Faculty

Kurt Braddock

Ph.D., Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn State

M.A., Communication, University of Delaware

B.A., Business Management, The College of New Jersey

Dr. Kurt Braddock is an assistant teaching professor of communication arts and sciences and homeland security. His research centers on the persuasive tactics employed by terrorist groups to radicalize and recruit fighters, as well as how persuasion strategies can be used for counter-radicalization. He teaches Violence and Threats; Radicalization, Counter-Radicalization, and De-radicalization; Disaster Communication; and Effective Speech: Group Communication.

Justin Conrad

Ph.D., Political Science, Florida State University

M.A., Latin American Studies, University of California

B.A., International Affairs, Florida State University

Dr. Justin Conrad is an associate professor of international affairs. He studies international security issues, including terrorism and interstate conflict, and his research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense. Dr. Conrad's work has been published in many of the leading political science, security studies, and international relations journals. He has also worked in the international private sector and served as a U.S. military officer.

Paul Gill

Ph.D., Political Science, University College Dublin

M.A., International Social Science, University College Dublin

B.S., International Social Science, University College Dublin and Uppsala University

Dr. Paul Gill's research focuses on violent extremist behavior. It is interdisciplinary in nature, with publications in leading political science, psychology, criminology, mathematics, and general science journals. He teaches on the causes and correlates of terrorism.

James Piazza

Ph.D., Politics, New York University

M.A., Middle East Studies, University of Michigan

B.A., Political Science, Loyola University

Dr. James Piazza is a liberal arts professor of political science at Penn State. His research and teaching focus on terrorism, counterterrorism, and the politics of the Islamic world.

Andrew Vitek

Ph.D., Political Science, State University of New York at Albany

M.A., Political Science, State University of New York at Albany

B.A., Political Science and Philosophy, McGill University

Dr. Andrew Vitek is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Political Science. His research focuses on terrorism, political violence, security studies, and pedagogy. He teaches courses on terrorism, homeland security, and comparative politics.

James Walsh

Ph.D., International Relations, American University

B.A., Political Science, Trinity College

Dr. James Walsh's research and teaching interests include political violence and terrorism, civil war, human rights violations, and intelligence and national security. He is the author of three books, including Drones and Support for the Use of Force, available from The University of Michigan Press. His work has been supported by the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Homeland Security, the Army Research Office, and the Minerva Research Initiative.