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I am a Ph.D. student in international relations and security. My primary research agenda focuses on cyber cooperation, competition, and conflict between states, and I have published a peer-reviewed academic article on the subject. My secondary research area is international security more broadly, and I have co-authored a policy brief on this topic. I am also interested in regime dynamics, democratization, internal conflicts, and autocracy. Before academia, I spent 16 years in tech, most recently as a senior software quality engineering manager. I also served for three years on active duty in the United States Army.
I am a Ph.D. student in international relations and security. My primary research agenda focuses on cyber cooperation, competition, and conflict between states, and I have published a peer-reviewed academic article on the subject. My secondary research area is international security more broadly, and I have co-authored a policy brief on this topic. I am also interested in regime dynamics, democratization, internal conflicts, and autocracy. Before academia, I spent 16 years in tech, most recently as a senior software quality engineering manager. I also served for three years on active duty in the United States Army.
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum Vitae
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Politics and International Affairs, Expected 2029
Ph.D. Candidate, Expected Spring 2027
Primary Subfield: International Relations (International Security)
Secondary Subfield: Comparative Politics
GPA: 4.0
Master of Arts in International Affairs, 2025
Concentration: Security and Diplomacy
GPA: 4.0
Master of Science in Internet Technology, 2012
Concentration: Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
GPA: 3.9
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, 2009
Honors: magna cum laude
Research Interests
Primary: International Security, Cyber Conflict, Alliances, Middle and Minor Powers
Secondary: Religion and Politics, Civil Wars, Violence Against Religion
Methodologies: Qualitative Methods, Comparative Case Studies, Process Tracing, Elite Interviewing, Document Analysis, Typology Construction and Measurement, Medium-N Structured Comparison
Teaching Interests
Introduction to International Relations, American National Government, Comparative Politics, International Security, Cyber Conflict, US Foreign Policy
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Hermida, Yoan G. 2026. “The Quest for Cyber Power: The Evolution of China’s Cyber Strategy.” Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs 13 (2): 139–160. [DOI]
Hermida, Yoan G. Forthcoming. “Beyond Deterrence: The Case for Persistent Cyber Power Maximization.” Journal of Strategic Security.
Schnaufer, Tad, II, and Yoan G. Hermida. Forthcoming. “Shaping the Narrative: The Longevity of Allied Participation in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.” International Politics.
Policy Papers
Schnaufer, Tad, II, and Yoan G. Hermida. 2025. “Keeping Allies in the Fight: Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.” GNSI Decision Briefs, no. 15. [DOI]
Manuscripts in Progress
Hermida, Yoan G. “Measuring Cyber Strategic Posture Below the Great Power Tier.” In preparation.
Mantilla, Luis Felipe, and Yoan G. Hermida. “State Violence Against Religious Leaders During Civil Wars: Evidence from Cold War Guatemala.” In preparation.
Conference Presentations
Mantilla, Luis Felipe, and Yoan G. Hermida. “State Violence Against Religious Leaders During Civil Wars: Evidence from Cold War Guatemala.” 2027 SPSA Annual Conference, Southern Political Science Association, St. Pete Beach, FL, Expected January 2027.
Hermida, Yoan G. “The Limits of Digital Ecosystem Dominance in Intelligence Distribution.” 2026 FPSA Annual Conference, Florida Political Science Association, Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, FL, April 2026.
Hermida, Yoan G. “The Quest for Cyber Hegemony: How China’s Cyber Posture Converged with Its Grand Strategy.” 2025 FPSA Annual Conference, Florida Political Science Association, University of South Florida, Saint Petersburg, FL, March 2025.
Hermida, Yoan G. “China’s Bid for Cyber Hegemony, Lessons from Ukraine, and the Future of Cyber Conflict.” GNSI Tampa Summit 5, Global and National Security Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, March 2025.
Invited Panels and Competitions
Strategist, University of South Florida Graduate Strategy Team, US Army War College Strategy Competition, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, PA, April 2026.
Panelist, AI in Cybersecurity Operations, FSP Cyber Frontier Summit, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, April 2025.
Panelist, Next Generation: Perspectives on the Future, YPO Florida Gold 2024 Security Summit, MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL, February 2024.
Teaching
Instructor of Record (Expected Spring 2027)
Introduction to International Relations
Graduate Teaching Associate (2025-2026)
Empirical Political Analysis
Politics of Eastern Europe
Graduate Teaching Assistant (2024-2025)
Empirical Political Analysis
Environmental Political Theory
Politics of the Middle East
Politics of Modern Iran
Service
Presenter, “USF Graduate Programs Information Session”, 7th Annual Undergraduate Humanities Conference, University of South Florida, January 2026.
Interviewer, “War in the Smartphone Age,” GNSI Video Series, Global and National Security Institute, University of South Florida, April 2025.
Media
Interviewee, At the Boundary Podcast, Global and National Security Institute, “Breaking Into National Security: USF, AI, and the Path to National Security Careers”, April 2026.
Interviewee, At the Boundary Podcast, Global and National Security Institute, “Why Shifting Focus from Europe to China Could Backfire on the US”, March 2025.
Affiliations
American Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association
Professional Development
Online Instructor Certification, Digital Learning and Innovative Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, October 2026.
Summer Course in Portuguese as a Foreign Language, Level A2, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, July 2025.
Skills
Technical: R, Python, SQL, JSON, HTML, LATEX, Excel (Advanced Data Analysis), Zotero
Languages: Spanish (Native C2), Portuguese (Professional B1), French (Limited A2)
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