Stanford Scholar Combines Military Service and Academic Research

Oriana Skylar Mastro has built two careers simultaneously: one as an academic, the other, as a service member in the U.S. Air Force.
Oriana Skylar Mastro and Air Force Members During her military training, Mastro learned valuable lessons about teamwork and how a group can work together toward achieving a mutual goal. (Image credit: Courtesy Oriana Skylar Mastro)

This story was originally reported by Melissa De Witte for Stanford News.

Some people learn by doing. Stanford scholar and alum Oriana Skylar Mastro, BA ’06, is one such learner: As an undergraduate student at Stanford studying the Chinese language in the East Asian Studies program, she took a year off and went to the country to immerse herself in its culture. Then, as a doctoral student wanting to know more about security issues facing the U.S. military in the Asia Pacific, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where she continues to serve today.

Since joining the military over a decade ago, Mastro has built a career combining scholarship and service.

“I love being in uniform, I love working as a team and I love feeling like my research and expertise give back somehow,” said Mastro, now a fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI).

Read the full profile here. 

Oriana Skylar Mastro

Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Full Biography

Read More

Figures of Kuomintang soldiers are seen in the foreground, with the Chinese city of Xiamen in the background, on February 04, 2021 in Lieyu, an outlying island of Kinmen that is the closest point between Taiwan and China.
Commentary

Strait of Emergency?

Debating Beijing’s Threat to Taiwan
cover link Strait of Emergency?
An Island that lies inside Taiwan's territory is seen with the Chinese city of Xiamen in the background.
Commentary

The Taiwan Temptation

Why Beijing Might Resort to Force
cover link The Taiwan Temptation
Taiwan
Commentary

America's Future in Taiwan

Intensifying threats of a military conflict over Taiwan have brought uncertainty to the stability of regional security for Southeast Asia, according to Center Fellow Oriana Skylar Mastro on radio show On Point.
cover link America's Future in Taiwan