Rebecca (Bec) Strating is the Director of La Trobe Asia and a Professor of Politics and International Relations at La Trobe University. Her research focuses on maritime disputes in Asia and Australian foreign and defence policy. She has written and contributed to multiple journal articles and books, and was awarded the prestigious Boyer Prize in 2018. Bec is the program lead for the DFAT-funded “Blue Security” network focused on maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific.