We are pleased to announce NBR’s Japan Studies Research Fellow for 2024.

2024 Japan Studies Research Fellow

Leila Aden

University of Washington

Leila Aden is a senior at the University of Washington double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and International Studies. She was raised in several countries and grew up experiencing a vast array of cultures and languages. These experiences, combined with her diverse background, sparked her interest in foreign affairs. After graduation, Leila aspires to become a foreign service officer with the State Department with a regional focus on the Asia-Pacific. She will be a junior fellow-in-residence at NBR this summer researching the U.S.-Japan strategic partnership.

2023 Japan Studies Research Fellow

Caitlyn Pagano

New College of Florida

Caitlyn Pagano is a rising sophomore at New College of Florida, majoring in International and Area Studies with a concentration in public health. She was born in Bury St. Edmunds, England, as part of an Air Force family. While in high school she was a part of a local sailing team and won second place at a regatta in her first year. In addition to her high school classes, Caitlyn started taking college courses in her sophomore year leading to her graduating with both her high school diploma and associate of arts degree. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree Caitlyn hopes to go on to graduate school and later a career in the State Department as a foreign service officer. Her research focuses on the historical evolution of the United States’ alliance with Japan, with a focus on China as a growing, and potentially threatening, power. She is NBR’s first Japan Studies Research Fellow in 2023.