Dina Abdalla Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Dina Abdalla is a fourth year undergraduate student at DePaul University majoring in International Studies with a concentration in Middle East Policy and Economic Development and a minor in Geography. This summer at CPOST she will be working on the Minerva Martyr project which collects and analyzes videos from militant groups. She speaks Arabic and is currently learning Turkish.

Christian Crews Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Christian is a research assistant at CPOST and a Master’s student at the University of Chicago. He studies International Relations, specializing in International Security and Civil Conflict. As a CPOST researcher, Christian examines militant use of propaganda, focusing particularly on ISIS media campaigns.

Elyse Hain Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Elyse Hain is a research assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at Tufts University in Boston. She will be entering her third year in the fall of 2016, pursuing a B.A. in Economics and Political Science with a regional concentration in Eastern Europe. Elyse joined CPOST in the summer of 2016, where she works with the Propaganda team to develop reports on the media and propaganda used by ISIS. Outside of CPOST, Elyse is involved in Tufts Democrats, Tufts Financial Group, and the Intramural Tennis Society at Tufts. She expects to graduate in the spring of 2018.

Piper Mik Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Piper Mik is a research assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago.  She is a rising second year who joined CPOST in Summer 2016.  Piper works on the Minerva Initiative Indictment Team, helping to produce a report on the demographics of ISIS inductees in the US.  Outside of CPOST, Piper is on the Varsity Women’s Soccer Team and a member of Delta Gamma.  She plans to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2019.

Abdurrahman Muhammad Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Abdurrahman Muhammad was a research associate at CPOST and undergraduate at the University of Chicago. Since joining CPOST in the summer of 2015, he helped maintain the Suicide Attack Database and contributed to a case study of the battle methodology of suicide attacks in Ramadi, Iraq. Abdurrahman graduated from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2017. 

Guy Talmor Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Guy Talmor is a research assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. Guy is studying Political Science with a focus in International Relations and expects to graduate in the spring of 2018. Guy joined CPOST in the summer of 2016 and is currently working on the Minerva Martyr Project, studying ISIS media and propaganda. Guy is originally from Israel and speaks 3 languages (English, Hebrew, Spanish).

Sarah Star Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Minerva Initiative

Sarah Starr is a research/data assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at The University of Chicago studying mathematics and political science. As part of CPOST’s data team, Sarah works on updating the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. She is interested in tracking suicide attacks targeting military forward operating bases in combat areas. Outside of CPOST, Sarah serves in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Platoon Leader and Public Affairs Officer. Sarah expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in spring 2017.

Tom Wood Undergraduate Researcher - Office of Naval Research Grant

Tom Wood is a research /data assistant at CPOST and a third year undergraduate at the University of Chicago. He is pursuing a Political Science major and Human Rights minor in the college. He joined CPOST in the spring of 2015 and helps maintain the Suicide Attack Database. Outside of CPOST Tom is the World Editor and an Editorial Board member of the undergraduate political review. He expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2016.

Jesse Claflin Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Jesse Claflin is a data assistant at CPOST and a third year undergraduate at the University of Chicago. She is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. Jesse joined CPOST in the fall of 2016 as a member of the data team and helps update the Suicide Attack Database. She expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2018.

Stephanie Emerson Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Stephanie Emerson is a research / data assistant at CPOST and a student at the University of Chicago. She is participating in a joint B.A./M.A. program which will allow her to earn both a B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in International Relations in 2017. Stephanie is interested in international security issues and has worked at the State Department and International Center for Terrorism Studies in the past. On campus, she also serves as the president of the URock Climbing Club.

Jaiveer Mariwala Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Jaiveer Mariwala is a research/data assistant at CPOST, and a graduate of the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, Jaiveer pursued a BA in political science and a minor in Germanic studies. He is also an international student from Mumbai, India. He joined CPOST in the summer of 2016 as a member of CPOST’s data team, and helps verify and update the Suicide Attack Database.

