Troy Willman

Troy is a Ph.D. student in Security Studies at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs. His research examines great-power competition across two theaters: South America and Antarctica. In South America, he studies how the People's Republic of China engages regional middle powers, how those governments respond to China's expanding economic and strategic presence, and how the United States adapts to the resulting national security challenges. In Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, he examines how that competition extends toward the poles, where governance, resource access, and strategic positioning are increasingly contested.

Before beginning his doctoral studies, Troy served as an F/A-18 fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy and worked with Naval Special Warfare in Coronado, California. He was subsequently appointed U.S. Naval Attaché in Santiago, Chile.

He earned an M.A. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, and is fluent in Spanish.

Beyond his research, he enjoys travel, aviation, and spending time with family and friends.