An Interview with Edoardo Camilli, Founder and Director of the International Security Observer (ISO)

2 Dec 2014

This month, we speak with Edoardo Camilli, who is the Founder and Director of the International Security Observer (ISO). ISO is a web-based think tank that provides a platform for young analysts to share their views on defense and international security affairs. In the interview, Mr Camilli first describes the genesis of ISO, what its global volunteer community currently looks like, and how he and his colleagues understand ‘security’. He then shares some advice for young graduates seeking to work in the international security field. Finally, Mr Camilli lays out his plans for a more comprehensive ISO in the future.

What inspired you to start the International Security Observer (ISO)?

I established it in order to provide young professionals in security and defense affairs with a virtual space where they could publish and share their insights and analyses. At the time, I was a typical and recent international relations (IR) graduate who was looking for a job, but getting a foot in the door in the think tank world can be very difficult for those without experience. So I decided to create my own think tank – the International Security Observer – and I soon discovered that many other recent graduates and young professionals were encountering the same job-related frustrations I had. I therefore invited my university/Erasmus colleagues to contribute to ISO and through word-to-mouth my idea developed from a personal blogging platform into a global community of young experts. Today, ISO has more than 60 selected contributors who work remotely from all around Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Middle East.

Speaking of this worldwide network, can you elaborate on its make-up and aims?

I have always believed that young people can provide fresh perspectives on international conflicts, terrorism, organized crime, economics, energy and cyber security and much more. The community we are building at ISO is designed to challenge old paradigms and to develop new ideas on these issues, especially by linking young professionals with different cultural and academic backgrounds. In addition, ISO strives to create a network of like-minded peers and individuals who would like to cooperate on common projects and exchange ideas, information and professional opportunities. Last but not least, ISO provides its volunteer contributors with the opportunity to perform rigorous analyses, familiarize themselves with peer-review processes, and master digital communications. Some of our contributors were still students or interns when they joined the ISO network and are now working for some of the most prominent international institutions, think tanks or consulting companies in the world. Of course they earned these opportunities, but I would like to believe that ISO also played a role in their professional development.

Security can mean different things to different people. How do you and your ISO colleagues perceive it?

Like other practitioners in the field, the way we conceive of security at ISO is holistic. Security is not only a ‘military thing’ and it is not merely a “continuation of politics by other means,” to borrow Clausewitz’s familiar phrase. Rather, we think security involves the interplay of history, culture, geography, economy, politics, technology and even psychology. It’s this heterogeneous set of components that makes security studies so interesting, at least to us.

As you stressed earlier, it can be difficult for recent IR and Security Studies graduates to transition from the classroom into the professional world. What advice do you have for them?

Well, there are a few pieces of advice I can share based on my personal experience. First, understand what your professional goal really is. Are you aiming to become an analyst, a policy officer, a consultant? Knowing your aim will help you define the strategy you’ll need to reach that goal. Second, work to acquire the necessary skills you’ll need to stand out in your field. I don’t mean just analytical skills, but also communication skills (public speaking and digital communications) and the ability to use specific software and IT tools (e.g., Photoshop/Gimp, InDesign, Web-editing and more). Third, start building your networks by going to conferences or events that relate to your interests, by volunteering, or even by simply connecting with people on LinkedIn. In the security field two things are extremely valuable – the information/knowledge you posses and the people you know. Last but not least, be proactive and create your own opportunities. They won’t come to you.

Where do you see ISO in 5 years?

My goal is to make ISO the preferred ‘reference organization’ for every recent graduate and young professional wishing to start his or her career in the security field. Second, I would like to bridge the gaps that exist between the academic and the professional world, primarily by providing young professionals with the practical skills they need in today’s job market. This initiative would entail organizing training sessions and workshops on scenario and trend analyses, on Open Source Intelligence, on security monitoring and assessment, and on the use of related software. Obviously, ISO won’t be able to do this alone. We hope that public and private institutions will work with us to sponsor these activities and to encourage their senior experts to share their knowledge and experiences with the next generation of security specialists. This is what ISO will work for in the coming years. However, while we pursue these ends we will also keep building our global community of young experts and continue to share fresh perspectives on the most relevant security issues shaping our world.

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