Maria Ortuoste Faculty Profile

Maria  Ortuoste

Professor of Political Science

Department of Political Science

Dr. Ortuoste is an expert on Southeast Asia and Indo/Asia-Pacific security, Philippine and U.S. foreign policy, international law and maritime security, military alliances and security multilateralism. She has more than twenty years of research experience in academic and policy settings.  She is also included in the UCLA list of Southeast Asia in California (Southeast Asia experts). 

Dr. Ortuoste teaches courses on international relations and comparative politics such as Comparative Politics of Asian Governments, International Law, International Security in the 21st Century, the UN in World Community, among others. She is also the advisor to the university's Model UN Club.  

Dr. Ortuoste's publications in 2024 are:

  • "Cascading risks in a social-ecological system: The South China Sea disputes," Third World Quarterly
  • "Terrorists threats to security," co-authored, Asian Security in the Age of Globalization
  • "The Philippines and the South China Sea," co-authored, The South China Sea: Contemporary Security Dynamics Part III - Contemporary National Interests, Objectives and Strategies

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Ortuoste served eight years in the Philippine Foreign Service Institute’s Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS). As a senior research analyst and, later, head of the Center, Dr. Ortuoste directed their research program which covered all aspects of Philippine foreign policy. She also regularly participated in interagency policy meetings on various topics such as the South China Sea, ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum, UN peacekeeping, and also represented the Center in track-two and track one-and-a-half forums which included CSCAP and ASEAN-ISIS. She earned her doctorate from Arizona State University.  

Fellowships:

  • Fall 2022.  Vising scholar, Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu
  • AY 2021-2022.  Faculty fellow, Diversity and Inclusivity Student Center, CSUEB
  • AY 2021-2022.  CSUEB representative to the Global Civic Literacy Project, AASCU
  • Summer 2021.  Fellow, Faculty Leaders' Program, Pardee-RAND Graduate School
  • 2006. Fellow, summer program of Women in International Security, Georgetown University
  • Winter 2006.  Fellow, Institute for Qualitative Research Methods, Arizona State University
  • 1999.  Fellow, Security Studies Execuitive course, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu
  • 1998.  Fellow, Advanced International Program in Conflict Resolution, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Dr. Ortuoste is originally from the Philippines and received her M.A. International Studies and B.A. Journalism degrees from the University of the Philippines.