I am Program Director for the Security & Preparedness program at the National Science Foundation and Professor of Political Science, Data Science, and Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

My current research investigates the causes of armed conflict and its consequences for civilians, and uses methods including survey and lab-in-the-field experiments, new observational datasets, and geospatial data.

I am author of three books on international politics, as well as peer-reviewed articles in outlets such as the Journal of Politics, Emotion, and the Journal of Conflict Resolution. This work has been recognized by the Experimental Research and Comparative Politics Sections of the American Political Science Association, and with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s First Citizens Medal. I also have written for more public-facing outlets, including the Washington Post, Parameters, and Political Violence at a Glance. 

I teach classes on cooperation and conflict, research design, data science, and grant-writing.