Zachary Montgomery Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Zachary Montgomery is a research assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at Indiana University (IU), where he is pursuing a B.S. in Policy Analysis with a certificate in applied research. He joined CPOST in the summer of 2016 as a member of CPOST’s data team, and helps update the Suicide Attack Database. His policy interests are in international security and geopolitics, particularly international migration. At IU, he is involved with Model United Nations, for which he serves as IUMUN’s Under-Secretary General of Crisis. He expects to graduate in 2017.

Hadiya Hewitt Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Since joining CPOST in Fall 2016, Hadiya Hewitt works as a research and data intern and updates the Suicide Attack Database. She is a third year majoring in Political Science, and is interested in the interaction between intelligence and foreign diplomacy. She intends to graduate in Spring 2018.

Ariana Iranpour Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Ariana Iranpour is a Data Intern and second year undergraduate studying Political Science at the University of Chicago. She joined CPOST in the fall of 2015 and helps to update the Suicide Attack Database. She hopes to graduate in the spring of 2018.

Charles Scherer Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Charles is a research assistant at CPOST and a graduate from the University of Chicago with a degree in Public Policy. Since joining CPOST during the summer of 2016, he has worked to contribute to and maintain the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. Charles primarily works to research reported suicide attacks and certify their veracity.

Felicia Woron Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Felicia was a data and research assistant at CPOST and graduated from the University of Chicago with a major in Political Science and Spanish in the spring of 2017. Since joining CPOST in January of 2016, she was a part of the ONR research team and helped maintain the Suicide Attack Database. In addition to CPOST, Felicia was the Marketing Manager and a writer for The Gate, UChicago’s undergraduate political review. 

Michael Matlaga Undergraduate Researcher - Minerva Initiative

Michael is a research assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, Michael is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy with a specialization in International Security Policy. Since joining CPOST as an intern in the spring of 2015, he has contributed to the CPOST Suicide Attack Database and an Early Warning Model for spectacular suicide attacks. Currently, Michael is working as a research assistant on the Minerva Initiative, which seeks to develop an understanding of how extremist organizations construct cultures of martyrdom. As a research assistant, he helps organize assignments as well as conducting qualitative research himself.  Michael specializes in the “Iraqi Rebels vs. U.S. and Allies” and “Palestinian Resistance vs. Israel” campaigns. He expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2016.

Oliver Fornell Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Minerva Initiative

Oliver Fornell is a research/ data assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago.  As an undergraduate, Oliver is pursuing a BA in Public Policy Studies with a concentration in International Security and is a member of Off Off Campus Improv and Sketch Comedy Troupe.  As a member of the Data Team at CPOST, Oliver is working on updating and verifying data in the CPOST Suicide Attack Database, focusing on suicide attacks in Iraq during the US occupation between 2003 and 2011.  He will graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2017.  

Jordan Ginsburg Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Minerva Initiative

Jordan is a research/data assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. She is double majoring in Political Science and Comparative Human Development and is also involved in Chicago Youth Philanthropy Group, the Programming Committee of Student Government and Delta Gamma. She is currently very excited to be looking closely at the Afghanistan Taliban campaign for the Minerva Project. She hopes to graduate in the Spring of 2017. 

Hayley Thompson Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Minerva Initiative

Hayley Thompson is an undergraduate research/data assistant at CPOST, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Islamic and Modern Middle Eastern Studies. Since joining CPOST in the summer of 2015, Hayley has updated and verified attack data for CPOST's Suicide Attack Database. Hayley has a working proficiency in Spanish and Arabic, and is beginning her studies in Russian. She is interested in international security and foreign policy, with a focus on US-Iran and US-Russia relations. Outside of CPOST, Hayley is a member of the Varsity Women's soccer team, and is also the Communications Intern at the University’s News Office

Kira Ke Undergraduate Researcher - Office of Naval Research Grant

Kira Ke is a research/data assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, Kira is pursuing a B.A. in Political Science. Since joining CPOST in her first year of studies in April 2015, she has been working with the data team on verifying and updating CPOST's Suicide Attack Database on attacks in Nigeria. She has also contributed to in-depth research on identifying Nigerian suicide bombers. Kira will graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2018.

