In celebration of the 250th year of the United States of America, Justin Tucker and Eric Mao are set to square off in a debate over democracy, moderated by Dr. Hermioni Zouridis.
Resolution:
Liberal democracy is the best form of governance for freedom, prosperity and general well-being.
Justin defends the resolution; Eric opposes it.
Justin Tucker
Justin Tucker is a movie buff and Libertarian activist living in Chicago. He is Ward Committeeperson, 1st Ward, Chicago, the organizer of Blue Line Libertarians, and The Libertarian Party of Chicago.
Eric Mao
A fintech professional-turned geopolitics analyst specializing in China, Eric founded and is a Partner at The Geopolitical Forum. He writes on Substack under @ericshepherdmao and has a presence on X as @ShepherdMao. His first book, Diversity the Modern Fetish and Equality in the Guise of Ideal, published in 2018, will not be his only. The paradox, "the East and West are not comparable; yet contrasting is essential to an understanding," can be attributed to Eric.
Hermioni Zouridis
A Partner at The Geopolitical Forum, Hermioni is a data scientist with a passion for uncovering insights through data to drive real-world impact. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and has a strong background in oncology research, where she used high-throughput biological data to discover novel cancer subtypes.
Her industry experience includes leading data and AI solutions at AstraZeneca, where she partnered with tech startups to solve complex pharmaceutical challenges. She now specializes in data visualization, bioinformatics, and using real-world datasets—such as Airbnb data—to support strategic investment decisions.
In addition to her technical work, Dr. Zouridis serves as Director of a nonprofit dedicated to helping college women successfully transition into STEM careers. As a curious newbie to geopolitics, she is interested in how to use data to cut through headlines, uncover deeper patterns, and bring clarity to complex global dynamics.
To attend via Zoom
Zoom information is forthcoming
