(Jason Abbott)

As a lecturer in International Politics and International Political Economy (South-East Asia) Jason is passionate about current affairs. We asked him what is currently exciting him in the world of politics.

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, the election of Barack Obama as president of the US is the most exciting event in politics at the moment. I'm interested to see whether the US adopts a different stance in terms of China , Japan and issues of democratisation in the region."

What does he get up to when he's not teaching? "I do a lot of media work as a spokesperson on South-East Asian politics. I did a lot of work in November 2007 when the events in Burma thrust themselves onto the international stage. Over the course of seven weeks I probably did more interviews than I have in my entire career."

When asked about his inspirations he goes back to his own university days. "I was very encouraged by my supervisor when I began my postgraduate studies. He gave me a great opportunity by allowing me to co-author a book he was writing."

What's his advice for new students? "In the current climate the additional skills and additional factors we offer at Surrey are more important than ever in differentiating our students."

Go, The magazine for Surrey applicants, Spring 2009