National Statistical Committee, Agriculture Policy Unit and other inter-ministerial taskforce tasked with conducting policy analysis and research studies for the government till 2020. She holds the Master of Public Administration on Economic Policy Management from Columbia University specializing in finance and banking as well as two master degrees on economics and statistics from Chiang Mai University and Yangon University of Economics. She is presently a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Economics, Chiang Mai University, specializing on research issues migration, agriculture economics and political economy.

Phyu Mar Soe is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH), University of British Columbia, Canada. She received her medical degree from the University of Medicine 2, Myanmar and a Master of Science in International Health from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. In 2021, she joined Dr.Bettinger’s research team at Vaccine Evaluation Center (VEC), BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Canada. Prior to joining SPPH and VEC, she was involved in research on antimicrobial resistance, HIV disease epidemiology and behavioural surveillance system at both the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS). Her research interests include child health, vaccine effectiveness and safety, disease surveillance, and infectious disease epidemiology. Her current research is on COVID-19 vaccine safetyamong high-risk populations.

Pyae Phyo Aung is a human rights scholar and researcher. He earned his bachelor’s from Liberal Arts Program (LAP) at Myanmar Institute of Theology, and is currently studying for a master’s degree in Human Rights and the Arts at Bard College, New York. His research interests include the social, political and cultural landscapes of Myanmar, community-based ethnography, storytelling, authoritarian regimes, and digital rights.

Su Thet San (They/Them) earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Yangon. They are currently doing a master’s degree in public policy and global affairs (MPPGA) at the University of British Columbia. Prior to commencing the MPPGA Program, they had worked with the non-governmental organizations dedicated to advancing democracy, peace-building and social harmony in Myanmar. Throughout this period, they were responsible for conducting research and producing reports predominantly focused on armed conflict, intercommunal relations, and governance, as well as facilitating community dialogues, and development of the national strategy on closure of IDP camps in Myanmar.

Thiha Wint Aung is an independent researcher and teacher working with different projects on Myanmar and educational initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in public policy from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan and a second Master’s in political science from the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna, Austria. Previously, he served as a senior program manager at the Forum of Federations, where he provided technical support on federalism and decentralization to various Myanmar stakeholders, including the national and sub-national parliaments, civil society, and ethnic armed organizations during the rule of the civilian government. His research interests include violence, social movements, algorithms, and social networks.

Wae Win, a sociocultural anthropology PhD Candidate at the University of Manitoba, possesses a diverse academic background. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Library and Information Studies from East Yangon University in 2007. She pursued her Master of Educational Management and Leadership at the University of Sydney with the Australia Awards Scholarship in 2015. Her primary interests involve social and gender research and social justice. Her current doctoral ethnographic research focuses on understanding the relationship between historical changes in Myanmar and Thailand and Myanmar migration since 1980 and how migration affects people's involvement in dried fish value chains from a gender-oriented social wellbeing perspective. The research is part of the Dried Fish Matters (DFM) project "Mapping the Social Economy of Dried Fish in South and Southeast Asia for Enhanced Wellbeing and Nutrition," funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Ye Khaung Oo studied at Augustana University in South Dakota for his undergraduate degree in Economics and Government. He worked in fiscal decentralization and governance reform programs for subnational governments in Myanmar up until the military coup of 2021. After the military coup, he relocated to Singapore and continued working as a Research Officer for the Myanmar Studies Programme at ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute. Ye is deeply committed to Myanmar’s sustainable development and hopes to contribute to Myanmar's ongoing discussion of federalism and decentralization for implementation stages. Ye is currently pursuing a Master degree in International Development Policy with a focus on Public Financial Management in Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University.