Project Staff
Senior Staff
Aaron is a visiting scholar at Brandeis University and the Western Jihadism Project. He has a PhD from King's College, Department of War Studies and is a fellow at its associated International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence. He is the Richard Borow fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where his research focuses on Salafi dynamics in the Arab world. He independently maintains the widely cited website Jihadology.net.
Ian graduated from Brandeis International Business School in May 2024 with a Masters in International Economics and Finance (STEM-designated), as well as from Brandeis University in December 2022 with a BA in Economics and Political Science. He joined the lab as a research assistant in January 2022, and continued working as lab manager until graduation. Ian is currently a research technician and principal data analyst for the lab, responsible for advanced data analysis and visualization for lab publications. Ian’s interests in the project include the application of predictive machine learning modeling to the lab’s radicalization trajectory research, as well as developing ways to extend the project’s methodology to other extremist ideologies.
Current Staff
Mandy is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2025, pursuing a double major in politics and English. She started working as a research assistant for the Western Extremism Project in January 2022. She is currently a teaching assistant for the lab, training new RAs, alongside her research duties. She is interested in the politics surrounding national security in the United States. Outside of the lab, she is on the boards of several clubs, including Brandeis Democrats, the Brandeis Journal of Politics, and VoteDeis. She is also the director of TEDxBrandeisU, a Community Advisor, and a UDR for the Department of Politics.
Madeline is a Brandeis University student in the class of 2025 pursuing a double major in politics and international and global studies, and a minor in French and Francophone studies. She joined the lab in January 2023 to further her research interests surrounding different manifestations of violent extremism and radicalization trajectories, and she plans to work as an intelligence analyst in a D.C. agency post graduation. Alongside her research duties, Madeline helps to train new research assistants to work in the lab. Outside of the lab, she is on the board of several clubs including the Carceral Awareness, Reform, and Education (CARE) club, the Jewish Feminist Association of Brandeis (JFAB), and Manginah, Brandeis’ premier Jewish a cappella group. She also teaches a weekly religious school class.
Sophia Tuchinsky is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2025. She is an International and Global Studies major and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies minor. Sophia joined the lab in September 2023, assisting in open-source research. Post-graduation, Sophia plans to move to Israel where she will continue to study jihadist extremism, as well as the study of the Hebrew and Arabic languages. Outside of the lab, Sophia participates in the Brandeis Equestrian Club, Hillel, and the Carceral Awareness, Reform, and Education club.
Ada is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2025 pursuing a double major in Politics and International and Global Studies, as well as a double minor in Italian Studies and East Asian Studies. She started working as a research assistant for the Western Extremism Project in September 2023. Her academic interests include national security, political extremism, authoritarianism, nuclear proliferation, and agricultural policy. Outside of the lab Ada is the president of the Brandeis Club Cycling and Triathlon team, writer, editor and executive board member on the Brandeis Journal of Politics, editor and executive board member on the Brandies Journal of Law, and an Associate Justice on the Brandeis Student Union.
Jared is a student at Brandeis University, graduating in the class of 2026, pursuing a double major in Politics and Business Administration. Jared started working as a research assistant in the Fall of 2024 to further pursue his interests in terrorism research, specifically plots motivated by antisemitic ideologies. Outside of the lab, Jared is a consultant and recruiter for Tamid Consulting Group, a member of the club basketball team, and a Sunday school teacher at a local synagogue.
Jessica is a student at Brandeis University, graduating in the class of 2025, pursuing a triple major in Politics, History, and International Global Studies, with a minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies. Jessica joined the lab in the Fall of 2024 to further her political research interests in domestic radicalization and international security politics. Outside of the lab, Jessica is treasurer of the GirlUp Brandeis Chapter, dances on the KAOS Kids Dance team, and, during breaks, works at a Wills, Trusts, and Estates law firm.
Former Staff
Priyanka graduated with her MA from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management and now works for the U.S. Department of Defense. She worked for the Western Jihadism Project as a collaborator.
Rosanne started working at the Western Jihadism Project as lab manager in October 2014, rejoined in July 2019 and continued until August 2021. Her primary work at the WJP was with research on Jihadist radicalization in addition to analyzing data and coordinating with external collaborators. She currently works for the U.S. Department of Justice as a Data Analyst.
Joseph was a Posse Scholar at Brandeis University and graduated in 2022 with dual majors in politics and international global studies with a focus on the Middle East. He joined the Western Jihadism Project in fall 2019 as a research assistant and continued with the lab until graduation. While with the lab, he had various advanced responsibilities, including training new RAs. He’s interested in counter-radicalization policy and how governments deal with foreign fighters wishing to return to the West. Outside of the lab, Joseph loves watching basketball and being involved in student government. Joseph is currently attending Texas A&M University to pursue a master's in international affairs on the national security and diplomacy track.
Joel is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2024, majoring in History and International and Global Studies with minors in English, Politics, and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. He joined the lab in January 2022 because of his interest in how gender influences an individual's vulnerability to radicalization and its impact on extremist group recruitment strategies. While with the lab, he was a teaching assistant, training new RAs alongside his research duties. Currently, he conducts research for the Department of Defense and the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), analyzing national security threats. After graduating, Joel is eager to apply his background and fascination with these subjects toward a career in international relations.
Carter is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2024, majoring in Politics with minors in History and American Studies. He began working as a research assistant with the Western Extremism Project in the Spring of 2023, with a particular interest in the radicalization processes of domestic terrorists. Outside of the lab, Carter enjoys reading and playing basketball.
