About Us
The Security and Sustainability Guide
Michael Marien
Senior Principal (LaFayette NY)

David Harries
Principal (Kingston, Ont.)
Earned a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of London. He served in the Canadian military for several decades, was Director of Curriculum Planning and Deputy Commandant at the National Defence College of Canada, and has directed a MA program at the Royal Military College. Fellow of World Academy of Art and Science and recent Chair of Canadian Pugwash.

Michael Sales
Principal (Newburyport MA)
Co-founder of Art of the Future consultants for uncertain times, co-creator of the Structural Dynamics Strategic Leadership Development Process, and co-author of Life-Sustaining Organizations. He served as co-chair of the Society for Organizational Learning, North America. Received an Ed.D. from Harvard University for research in the field of Organizational Theory and Intervention Practice.

Friedrich Hirler
Managing Editor (Leipzig, Germany)
Holds an MA in international relations and peace and conflict research. He traveled about 50 countries mostly by thumb and struggles to merge the conflicting tendencies of this world and its people into a wholesome picture. He is deeply interested in world futures, global issues, and interdisciplinary analysis. Worked until recently at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission.

Cyrine Azaiez
Social Media Manager and Staff Writer (Tunisia)
A former English teacher turned full-time freelancer to discover and unlock her full potential. She is interested in the SDG’s and the UN-system in general and aims to extend her knowledge of the international political landscape.

Iman Bint Abdul Wajid
Research Associate and Editor (Lahore, Pakistan)
Holds a BSc in Politics and International Relations. She aims to extend her knowledge of the international system and has a deep interest in the intersection of politics and economics.

Lorenzo E. Rodríguez V.
Research Associate and Editor (Venezuela/Turkey)
Political scientist recently graduated with honors from the University of Carabobo. As of Fall 2021, he is studying for a Master’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ankara as a Türkiye Scholarships holder.
Member of the State Alumni network as a beneficiary from the GlobalUGRAD exchange program. He worked as a public speaking facilitator in a capacity-building program in local communities in Valencia, Venezuela. Besides, he worked as an advisor in developing an integrated academic proposal for the study of ethics and sustainability.

Marta Nescovic
Research Associate and Writer (Belgrade, Serbia)
Holds a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Belgrade. She is a Researcher at the Institute for Political Studies in Belgrade, and a WAAS Junior Fellow.

Amrinder Singh
Web Developer and Designer (India)
Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering and a master in WordPress development with over 8 years of development experience. A TOP RATED PLUS freelancer on Upwork.
Partners

World Academy for Art and Science
The SSG is a project of WAAS.
The Academy serves as a forum for reflective scientists, artists, and scholars dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges confronting humanity today independent of political boundaries or limits, whether spiritual or physical — a forum where these problems can be discussed objectively, scientifically, globally, and free from vested interests or regional attachments to arrive at solutions that affirm universal human rights and serve the common good of all humanity. WAAS is founded on faith in the power of original and creative ideas — Real Ideas with effective power — to change the world.

Global Goals Directory
A start-up initiative focuses on accelerating the progress of “the UN Sustainable Development Goals by supporting and facilitating collaboration and partnerships between non-profit organizations, private companies, think tanks, universities, and governments.”
They are engaged in mapping the landscape of SDG-focused organizations in Germany. The mapping along these global goals is partially done through automated tools like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and web scraping.

UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
SDSN seeks to mobilize scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector in support of sustainable development problem-solving at local, national, and global scales. SDSN is building a network of universities, research centers, and other knowledge institutions. The over 1,400 members are organized around national or regional SDSNs to promote Solutions Initiatives, develop educational materials, and work towards the Agenda 2030.
Friends of the Guide

Prof. Thomas Reuters
Advisor (Germany)
Thomas Reuter has supported us with insights, ideas, and good advice especially on our ongoing search for funding.
He is Board and Executive member of the World Academy of Arts and Science (WAAS) and Professorial Fellow at the Asia Institute of the University of Melbourne.

Garry Jacobs
Advisor (US/India)
Garry Jacobs is President and Chief Executive Officer of the WAAS; Chairman of the Board & CEO of World University Consortium; Managing Editor of Cadmus Journal; President of The Mother’s Service Society (MSS), a social science research institute in Pondicherry, South India; and Distinguished Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Person-Centered Approach Institute, Italy.

Dama Awadallah
Graphic Designer (A modern day Nomad from LA)
A medical doctor turned world-traveling artist and craftswoman.
Dama has supported us with graphic design.