Thea is a researcher in international law at the Asser Institute within the research strand ‘Regulation in the public interest: disruptive technologies in peace and security’. Thea’s research focuses on international arms control agreements and their compliance. Her research interests include international arms control law, maritime security, and transnational criminal law.
Thea is currently completing her doctoral thesis at the law department of Leiden University. Her doctoral research investigates the role of accidental and strategic textual ambiguity in the progressive development and codification of legal rules in the field of State criminal jurisdiction. From a public international law perspective, the thesis examines two subsequent uses of ambiguity in multilateral treaties addressing serious crimes. Firstly, to promote accountability for extraterritorial ‘atrocity’ crimes, and secondly, to expand extraterritorial enforcement powers at sea.
Prior to joining the Asser Institute, Thea worked for five years at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University. During her candidature, Thea taught bachelor and master level courses in public international law and supervised master theses. Thea holds an LL.M from Maastricht University in Globalisation and Laws (cum laude). She is also a qualified Australian lawyer.
