Alanoud H. Al Thani is a Nonresident Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and a researcher in international politics, diplomacy, and security. She holds an Executive Master of Science in Diplomacy and International Affairs and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Her research covers Gulf security, small-state strategies, and geopolitics. As a Doctoral Research Assistant, she studied the impact of geography on military incursions, focusing on the Mongol expansion into China. She is also a member of Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society.
Alanoud has a notable background in competitive debating, being the first Qatari to win the Helsinki Open in 2020. She has represented Qatar at international debates and served as Head Coach of the Qatar National Debate Team. Additionally, she is a QatarDebate Youth Envoy, and has engaged in various academic and policy forums, including the UN and NATO, where she received a Four Star NATO Challenge Coin.
