Cian FitzGerald is a Senior Researcher specialising in Defence and Security, as well as Foreign Policy analysis. His research interests include geostrategic competition with a specific focus on irregular and hybrid warfare. Additionally, he works on developments in EU Common Security and Defence Policy (EU CSDP), and matters pertaining to Ireland's national security. 

In 2023, Cian appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence to provide evidence on Russian cyber and hybrid warfare operations and how they threaten critical national infrastructure. His research has featured in both Irish national and international media including Al-Jazeera, RTE, the Irish Examiner, and the Irish Times.

Prior to joining the Institute, Cian completed an MSc in International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic at the University of Edinburgh.