Avery Tan

Avery joins the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy program from Singapore, where he serves as a First Lieutenant in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Prior to Stanford, he was an overseas military scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), where he was a distinguished graduate and received the Top in Economics Award. Throughout his military career, Avery has held leadership roles spanning personnel development, military diplomacy, and organizational management. At USAFA, he served as the cadet Vice Wing Commander, helping oversee the development of more than 4,400 cadets, and as cadet Director of Operations for the Wings of Blue Parachute Team, where he served as a jumpmaster and military demonstration parachutist. He has also served at the Singapore Embassy in Washington, D.C., supporting multilateral defense engagements, and in the RSAF Air Manpower Organization, leading initiatives to strengthen personnel development and engagement. 

Drawing on these experiences, Avery's academic interests focus on the integration of artificial intelligence in the military, U.S.-China strategic competition and the role of small and middle powers, and defense diplomacy as a tool for advancing regional security and deterrence. He currently serves as a student fellow at the Hoover Institution conducting research on Indo-Pacific maritime strategy and global policy. After completing his master's degree, Avery will return to Singapore to continue his service in the RSAF as a military pilot.