Fellowship Programs

James A. Kelly Korea Fellowship

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, focusing on raising awareness among the next generation of scholars and officials in the U.S., ROK, and worldwide about the Korean Peninsula’s vital role 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.

Eligibility and How to Apply:

Open Citizenship
Have completed their undergraduate education and
Have several years of experience in Indo-Pacific security issues, or
Have completed or are completing their graduate education (master’s or doctoral)
Proficient in English (verbal and written skills)
For non-U.S. citizens, an applicant must possess or be eligible for an extended stay visa

To apply for the Kelly Fellowship, please complete the 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 how 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)

Current Resident Fellow:

Caroline Kearney

Caroline Kearney is a PhD candidate in Korean Studies at Yonsei University whose research explores how lessons from past arms control negotiations can be applied to future U.S.–North Korea negotiations. Previously, she was a 2026 Research Associate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a 2023-24 U.S.-Asia Grand Strategy Predoctoral Fellow at the University of Southern California’s Korean Studies Institute. She has authored analyses for NK Pro, the Institute for Security and Development Policy, and Jeju Peace Institute. Prior to her work with NK Pro, she co-organized dialogues and workshops on Korean Peninsula issues at an NGO in Cambodia.

Akhil Ramesh

Akhil Ramesh is a Senior Resident Fellow at Pacific Forum. He engages in research on the increasing intersection of economic, trade and national security policy making in the Indo-Pacific. As an extension, he is working toward expanding the portfolio of economic statecraft related programming at Pacific Forum. He 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. Most recently, he worked with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 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. He is a columnist with the American newspaper the Hill and his research has been featured in CNN, Washington Post, Bloomberg and published in global journals such as Nikkei Asia, Japan Times, South China Morning Post, to name a few.