Samuel Oren Tustin (he/him) is a third-year student majoring in International Relations at American University’s School of International Service. Originally from New England, his academic interests include Russian studies, diaspora identity, and intercultural relations. He focuses particularly on questions of civilization, migration, and political memory, with research exploring frameworks such as the “Third Rome” and Eurasianism in Russian-American communities. Beyond coursework, Samuel serves as a Communications & Research Assistant at the American-Eurasian Center, where he contributes to country reports and policy analysis, and as an Associate with the Pericles Institute in the Law and Human Rights division. He is also engaged in creative writing projects and cultural research that combine his historical and international interests. In his free time, he enjoys reading, weightlifting, and exploring Washington, D.C.