Azem Yıldırım is from Istanbul, Turkey, and is a senior at The School of General Studies. As part of the Dual BA Program between Sciences Po Paris and Columbia University, he has majored in Political Humanities with a regional specialization in the Middle East and the Mediterranean at Sciences Po. He is currently majoring jointly in political science and economics at Columbia University. His research interests include Middle Eastern politics, economic development and international security. He serves as Co-President in the Columbia Turkish Students Association. Other interests include writing and rowing.