Christina Peck Former CPOST Fellow

Christina Peck started as a research/data assistant at CPOST in the summer of 2014 working to update and verify the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. She completed her undergraduate degree with a BA in Political Science in the spring of 2015. As a CPOST Fellow, Christina continued her research project into the Islamic State's use of social media and how it contributes to their recruitment. She planed to complete a paper on the subject by early fall 2015.

Curtis Stone Former Fellow and Research Analyst

Curtis Stone was a Research Analyst and Fellow at CPOST. In addition to working on CPOST projects, he was using start-of-the-art spatial techniques to analyze the effect of drone strikes on militant violence in Pakistan. Curtis joined CPOST in 2014 as a Graduate Research Assistant and developed an online GIS for CPOST’s Suicide Attack Database. Prior to coming to the University, he was involved with translating the works of China’s Party and State leaders and important Central Government documents, including those of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Curtis earned his MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago in 2015. He also holds a BA in Political Science from Trinity College-Hartford, and studied Chinese at Nankai University.

Vincent Bauer Former Research Analyst, AB '13

Vincent Bauer was a full-time Research Analyst at CPOST and was currently conducting research and analysis in support of CPOST’s major ongoing study of the targeting strategies of militant groups. His responsibilities included research, writing, and data analysis using a variety of methods, including GIS, Stata, and R. Among his many projects at CPOST, Vincent had co-authored a research paper on quantitative methods for attributing responsibility to unclaimed violent events, developed database architecture for several datasets maintained by CPOST, and trained graduate and undergraduate research assistants in quantitative analysis. He served as a lead analyst for CPOST’s eighteen-month study into the targeting logics of militant groups (2012-13), where he managed data and analysis for the project’s case studies. Vincent has a BA in Political Science and Near Eastern Languages from the University of Chicago, is proficient in Arabic and Dutch, and has traveled widely in the Middle East.

McIntyre Skarzynski Former Undergraduate Research Associate

McIntyre “Mack” Skarzynski was a research associate at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. As an undergraduate, Mack was pursuing a Joint Degree BA/MA in International Relations, and also a separate BA in East Asian Languages and Civilizations. Since joining CPOST in 2012, he has contributed to a major two-year study of targeting behavior by militant groups. As part of that study, he co-authored a major research report on patterns of violence in Israel and Palestine. As a member of CPOST’s data team, Mack helped organize and participates in the updating and verification of the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. He graduated from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2015.

Chris Breen Former Undergraduate Research Associate

Christopher Breen was a student supervisor at CPOST at the University of Chicago majoring in Political Science and Slavic Languages and Literatures, with a focus on the Russian language and culture. Since joining CPOST in 2012, Chris had contributed to a major-two year study of targeting behavior by militant groups. As part of that study, he co-authored a major research report on patterns of violence in the North Caucasus. He has led a team in the creation of databases on US and coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to a database on collaborator killings in Pakistan as a response to drone strikes. His responsibilities included updating and verifying attack data for CPOST’s Suicide Attack Database. Chris graduated from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2016.

Micah Gard Undergraduate Research Associate

Micah Gard is a student supervisor at CPOST and an Undergraduate at the University of Chicago. As an Undergraduate, Micah is seeking a B.A. in both Political Science and Public Policy. Since joining CPOST in April 2014, he has led a team in the creation of two databases on U.S. and coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also a member of the data team, where his responsibilities include updating and verifying the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. Micah expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2016.

Johnny Lou Undergraduate Research Associate

Johnny Lou is a research associate at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, studying economics and political science. After joining CPOST in 2014, he helped develop new methods to improve the collection of suicide terror attack information and worked on two studies of collaborator killings in Pakistan and Yemen. Over the summer of 2015, he co-authored a research paper focusing on the strategic success of ISIS and the implications for US policy.

Andy Dutu Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Andreea Dutu is a Data Intern and fourth year undergraduate student at the University of Chicago. She is pursuing a Political Science major in the college and joined CPOST in the fall of 2015 where she helps maintain the Suicide Attack Database, with a specific focus on ISIS in Iraq. This past summer, Andreea worked as a Summer Associate for McGuireWoods Consulting, a government relations consulting firm in Bucharest, Romania. She expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2016.

