ABOUT US
IR101 is a collaborative project led by passionate PhD, graduate and undergraduate students in the fields of International Relations and Political Science.
Our mission is to make IR101 a valuable and easily accessible learning resource for International Relations students and enthusiasts worldwide. To achieve this goal, we aim to engage students and enthusiasts in International Relations through social media platforms such as our Website, Instagram and Spotify. We provide daily updates on global news, insightful series on international relations topics, educational notes, interviews with experts and diplomats, as well as summaries of International Relations analyses.
The project has grown into a diverse team of members from around the world who share a common passion for International Relations.
MEET OUR TEAM
Maria Simaioforidou
Creator & Editor in Chief
Maria Simaioforidou holds a Bachelor’s degree in International and European Studies from the University of Macedonia in Greece. She continued her studies with a postgraduate focus on Strategic Studies and International Politics, while currently, is pursuing a PhD in International Relations, focusing on Digital Diplomacy. In her professional career, Maria has worked in various roles, including Political and Economic positions in Embassies and Consulates. She also has extensive research experience, serving as a Research Assistant. Maria is multilingual, fluent in Greek, English, and French, and with a very good command of German, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Beyond her academic and professional endeavors, she enjoys hiking and practicing yoga.
Chara Kokali
Project Associate, Content Creator & Project Management
Chara is an undergraduate at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Macedonia, in the specialization of Political Studies and Diplomacy. She is currently an intern at the Greek Embassy in Bulgaria. Her passions include travelling, listening to music and reading books. She is also interested in youth empowerment and is a member of Thermi’s Municipality Youth Council. She speaks Greek, English, French, and German. Her academic interests are cultural diplomacy, human rights andEU affairs.
Inês Raquel
Project Associate, News Team
Inês Raquel is a graduate in Political Analysis and Public Policy from the National Research University Higher School of Economics of Moscow, Russian Federation. With a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations obtained at Lisbon NOVA University (FCSH-UNL) and a postgraduate degree in Strategic and Security Studies from the National Defense Institute (IDN, Portugal), Inês’ principal interests are related to Geopolitics and Human Rights. During her time in Moscow, she had the opportunity to work as a news writer for Sputnik News, where she got a closer insight of how Russian mainstream media works. Recently, Inês became a trainee in a major European bank where she is learning the main rules of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Anti-Corruption policies. She speaks Portuguese (mother tongue), English (C1), Spanish (C1), and is still learning Russian (B1).
Chrysoula Paraskevi Tsatiri
Project Associate, News Team
Chrysoula – Paraskevi Tsatiri is a postgraduate student at University of Macedonia,
Greece. Her field of studies is International Studies with a direction to European
Studies and Diplomacy. She also holds Bachelor Degree in Political Sciences from
the Department of Political Science of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is
currently doing her internship at the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in
particular at the International Relations Service in Thessaloniki. Her passion is
Diplomacy, New Emerging Technologies and Classic Ballet. She speaks Greek,
English and French.
Tri Pambudi
Project Associate, News Team
Tri Pambudi is an aspiring journalist passionate about unravelling the complexities of international political and economic affairs, particularly within the dynamic landscape of the Asia Pacific region, with a keen focus on Southeast Asia. After graduating with an International Relations degree, Tri has sharpened critical thinking ability and has honed the craft of crafting compelling stories that resonate across diverse audiences. Tri is ready to embark on a journey to illuminate and dissect the narratives that shape our global landscape
Anna Pouliou
Project Associate, News Team
Anna Pouliou is an undergraduate student in International and European Studies department of the University of Macedonia in the beautiful city of Thessaloniki. She shares huge enthusiasm for languages and international relations and that’s why she really keen on MUN simulation conferences. She speaks english and a bit of french along with her mother tongue, greek and we wishes to excel in more languages, as well, since they’re the key to unlock new cultures and experiences. Moreover, she travels a lot through the Erasmus plus mobility programs for volunteering and training. She has been to France and Austria so far, and her next trip is in Italy. In the future, she hopes that she can combine her academic skills and life experience to offer something useful to the world of international relations.
Dimitris Palamoutakis
Project Associate, News Team
Dimitris Palamoutakis was interested in international relations from a very young age. As a recent graduate of the International and European Studies department of the University of Macedonia, specialized in Political Studies and Diplomacy, he aspires to build a career in international development and sustainable growth. Along with his native language, Greek, he can speak English and Italian. Other than his academic efforts, he also has experience in opinion writing on passions of his, such as music and sports