Meet our graduates: Imogen Fraser – securing her future in national security
Imogen Fraser has always found international affairs and national security engaging. Growing up in Queensland, she developed an interest in observing global elections and understanding their implications for governance and diplomacy. Eventually, this led her to pursue an undergraduate degree in international security studies at ANU, a learning environment she found “overwhelmingly positive”.
Choosing to study a higher degree at ANU was a natural extension of Imogen’s undergraduate experience, but she says she was also drawn towards the Crawford School of Public Policy because of its “unparalleled opportunities for exposure to national security policymaking” through partner institution the National Security College (NSC), which she has long admired “for its unique position as a partnership between the Commonwealth Government and ANU”.
“The NSC’s commitment to advancing female representation in the national security sphere was another deciding factor”, she says. Imogen was lucky enough to experience this personally when she was awarded a National Intelligence Community and National Security College Scholarship for Women. She says winning this scholarship not only facilitated her academic journey, but solidified her choice to study a Master of National Security Policy degree at the Crawford School.
Imogen says she is particularly interested in “the interconnected areas of national resilience, defence, wargaming, strategy, and conflict preparedness in Australia and the Asia Pacific”. She believes that these areas are critical for ensuring stability and security, especially in an era marked by rising geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, pandemics, and climate change.
Imogen found the Crawford School’s combination of intellectually rigorous coursework, engaging peers, and supportive faculty truly transformative.
“The diversity of perspectives within my cohort enriched my understanding of global and domestic policy challenges, while the faculty’s expertise and accessibility were invaluable in refining my analytical and critical-thinking skills”, she explains.
Hands-on learning via simulations and policy exercises gave her the opportunity to translate theoretical knowledge into practical insights, and she describes Crawford’s emphasis on fostering connections with practitioners as being “instrumental in shaping my professional aspirations”.
Crawford’s pedagogical approach of examining global issues through a local lens also helped shape Imogen’s perspectives on the topics she studied.
“Local policies often serve as microcosms of larger issues, from resource management to community resilience, offering valuable insights into the interconnectedness of governance at all levels”, she explains.
“This perspective has shaped my belief that Australia and its regional partners must prioritise regional self-sufficiency, resilience, and crisis preparedness. By fostering collaborative frameworks and addressing shared challenges—such as climate adaptation, cyber threats, and economic diversification—we can reduce reliance on external powers and build a more robust and interconnected region”.
“As I advance in my career, this local-to-global perspective will guide my approach to developing policies that bridge immediate community needs with broader strategic objectives”, she says.
For Imogen, the most memorable aspect of her time at Crawford has been “the exposure to industry professionals and thought leaders through guest lectures in the core master’s courses, ‘National Security Policymaking’ and ‘National Security Concepts and Methods’”.
Imogen explains further: “hearing directly from leading practitioners and academics, whose work I have long admired, was both inspiring and illuminating. These sessions offered invaluable insights into the practicalities of policymaking and the challenges faced by decision-makers in a rapidly evolving security landscape”.
She says that “the opportunity to engage with these experts and learn from their experiences has left a lasting impact on my academic and professional trajectory”, emphasising that, for students who, like her, are passionate about making an impact in the national security policy space, this is an experience that is unparalleled elsewhere.
On the back of her academic studies at the Crawford School, she’s now working as a wargaming analyst in the defence and national security sector.
Imogen’s academic journey at the Crawford School of Public Policy has transformed her understanding of national security and shaped her aspirations to foster regional resilience and strategic preparedness. Looking to the future, Imogen plans to advance her career further in the national security and defence community by refining her strategic and policy writing skills so she can contribute to the security studies discourse with academic publications and policy analysis.
What is Imogen’s advice for potential students considering applying for the Master of National Security Policy program at the Crawford School? Simple: “back yourself and apply”, she recommends. “Pursue your passions and make a difference”.