Young -In Kim Undergraduate Research/Data Assistant - Suicide Attack Database

Young-In Kim is a Research/Data Assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. Young-In is pursuing a BA in Political Science and International Relations, and expects to graduate in the spring of 2017. She joined CPOST in the fall of 2015 as a member of CPOST’s data team, and helps verify and update the Suicide Attack Database.

Caroline Wegner Undergraduate Research Associate

Caroline Wegner is a research/data assistant at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. Caroline is studying Political Science and Anthropology and expects to graduate in the fall of 2016. Caroline joined CPOST in the spring of 2015, and is currently working on martyr mining with two other interns while she contributes to updating the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. She also helps organize and advertise some of CPOST’s events on the University’s campus, and has recently become the Director of Career Development for CPOST’s affiliated RSO, the Maroon Project on Security and Terrorism (MPOST).

Kelsey Grant Undergraduate Research Associate

Kelsey Grant was a research associate and student supervisor at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago.  She graduated with a major in International Studies with specialization in French and Arabic in the spring of 2017. Kelsey joined CPOST in the summer of 2015 as a member of CPOST's data team to work updating the Suicide Attack Database. She then went on to be one of the two leaders of the Video Team on CPOST's Minerva Initiative Project. 

Bryan Popoola Undergraduate Research Associate

Bryan Popoola was a student supervisor at CPOST and graduated with a degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Chicago spring of 2017. He joined CPOST in the summer of 2016 as a member of the data team, and helps update the Suicide Attack Database. Outside of CPOST, Bryan was also part of on-campus think-tank EUChicago and is currently learning Portuguese and French. He now works for Paul Staniland as his Senior Research Assistant.

Luke Morell Undergraduate Research Associate

Luke Morell was a student supervisor at the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism (CPOST). He majored in Political Science and History at the University of Chicago and graduated in the Spring of 2017. He started working at CPOST Summer of 2015 as a member of the Early Warning Project on the al-Qaeda in Iraq team, and then went on to work on the al-Shabaab in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya team for the Fall of 2015. Outside of school, Luke was also very active in his fraternity, and served as Social Chair for the Fall term.

Hamza Shad Undergraduate Research Associate

Hamza Shad was a student supervisor at CPOST. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Political Science and Economics spring of 2017. Fluent in Urdu and Hindi and proficient in Arabic, he focused on current affairs in South Asia and the Middle East. Since joining CPOST in 2015, he researched violence in Pakistan as part of the Early Warning Model project. Hamza was also the World News Editor for The Gate: Political Analysis & Opinions.

David Schneyer AB '11

David Schneyer joined CPOST in 2012. His primary responsibilities included major research and writing tasks with Dr. Pape, as well as overseeing media engagement projects, especially op-eds. In his time at CPOST, he coded entries for the Suicide Attack Database, assisted with the institute's rebranding effort, and co-authored an op-ed for the Boston Globe assessing the threat posed by Al Qaeda in Yemen. He has also contributed important research and editorial support to a working paper on the future of Sino-American relations, authored by Dr. Pape. David is a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he earned his BA in History and Political Science in 2011. He will enroll at the University of Pennsylvania Law School beginning in Fall 2014. 

Mashail Malik AM '13

Mohammad Abdeljalil AB '11

Mohammad worked with CPOST from 2008 to 2014. He began as an Arabic translator in his first year of undergraduate study in 2008. Among his many assignments at CPOST over the years, Mohammad has transcribed and translated videos produced by suicide terrorist groups, conducted research and analysis for the chapter on Israel-Palestine in Cutting the Fuse (2009), and co-authored a research paper on the grand strategy of off-shore balancing. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a BA in political science in 2011, Mohammad was promoted to research associate responsible for data analysis using a variety of methods, including GIS. He served as a lead analyst for CPOST’s eighteen-month study into the targeting logics of militant groups (2012-13), and authored a major research report on targeting by the Pakistani Taliban, including field research in the region.

