Mark James Wood is a Masters Degree Candidate at Columbia University focusing on International Security. He holds bachelors degrees from the University of Pretoria and Seaton Hall University. Mark has done extensive research on Peace and Security efforts in Africa and the Middle East focusing on the causes of violence and the role religion plays in peace efforts. He has also done research on drug procurement in Sierra Leone. Whilst at Seaton Hall University Mark was an Advocacy Assistant at Caritas Internationalis. He was a United Nations Youth Representative in 2019.