Julia Ubowski is originally from Taunton, Massachusetts, and is currently working full-time as a consultant in the defense industry. She is a first-generation Polish American and has visited the country frequently throughout her life. During the summer of 2015, she witnessed the Polish presidential election and its aftermath firsthand, solidifying her academic interest in the region. At CERES, her academic interests include the long-term impacts of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Eastern Europe, Poland’s growing role in the EU and NATO, Russian hybrid warfare in the West, and democratic backsliding in Central and Eastern Europe. Julia holds a BA in International Studies from American University, where she studied the US-European alliance through the lenses of NATO and the EU. She has gained valuable experience through internships with the European Parliament, U.S. Department of State, U.S. House of Representatives, Massachusetts House of Representatives, and the defense industry. Upon graduation, Julia aims to further her career in foreign policy, with aspirations of working within the U.S. government.