ISS Student Spotlight | Natali Gabriel
Tell us a bit about yourself, what inspired you to pursue a graduate degree in International Security Studies, and what areas of security or policy interest you most?
My name is Natali Gabriel, I am 22 years old, and I am from San Antonio, Texas. Ever since childhood, I have been enamored with Middle Eastern and Central Asian security. While may sound like a very grandiose childhood interest, at its core, my interests simply stem from my bleeding heart for the plight of those ravaged by war. This interest led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in political science at Texas Tech University, which served to only sharpen my focus on matters of security. By the time I graduated, I had already spent a great deal of time shopping around for a graduate course of study, and University of Arizona’s International Security Studies program proved to be the perfect fit. This degree is the embodiment of my core interests: studying human rights, Middle Eastern security, political behaviors, international policy, and the many facets that lie at the intersection of these interests.
Can you share a research topic, project, or class that has been particularly meaningful or challenging for you so far?
The first class I took as a student of the ISS program, the Politics of Islamism with Dr. Tolga Turker, was an extremely formative experience – it solidified for me that I had chosen the right program. Before taking this class, I was under the impression that I already had a deep understanding of the effects of Islamism on Middle Eastern security. I was soon proven wrong. This class was particularly meaningful, as it illuminated to me that everything happens for a reason – even the senseless things, or things we do not understand. If all of our politicians, lawmakers, and security experts were to take this class, I believe we, as a country, would have a much more profound understanding of policymaking in the Middle East. Who knows, maybe we could’ve prevented the war in Iraq, handled Afghanistan differently, prevented civilian bombings in Yemen, or created any number of alternative realities. I believe most security issues lie on a bed of misunderstanding and misdirected values.
What skills or lessons have you gained through the ISS program, and how have these experiences shaped your personal and professional goals?
This program has taught me one of the most invaluable skills an academic can possess: the ability to properly research. While I was no stranger to long readings and research papers in undergrad, the caliber of research I was doing pales in comparison to what I do now. I have jumped from struggling with 1/2 chapters of weekly reading assignments to managing hundreds of pages of readings in the same time period, all while taking meticulous notes. While no one person has guided me through this transition, the academic rigor and precision that is demanded of me by the program has motivated me to become a more skillful student. As I have recently finished applying to various PhD programs, I have no doubt these skills will be of great service to my burgeoning doctoral research. Without them, I am sure I would be completely overwhelmed and unprepared for the rest of my academic journey.
What advice would you give to new ISS students about getting the most out of the program?
It’s simple, really –watch your lectures, read your readings, engage with your professors, and don’t let ChatGPT think for you. Many of you may read this and say “duh”, but it will astound you how much of a difference these four tenets will make in your academic development. If you don’t watch the lectures, you cannot make the mental connection between the subject material, the readings, and your professors' meaningful contributions. I also struggle with understanding anything without some kind of spoken component. Being able to read all your assigned readings is incredibly important. Oftentimes, the very soul of the class is structured around the readings: the lectures discuss the readings, weekly discussions revolve around the readings, and final/midterm papers will almost exclusively require you to engage your assigned readings with critical thought. Engaging with your professors is paramount. The ISS program is not only about policy memos and JSTOR articles; it is about building a rapport with the professors, the scholars, who are there to impart their knowledge upon you. While the soul of the class may be structured around the readings, the idea of that very soul is a creation of your professors making. Subsequently, it would behoove you, academically and professionally, to make an effort to engage with your professors. Most importantly, do not allow AI to think for you. The whole point of a graduate degree is to refine your critical thinking skills. If you use AI to think for you, or work for you, you are eroding not only your academic credibility, but the very strength of the neurons that fire inside your brain. Just don’t!