Fulbright Future Scholarship (Funded by The Kinghorn Foundation)

Thomas is a Policy Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), working to deliver Australia’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and ensure the federal government’s policy settings evolve with the rapidly changing regional environment. He has previously worked at a China think tank, as an election monitor in Timor-Leste, at and oil and gas company, in remote Indigenous communities, and in the Royal Australian Air Force. Before joining DFAT, Thomas was an Adviser at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, with a focus on trade, national security and China policy.

While undertaking a Master of Public Administration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Thomas will specialise in foreign policy and geo-economics. In particular, Thomas aims to develop a model for addressing narrow supply chains for critical minerals, such as rare earth elements.