Stephanie Kelley Predoctoral Fellow, AM '13

Stephanie Kelley is a PhD Candidate at the University of Chicago and a Predoctoral Fellow at CPOST.  She is also an active duty intelligence officer in the United States Air Force.  Her PhD dissertation examines why militaries obey or disobey orders to repress domestic contentious events.  She holds Masters degrees in International Relations (University of Chicago, 2013) and National Security Affairs (Naval Postgraduate School, 2004).  Prior to her doctoral studies Lt. Col. Kelley attended the Air Force's School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS) where she will return as faculty after completing her next operational assignment with United States Forces Korea.  She has also served with Air Force Special Operations Command, the Joint Staff, and the Defense Intelligence Agency's Joint Intelligence Task Force for Combating Terrorism.

Michael Sexton Research Associate and Data Manager, AB '13

Michael Sexton is Research Associate and Data Manager at CPOST. He is responsible for training the data team and coordinating data collection and verification for the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. Among his many assignments, he coordinated a major review of suicide attack data and updated CPOST’s collection methodology and categorization. Mike graduated in 2013 from the University of Chicago with a BA in Mathematics with a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. He is conversant Arabic and Persian, can read Russian and Hebrew, and has spent time in Israel and the West Bank.

Hanfeng Liu Graduate Research Associate, MPP '15

Hanfeng Liu is a Graduate Research Associate at CPOST and is working toward his Master's in Public Policy (M.P.P) at the University of Chicago's Harris School with a concentration on policy/data analytics. Since joining CPOST in early 2014, he has researched and authored a major report titled "U.S. Position and Prescription Summary on East Asian Crises (2013-2014)." In this report, he gathered and summarized public statements on East Asian security issues made by American policymakers in the past two years, revealing both their position on a given issue and their policy prescription. Hanfeng also helped to coordinate CPOST's Capitol Hill Conference in April 2014, including drafting working papers for use during the conference. Currently, Hanfeng is CPOST's leading translator of English documents into Chinese. Prior to CPOST, Hanfeng interned as a personal assistant for China’s Vice Minister of Culture in 2011. He also served on the editorial boards for the book 50 years of brotherhood, China-Tanzania Diplomacy sponsored by The Information Office of the State Council. Hanfeng is a winner of National Scholarship for Post-graduate Study Abroad by the China Scholarship Council. Hanfeng is originally from Beijing, and graduated from Wuhan University in 2013.

Mariya Grinberg Predoctoral Fellow and Graduate Research Associate, AM '13

Mariya Grinberg is Predoctoral Fellow and Graduate Research Associate at CPOST researching the relationship between civilian targeting and suicide terrorism. She is part of the team developing the theory of militant group targeting as a part of an ongoing study into terrorism and insurgent activity. On occasion, she translates Russian sources produced by Chechen militants. Mariya is pursuing a PhD in political science from the University of Chicago, and works on international relations theory focusing on international order formation. She holds an MA from the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations (2013) and a BA from the University of Southern California (2011).

David Benson Predoctoral Fellow

David Benson is a Predoctoral Fellow at CPOST and a PhD Candidate at the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to the University, he served in the US Army as a linguist and an infantry officer. He served a tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 in Salah-ad-Din province Iraq. Starting in 2007, he then worked as a counterterrorism and network analysis instructor for the US Department of Defense, with JIEDDO-COIC. He completed a Masters degree in June 2009, in International Relations. While at the University of Chicago, he has served as the Program Coordinator for the Program on International Politics, Economics and Security, the Assistant Director for the CPOST writer’s workshop and planner and coordinator for international conferences in Washington, DC and Beijing, China. His article “Why the Internet is not Increasing Terrorism” will be published in June in Security Studies, and he will defend his Dissertation this summer “The Internet Effect: How New Media Change’s Transnational Political Action in Securities Environments”

John Stevenson PhD '14

John Stevenson is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Chicago specializing in Comparative Politics and International Relations. At CPOST, his role mostly focuses on strategic intellectual and writing development as the founding and emeritus Assistant Director for the CPOST writer’s workshop. His research theorizes human rights and non-traditional security environments characterized by violent non-state actors, weak or non-existent state institutions, and diffused costs conflict initiation and duration from third-party involvement. John will complete his PhD in June 2014, before taking a postdoctoral position at the University of Maryland - College Park . His dissertation is entitled, “Capitol Gains: How Biased Military Intervention and the Elite Quest for International Recognition Causes Mass Killing in New States.” He recently published an opinion piece in Slate magazine to explain the human rights violations in South Sudan. He earned his B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College in 2005.

