I am a PhD candidate at Rice University's Department of Political Science. My research addresses the interaction between law and conflict. To this end, my dissertation examines how disagreements over appropriate legal systems contribute to the resolution and recurrence of civil conflict. This research is being generously supported by the National Science Foundation and Rice University's Social Sciences Research Institute. In my co-authored work, I explore issues ranging from nonstate governance, indiscriminate violence and terrorism, natural resource extraction, and the use of justice mechanisms. Additionally, I examine how variations in legal frameworks, particularly legal enforcement mechanisms, affect the enforceability of economic sanctions. I use both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
I am a 2017-2018 APSA Minority Fellow and a former Visiting Research Fellow at National Defense University. I hold a Master of Arts in Politics from New York University, as well as a Master of Arts in Global Affairs and a Juris Doctor from Florida International University.
Prior to academia, I worked for more than ten years as a researcher and analyst in the national security, intelligence and investigations, and legal fields. I draw on the expertise I developed throughout these experiences, which include fieldwork in Latin America, when examining political phenomena.
Aside from my research, I am the founder of the Minorities in Social Sciences group at Rice University (http://minorityphds.blogs.rice.edu). With this organization, I seek to increase the representation of minorities in academia and provide mentorship to underrepresented and underprivileged high school and college students.
I am a 2017-2018 APSA Minority Fellow and a former Visiting Research Fellow at National Defense University. I hold a Master of Arts in Politics from New York University, as well as a Master of Arts in Global Affairs and a Juris Doctor from Florida International University.
Prior to academia, I worked for more than ten years as a researcher and analyst in the national security, intelligence and investigations, and legal fields. I draw on the expertise I developed throughout these experiences, which include fieldwork in Latin America, when examining political phenomena.
Aside from my research, I am the founder of the Minorities in Social Sciences group at Rice University (http://minorityphds.blogs.rice.edu). With this organization, I seek to increase the representation of minorities in academia and provide mentorship to underrepresented and underprivileged high school and college students.
