Andrea commenced her PhD study at the National Security College in January 2015. She is a Political expert having dealt with five different electoral cycles during United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) 2007 and 2012 elections, and United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) 2010 elections. She was also involved in the development of a Timorese NGO in the area of government staff education during 2008-2009. As part of her international work she has travelled widely and visited many of the world’s hot spots, including Uganda, Lebanon, Syria, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. She was an Executive Advisor to Mexican Ambassador in Australia, having demonstrated expertise in Political, Economic and Cultural affairs. Her research expertise comes from a deep knowledge of Timor-Leste and the Pacific Region through the Australian National University (ANU) - National Security College Doctoral program 2015-2018; her previous research experience was the Mexican Autonomous National University (UNAM) Honours degree where she presented a 40000 word thesis. Her Honours’s thesis was nominated for best thesis year 2006.

Andrea’s main research interests include: Australia’s strategic relation with Timor-Leste; UN peacekeeping missions; democratic processes in South East Asia and the Portuguese colonial system in South East Asia. Thesis topic Her thesis work at the NSC is Australia’s strategic relation with Timor-Leste. Her focus is on the compilation of primary source materials from Australian, British, American and Portuguese Archives.