Fernando received his PhD from the Department of Political Science at Purdue University. He studies social movements and social policy. His research centers on how social movements sustain mobilization and enhance their political influence. Tormos hopes to bridge gaps between scholarly policy analysis and on the ground policymaking, and to strengthen the Confluence SSN chapter by helping scholars disseminate their findings in clear, plain language. Originally from Puerto Rico, Tormos has done fieldwork in Latin America, the United States, and Europe. He will be based at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. This article was written in collaboration with the Scholar Strategy Network.