Elena Simanschi is a PhD candidate in the program of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, under the supervision of Dr. Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués. She obtained a predoctoral contract (FI) from the Catalan Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR). Her Phd dissertation explores geopolitics of disinformation in the Eastern Neighbourhood. Her research fields are international relations, EU foreign policy, and geopolitics. She holds an MA in Finance from National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Ukraine), and an MA in International Relations, Security and Development from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Previously, Elena worked as research assistant at IBEI in the framework of the research project VISIONS, led by Dr. Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués.

BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION

(2021-ongoing) PhD in Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations, UAB

(2020-2021) MA in International Relations, Security, and Development, UAB

(2017–2020) BA (hons) in International Relations, University of Genoa

(2009–2011) MA in Finance, National University “Kyiv-Mohyla academy”

(2004-2009) BA in Finance, National University “Kyiv-Mohyla academy”

AWARDS

2022-ongoing. FI 2022 AGAUR scholarship

2017-2020. ALiSEO Scholarship of Liguria region, Italy

2019. UNIGE grant for academic mobility “The Hague International Jurisdictions”, Italy

2019-2020. Erasmus + Scholarship

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES)

Council for European Studies

Jean Monnet Network on Research & Teaching in EU foreign Affairs (NORTIA)

RESEARCH

Research interests

International Relations

EU foreign policy

Geopolitics

Disinformation

Hybrid Interference