CISA Faculty Expertise

CISA's faculty is uniquely positioned between academia and government, and focus on topics such as international security studies, irregular warfare, non-state actors, and combating terrorism. Our students learn to think strategically and to operate effectively in the complexity of the 21st century security environment. Below a sample of areas of expertise within the CISA Faculty. To learn more, view the full biographies on the "About" tab or click here.

Africa

• Dr. Sean McFate    
• Dr. Matthew Dearing
• Dr. Russell Burgos - Sub-Saharan

Asia-Pacific

• Dr. Dayna Barnes
• Dr. Chris Marsh
• Dr. Peter Thompson
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh

South Asia

• Dr. Rameez Abbas
• Dr. Matthew Dearing
• Dr. Peter Eltsov - India and Pakistan
• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh

Central Asia

• Dr. Matthew Dearing
• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. Peter Eltsov 
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Eurasia

• Dr. Erica Marat - Former Soviet States
• Dr. Spencer B. Meredith III - Russia, Ukraine, and the Caucasus
• Dr. Peter Eltsov - Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus
• Dr. Elena Pokalova - Russia and Former Soviet States
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh

Europe

• Dr. Andrew Novo - Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus
• Dr. Spencer B. Meredith, III - Eastern Europe
• Dr. Peter Eltsov - Eastern Europe and the Balkans
• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh
• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M - Western Europe, NATO, EU

Middle East

• Dr. Rameez Abbas
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh
• Dr. Andrew Novo - Israel and Palestine
• Dr. Russell Burgos

Latin America

• Dr. Craig Deare - Mexico and U.S. - Mexican relations
• Colonel Magdalena Sunderhaus

Homeland 

• Mr. Antonio "T" Scurlock

Political Economy  

• Dr. Peter Thompson
• Dr. Matthew Dearing

Civil-Military Affairs

• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. Sean McFate    

Democracy and Security

• Dr. Rameez Abbas
• Dr. Peter Eltsov
• Dr. Spencer B. Meredith, III
• Dr. Andrew Novo

Drone Warfare

• Colonel Magdalena Sunderhaus

Terrorism and Counterterrorism

• Dr. Thomas Marks     
• Dr. Elena Pokalova
• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. David Ucko
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy, and International Relations

• Dr. R.E. Burnett
• Dr. Geoffrey Gresh
• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. Russell Burgos
• Dr. Peter Thompson
• Dr. Dayna Barnes
• Dr. David Hadley

Transnational Organized Crime

• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. Craig Deare

Ethnic Conflict

• Dr. Rameez Abbas
• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Counterinsurgency

• Dr. Thomas Marks
• Dr. David Ucko

NATO and Trans-Atlantic Relations

• Professor Carolyne Davidson  
• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. Peter Thompson
• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M

Transitioning States

• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. Elena Pokalova
• Dr. Spencer B. Meredith, III
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration

• Dr. David Ucko
• Dr. Sean McFate 
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Military History

• Dr. Andrew Novo
• Dr. Dayna Barnes
• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. David Hadley
• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M

Grand Strategy / Strategy Development

• Dr. Sean McFate
• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M

Special Operations

• Colonel Magdalena Sunderhaus

Peacebuilding

• Dr. David Ucko
• Dr. Spencer B. Meredith, III
• Dr. Dayna Barnes
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Migration and Refugees

• Dr. Rameez Abbas

Intelligence Studies

• Dr. David Hadley

Security Sector Reform / Security Force Assistance 

• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. Erica Marat
• Dr. David Ucko
• Dr. Spencer Meredith

Disinformation, Strategic Deception, and Countering Malign Information

• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. Peter Eltsov
• Dr. Russell Burgos
• Dr. Elena Pokalova

Private Warfare & Mercenaries

• Dr. Sean McFate
• Dr. Elena Pokalova - the Wagner Group

Human Rights

• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M

Law

• R. James "Jaimie" Orr, MA, JD, LL.M - Law of the Sea, International Humanitarian Law

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security

• Mr. Antonio "T" Scurlock