Kamal Aubakirov is a graduate candidate in the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program at Georgetown University, pursuing a concentration in science, technology, and international relations with a focus on energy security. Native of Almaty, Kazakhstan, he graduated from Kenyon College, where he studied economics. He was a captain of the U-18 Kazakhstan national basketball team and Kenyon’s varsity team, becoming NCAA’s first ethnically Kazakh player. His prior athletic experience has led him to co-found an educational nonprofit, 360 Mentors, that provides comprehensive support to high school students in Kazakhstan through education, athletic access, and active civic engagement through broader extracurricular outreach. Among many established programs, 360 Mentors have also partnered with FHI 360 and received funding from the US Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. He has also worked at Ernst & Young and KTMC Mining Company.

While at Georgetown, Kamal will also pursue a certificate in Global Human Development as he hopes to transition to the multilateral/private energy security and development sector, focusing on the Eurasia region.