Sophia Besch is a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. She works on European defence issues, with a focus on EU Common Defence and Security Policy, European defence industry co-operation, NATO and German foreign and defence policy. Sophia also hosts the CER podcast.  Prior to joining the CER, Sophia was a Carlo Schmid Fellow at the Policy Planning Unit at NATO HQ and worked as a researcher for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. She is a Steering Committee member of Women in International Security (WIIS) UK. Sophia holds degrees in International Security and International Relations from Sciences Po Paris and the London School of Economics.