CPC - Caspian Policy Center
CPC Staff
Kurtis Yan
Research Intern
Kurtis Yan is a Research Intern at the Caspian Policy Center. He is currently pursuing an MA in Security Studies at Georgetown University. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he majored in political science and Russian studies and received a minor in global studies. He also participated in the Russian Flagship Program and spent the 2023-2024 academic year in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Previously, Kurtis interned at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Wilson Center, and the Stratfor Center at RANE. His interests include environmental security, comparative politics, and regional security across the Greater Caspian Region.
In the News
Transparent and Reliable: How a Strong Foundation Brought Japan Success in Central Asia’s Minerals Sector
Kurtis Yan cited in Prime Minister's Office of Japan
Date: 13 March 2026
A First for the Vice Presidency: J.D. Vance’s Landmark Visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan
Kurtis Yan cited in Middle Corridor
Date: 12 February 2026
BRI at a Boiling Point: Anti-China Violence and the Security of Chinese Mining Projects in Central Asia
Kurtis Yan cited in President of the Republic of Tajikistan
Date: 6 February 2026
Strategic Minerals at the Forefront of Diplomacy: 2025 in Review
Kurtis Yan cited in x.com/agordapress
Date: 29 December 2025