• Adviser: Dr. Kelly McFarland, ISD Director of Programs and Research
• Topic: Chasing the Chinese Dream: Confucius Institutes as a Sharp Power Weapon

Brian is a senior majoring in International Politics with a concentration in International Security and a minor in Chinese. On campus, he has been involved in Hilltop Consultants, the Carroll Fellow Initiative, and GUROP. Brian has also interned with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), members of Congress, and Capital One. His ISD research examines the role of Confucius Institutes in China's broader sharp power strategy as a foundation to explore policy responses by democratic countries.