Sarah Morell Undergraduate Research Associate

Sarah Morell is a Research Associate at CPOST and an undergraduate at the University of Chicago. She is pursuing a Joint Degree B.A./M.A. in International Relations, alongside a B.A. in Political Science. Since joining CPOST in 2014, Sarah has contributed to research on a renewed U.S.-China hotline, presented at CPOST’s Capitol Hill conference on managing East Asian security crises. She is currently working with the research team on the intended and unintended consequences of humanitarian intervention. She will graduate from the University of Chicago in the spring of 2015. 

Vanessa Bernick AB '12

Vanessa Bernick worked with CPOST from 2008 to 2013. She began as an undergraduate research assistant in 2008 and, over the years, contributed to a number of CPOST’s research projects. After graduating with her BA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations with a concentration in Arabic from the University of Chicago in 2012, Vanessa assumed the dual role of full-time research associate and data manager as part of CPOST’s two-year study of the targeting behavior of militant groups. As research associate she was lead analyst and author of two major research studies, one on the Afghan Taliban, and the other on Al Qaida in Iraq. As data manager she was responsible for training the data team and coordinating data collection and verification for the CPOST Suicide Attack Database. She left CPOST in 2013 to begin a career as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Michael Rowley Former Research Director, ONR Project

Michael Rowley was the former director of research for the ONR Project and the former Executive Director at CPOST. Michael joined CPOST in May 2013 as a Graduate Research Associate to work as a lead analyst for CPOST’s eighteen-month study into the targeting logics of militant groups (2012-13). He co-authored a major research report on targeting by the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers (LTTE). Prior to joining CPOST, he worked as a researcher in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago, a law clerk at Durkin & Roberts, and as an intern at the Aspen Institute and New Partners, a political consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Michael holds an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University (2012) and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame (2010) with degrees in Political Science and Arabic.

Connor Ryan AB '13

Connor Ryan worked for CPOST from the summer of 2012 through the fall of 2013. He joined as an Undergraduate Research Associate, responsible verifying attacks and adding attacks into the database. He graduated in June of 2013 with a BA in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. The following summer, as a full-time Research Associate, he co-authored a case study on the targeting logic of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a major terrorist organization. The case study, part of larger CPOST report commissioned by the Pentagon, makes use of a wide array of qualitative methods. Connor left CPOST to begin an internship at the Cato Institute, where he researched foreign and defense policy. He now interns on Capitol Hill for Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY). In his spare time, he writes a blog for the Huffington Post. 

Elizabeth Jenkins Administrative Coordinator

Elizabeth Jenkins was the Administrative Coordinator at CPOST. Her primary responsibilities were to assist in the organization of conferences, media outreach, and overall office operations. Before joining CPOST she worked for Illinois State Representative Lisa Hernandez, 24th District, as a policy advisor and financial director from 2011 to 2014. During her time with the state representative she directed and executed numerous state and political events. Many of these events involved direct coordination with other organizations, including the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and MacNeal Hospital.  These major informational events addressed such issues as Illinois’ new driver’s license for undocumented residents, mortgage relief, and diabetes awareness. Elizabeth holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brigham Young University –Idaho (2009).

Ezra Schricker AB '10

Ezra Schricker worked for CPOST from 2008 to 2010. As Project Manager, Ezra oversaw several teams of Arabic translators, data collectors, and researchers working on terrorism-related projects. Ezra managed several major data collection and quality control efforts to improve CPOST’s global database of suicide attacks. Among his many projects at CPOST, Ezra was instrumental in compiling, editing, and subtitling 50 suicide martyr videos for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Ezra was also a major contributor to the Afghanistan and Pakistan chapters in Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It by Robert Pape and James Feldman (University of Chicago Press: October 2010). Ezra is currently a PhD candidate in Political Science at the Ohio State University specializing in International Relations.