The James A. Kelly Korean Studies Fellowship Program will promote academic study, research, and professional career paths focused on Korean Peninsula studies by young Kelly Fellows.
It recognizes the exemplary efforts of Jim Kelly to improve US-ROK relations and encourage the DPRK to denuclearize and join the international community of nations.
The overall objective of the fellowship is to promote stronger US-ROK, US-DPRK, and inter-Korean relations through a variety of Pacific Forum programs. The fellowship makes a deliberate effort to encourage the study of Korean economic and security issues, with particular focus on raising awareness among the next generation of scholars and officials in the US, ROK, and worldwide about the vital role the Korean Peninsula plays in regional and international affairs.
Kelly Fellows will develop their knowledge of Korean Peninsula issues through participation in the Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders program, research under the guidance of Pacific Forum senior staff, and the continuing series of U.S.-ROK and broader tri-/multilateral forums.
Applications are currently closed for the Non-resident and Resident Kelly Fellowship.
Eligibility and How to Apply:
- Open citizenship
- Have completed their undergraduate education and
- Have several years of experience in Indo-Pacific security issues, or
- Has completed or is completing their graduate education (master’s or doctoral)
- Proficient in English (verbal and written skills)
- For non-U.S. citizens, applicant must possess or be eligible for an extended stay visa
To apply for the Kelly Fellowship, please complete the Resident and/or Non-resident Kelly Fellowship online application form and include all materials listed below. All materials must be written in English. Any statement in your application that is found to be false will be grounds for disqualification.
- A cover letter detailing interests and why the Kelly Fellowship will contribute to the applicant’s professional development
- Curriculum Vitae
- A letter of recommendation
- A description of a research project to undertake as a Kelly Fellow (not to exceed 1,500 words)
Important Notice: Pacific Forum is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and following the latest guidance from the Office of the Mayor, City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii emergency order currently in effect. We anticipate the Resident Kelly Fellowship to be a hybrid program with a virtual start on Jan. 1, 2022, with the possibility of conversion to an in-person resident fellowship at Pacific Forum offices in Honolulu if and when conditions permit.
Current Resident Fellows:
Akhil Ramesh (IND) holds an M.S. with a concentration in global macroeconomics from New York University in New York, a certificate in business and geopolitics from HEC Paris, France and a BBA from Amity University, India. Born and raised in India, Akhil started his career in the Philippines, and over the past seven years, he has lived and worked across three continents, wearing different hats with risk consulting firms, think tanks and governments. Most recently, he worked with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on geo-economic issues in southern India. Prior to that, based out of New York City, worked as a project coordinator and lead of the mapping project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative at the EastWest Institute. With research interests at the nexus of geoeconomics and security policy, he is currently working on a number of projects related to infrastructure development in Asia, supply chains, grand strategy in the Indo-Pacific. His analysis has been widely published across global and regional journals such as Nikkei Asia, South China Morning Post, The Hill, The Diplomat, National Interest, Economic Times and Hindustan Times.
Current Non-resident Fellows:
Jonathan Corrado (USA) is Director of Policy at The Korea Society. He regularly writes and speaks about security, diplomacy, and socioeconomic change on the Korean Peninsula and surrounding region, authoring and presenting reports for NGOs, think tanks, and conferences. Jonathan is also a contributor to NK Pro, a Pacific Forum Young Leader, and a National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) Emerging Leader. He has published writing in diverse outlets such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Journal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, Asian Politics & Policy, 38 North, The Japan Times, The Diplomat, Pacific Forum PacNet, NK News, and NK Pro. He was previously a translator for Daily NK (Korean to English), an FCPA due diligence investigator for Steele Compliance Solutions, a graduate fellow for McLarty Associates, and a volunteer analyst for the Congressional Research Service. Jonathan received an MA from Georgetown University’s Asian Studies Program in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and a BA in anthropology from the University of Maryland College Park.
Jiyeon Kim (ROK) is a Nonresident James A. Kelly Korea Fellow at the Pacific Forum. She holds a combined BA in Political Economy from Pitzer College, an MSc in International Relations from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Her master’s research at Fletcher focuses on the evolution of the North Korea sanctions regime and its impact on the North Korean economy. Jiyeon previously served as a researcher at Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) and completed her internships at Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) and with the 38 North program at Stimson center. Jiyeon’s research interests include North Korea sanctions regimes, North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile program, nuclear nonproliferation, US-China relations, and International Relations of East Asia.
Hannah Cole (USA) is the current Program and Publications Manager at Pacific Forum and Nonresident James A. Kelly Korea Fellow. She entered this role following the conclusion of a formative research internship with PF, focused on Northeast Asian security concerns and Women, Peace and Security (WPS). Hannah has had a plethora of international experiences across Asia and Europe, spending a cumulative 6+ years abroad. In addition to the US-ROK alliance, Hannah’s professional interests include the nexus of public affairs and national security, and WPS. Hannah has previously held internships with the Department of State, Brookings Institution, and George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. Hannah received her Master’s of Asian Studies with a focus on Korean studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2021 and received a dual BA in International Conflict Analysis & Resolution and Asian Studies from George Mason University in 2019.