Patrik Meyer has eclectic personal, academic and professional backgrounds. He earned his PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge working with Chinese scholars to provide better understanding of the conflicts in Xinjiang that fuel tensions between the Uyghurs and the Chinese government. He has conducted extensive research on the Uyghur issue and is one of a few western scholars that can visit Xinjiang to conduct research. He also holds an MPA from Harvard University, a MS in Structural Engineering from MIT, and a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he is a PhD student in neuroscience at the University of Zurich and a professor at Halic University in Istanbul.