Phillip Baumgart is a second-year MSFS candidate with broad interests in diplomacy, development, and governance. His coursework focuses on US-China policy, cross-Strait relations, and geopolitics of South Asia. While at MSFS, he interned at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and at the State Department’s Office of Policy for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy. He is a recipient of a Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for Mandarin and served as co-President of Georgetown Anti-Poverty Society (GAPS), an international development student society.

Originally from Colorado, Phillip received his B.A. in English Literature (with Psychology minor) from Columbia University. After several years in the editorial division of a major New York publishing company, Phillip taught American politics and English literature at universities and colleges in China, Kyrgyzstan, and Sri Lanka via Princeton in Asia and US Fulbright. Prior to coming to Georgetown, he completed a 6-month intensive Chinese program at National Taiwan University.

Phillip is an award-winning photographer who has collaborated with various NGOs, charities, and arts organizations around the world on projects ranging from documenting sex workers in China to shooting portraits on behalf of an elder-support initiative in Kyrgyzstan. His travel photography has appeared in Lonely Planet Magazine and China Daily.

Publications

2020 Mid-Year Analysis: Sri Lanka
Atlantic Council
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/commentary/feature/south-asia-midyear-pause-taking-stock-of-2020/#SriLankamidyear

Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections will shape its political future—likely for the worse
Atlantic Council
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/sri-lankas-parliamentary-elections-will-shape-its-political-future-likely-for-the-worse/

India’s hijras find themselves further marginalized amid the pandemic
Atlantic Council
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/indias-hijras-find-themselves-further-marginalized-amid-the-pandemic/

Photography Website
https://www.philbaum.com/