Ryan Barnes is a Senior International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Previously, Ryan held the following positions: Global Research Analyst at Risk Metrics Group, Director of European Affairs at the Eurasia Center, Trade and Industry Analyst at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and Research Assistant at the Center for Defense Information in Brussels, Belgium. Ryan is an avid writer; his articles have appeared in publications such as European Affairs, International Affairs Forum, Central Europe Digest, and Swords and Ploughshares. He is also a keen observer of Spanish politics and nationalism, having studied in Pamplona, Spain and written his M.A. thesis on Basque and Catalan nationalism. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Ohio University and a M.A. in International Affairs/European Studies from American University.