Thomas Bender

Thomas Bender is a first-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) candidate and a member of the 2024-26 cohort at the School of International and Public Affairs. He is concentrating in Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy and specializing in Leadership, Innovation, and Design.

Previously Thomas worked for the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative and the University of Pennsylvania’s Cultural Heritage Center. At these organizations he worked in cultural heritage preservation in conflict and disaster settings as a research and satellite specialist. Thomas’s work has focused on practical real-time preservation work, as well as war crime documentation in active conflict areas. Thomas’s work has been presented at national and international conferences. Apart from his work in heritage preservation, he also has experience in field archaeology. 

Thomas earned his MA (honours) in Ancient History and Archaeology from the University of St Andrews. In his free time, Thomas enjoys learning languages, scuba diving, traveling, and is a level 1 WSET sommelier.