Shanzhi Thia
Shanzhi Thia is a Submarine Officer in the Republic of Singapore Navy with over 14 years of dedicated service. He is a dual-qualified submarine officer and surface warfare officer, having held substantive appointments as Operations Officer on a Challenger-class submarine and as Executive Officer on two Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessels. Throughout his career, he has led teams and crews to hone operational capabilities and trained sailors to meet high standards in operations. Notably, he was the Top Graduate for the 55th Naval Warfare Officers Course, specializing in surface warfare competencies.
Born and raised in Singapore, Shanzhi has a strong interest in international security issues, particularly how nations and armed forces are adapting to meet the present and future challenges of non-conventional security threats, both globally and in the Asia-Pacific. He is also interested in the interplay of law and policy in the Asia-Pacific maritime arena, and broader issues of maritime security.
Shanzhi has extensive international experience, including graduating from the Federal German Navy's submarine officer course and qualifying on the Type 212A submarine. In addition to his operational roles, he held a staff appointment in Naval Operations, working closely with the Singapore Ministry of Defence and other government agencies as the RSN representative to safeguard Singapore's interests.
Academically, Shanzhi holds a Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, graduating with Highest Distinction and earning the prestigious Admiral Arleigh A. Burke Award for Academic Excellence by an International Officer, as well as the Naval Submarine League Award. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Tufts University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at Tufts, he participated in the 2012-2013 EPIIC "Global Health and Security" Colloquium. The themes and takeaways from that year prepared him somewhat in navigating the present-day COVID-19 reality. He was also actively involved in EPIIC, Tufts ALLIES Chapter, Blackout Step Team, and the Tufts Singapore Students' Association. His earlier education was completed at Raffles Institution, where he served on the Prefectorial Board and the 29th Students' Council.
Shanzhi is also a published author, with his essay "Promises and Pitfalls: Prospects for Submarine Rescue Cooperation between the United States, and Russia and China, in the Indo-Pacific" featured in The Submarine Review (December 2024). This essay earned him the 2024 Naval Submarine League Submarine Warfare Essay Award for the best essay or technical paper on a subject related to submarine warfare at the U.S. Naval War College.
His exemplary achievements have been recognized with the prestigious Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship, issued by the Public Service Commission of Singapore.