Rami is a student at Brandeis University in the class of 2026. He is majoring in International and Global Studies, with minors in Politics and Arabic Language, Literature, and Culture. He began working as an intern for the Western Extremism Project in January of 2023 and currently works as a research assistant. His academic and research interests lie in Middle Eastern politics, specifically focusing on popular movements and revolutions, Islamism, and authoritarianism. On campus, he is a member of the Brandeis Network of Arab Students. He hopes to receive a graduate degree and pursue a career in research and policy-making while studying in the Arab world.
Mae graduated from Brandeis University in 2022 with dual majors in psychology and politics and a minor in Hispanic studies. She joined the Western Jihadism Project staff as a research assistant in fall 019 and continued until graduation to explore the psychological patterns observed in radicalization trajectories. Outside of the lab, Mae was part of an Improv troupe at Brandeis and sang in Brandeis' all-female acapella group, Up The Octave
Eitan graduated from Brandeis University in 2022 with a double major in applied mathematics and computer science. He joined the Western Jihadism Project as a research assistant in spring 2021 and continued until graduation, with responsibilities including database management and bulk coding and transfer. On the side, he worked as an EMT for BEMCo. Eitan is planning to attend graduate school in computer science. He currently works as an analyst for BlackRock.
Betül Özturan is a PhD student at the Political Science Department at Brandeis University. Before coming to Brandeis, she earned an MA from University of Konstanz and Charles University in political science and international security studies. She holds a BA in political science from Bogazici University. She joined the Western Jihadism Project in fall 2021 as a research assistant. Her interests are political violence, civil wars and terrorism.
Caleb graduated from Brandeis University in 2022 with a double major in politics and philosophy and a minor in legal studies. He joined the Western Jihadism Project in spring 2021 as a research assistant and continued with the lab until graduation. Outside of the lab, he was a writing tutor for the English Learning Program at Brandeis. He currently works as an analyst at Harry Jho LLC.
Gabriella Lieberman is a senior at Brandeis University, graduating in December 2022 with a major in politics and a minor in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. She joined the Western Jihadism Project staff as a research assistant in spring 2021 because of her interest in counterterrorism policy. Inspired by her time at the lab, Gabriella studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, focusing on counterterrorism from a European perspective. Outside the lab, Gabriella is a Segal fellow, serves on the VoteDeis campus coalition, and works as an English tutor.
Katie Hankin graduated from Brandeis in August 2022 with a BA in psychology. Katie joined the lab in January 2021 with an interest in the psychology of radicalization and worked as a research assistant through September 2021. She gained an abundance of experience through being a research assistant and developed a passion for researching some of the most questioned individuals of today's age of violence. Outside the lab, Katie was a radio personality on the Brandeis radio station at wbrs.org (100.1 FM) and regularly took yoga classes on campus. She currently works as a forensic case assistant with Boston Forensic Associates as well as a mental health counselor with Walden Behavioral Care, adding that she wouldn't be where she is today without the research experience she gained while working within the WJP.
Marissa graduated in 2022 with a double major in international and global studies and politics as well as a double minor in legal studies and African & African American studies. She joined the Western Jihadism Project as a research assistant in late 2020 and continued through spring 2021. She was greatly interested in the ways female jihadists recruit women to foreign fight. Outside of the lab, Marissa was a coordinator for an after-school tutoring program for middle school students in Waltham as well as a front-desk associate for the Hiatt Career Center.
Maya graduated in 2022 with a double major in economics and IMES and a minor in Arabic. She plans to use what she learns at the Western Jihadism Project in a career involving foreign affairs or national defense, and to write a thesis her senior year. She was especially interested in the funding of terrorist activity through the sale and production of counterfeit goods. In her free time, Maya enjoys reading, cooking and trying new restaurants.
Rahul graduated from Brandeis University in 2022 with dual majors in politics and film, television and interactive media, and a minor in legal studies. He worked for the Western Jihadism Project as a research assistant in the spring of 2021, partly to learn about the details of jihadi recruitment, specifically advertising through social media networks, and also to explore the recent trends in the increasing susceptibility to radicalization. Outside of the lab, Rahul tries to do stand-up comedy, but fails to make his mom laugh.
Prabu graduated from Brandeis in 2022, studying computer science, data science and physics. He worked with the CS team at the WJP and as a data analyst at the Chakraborty Group. He really enjoys working on different types of data science projects and participating at hackathons. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, playing video games and exercising!
Evan graduated from Brandeis University in 2020 with dual majors in psychology and politics. He joined Western Jihadism Project as a research assistant in spring 2019 and continued until graduation in an effort to explore the intersection between violent extremism and clinical and social psychology. Outside WJP, Evan also worked as a teaching assistant in the Psychology department and conducted research at the Brandeis Development, Sex and Aggression Lab with Dr. Ray Knight. He also pursues a lifelong study of the martial arts.
Katherine graduated from Brandeis University in 2016, majoring in both politics and Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, and minoring in religious studies. She began working with the Western Jihadism Project in March 2014. As a research assistant, she translated various court documents from Spanish, Arabic, French and Italian and has conducted analysis on various foreign fighter recruitment hubs. She wrote her senior thesis on the evolution of the roles of women in terrorist organizations, with a focus on participation in ISIL. Since leaving the lab, Katherine has been employed by the New York Police Department as an intelligence analyst.