MELISSA PAVLIK
-EDUCATION-
King’s College London
M.A., War Studies: January 2019
Thesis title: Contours of Conflict: Network Position as a Predictor of Political Violence Level and Type in Afghanistan
Advisor: Professor Oisin Tansey
Honors: Distinction on thesis
The University of Chicago
B.A., Political Science; Minor, Statistics: June 2016
Thesis title: Developing Destruction:The Effects of Structural Adjustment on the Rise of Violent Non-State Actors
Advisor: Professor John J. Mearsheimer
Honors: Dean's List all years, graduated with honors
-RESEARCH & WRITING-
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
Research Analyst: 2017 - Present
- Independently model ACLED's real-time conflict event data; investigate trends and produce research and writing
- Manage and edit over a dozen analysts'work to ensure analytically rigorous and thoughtful pieces
- Design both qualitative and quantitative analysis protocols; conduct data analysis trainings
- Use Tableau, R, Alteryx, ArcGIS, and other tools to analyze data and produce visualizations
- Work cited and featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Economist, BBC, Reuters, and others
Emerging African Paradigms Project
Researcher: 2017 - 2018
- Conducted qualitative research on shifting governance paradigms across Africa
- A joint project between the King’s College War Studies Department’s African Leadership Centre (ALC) and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Research Fellow & Counterterrorism Analyst: 2016 - 2017
- Led the ISIS Global research portfolio for the organization; gathered data and information on attacks from hundreds of sources around the world
- Conducted independent research and analysis, and produced reports on ISIS’s global campaigns and foreign fighter networks worldwide; utilized network and data analysis, open source research skills
- Responsible for designing data architecture suitable for open source intelligence data collection, research, and analysis; supported colleagues and fielded queries in data analysis
University of Chicago Political Science Department
Teacher's Assistant (TA) for Geoeconomic Governance: 2015 - 2016
- First and only undergraduate asked to be a TA in the University of Chicago Political Science department
- Responsible for holding office hours, assessing coursework and papers, and leading discussions regarding the role of international institutions, the overlap between international regulations and foreign policy, and other topics
Hudson Institute: Center for Political-Military Analysis
Research Intern: 2015
- Aided in conducting research and analysis on wide-ranging complex international security matters such as Iranian missile development and Russian counterintelligence patterns
- Helped edit and augment reports, memos, policy briefs, and publications
U.S. Department of State Virtual Student Foreign Service
Research Intern: 2014 - 2015
- Conducted research and produced articles aimed at understanding violence patterns worldwide
- Coordinated with outside organizations and various U.S. Department of State agencies
- Culmination of work included briefing a group of experts at the U.S. Department of State
-CONFERENCES & SEMINARS-
New Methods in Empirical Conflict Research
Invited Presenter: October 2019 (Paris, France)
Paper accepted for presentation at conference hosted by Households in Conflict Network (HICN)
Paper title – Contours of Conflict: Network Position as a Predictor of Political Violence Level and Type
Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) Working Group
Invited Speaker: July 2019 (Nairobi, Kenya)
Asked to make opening presentation at AFRICOM Annual C-IED conference for partner nation
Presentation title – Situation Report: The Global IED Threat and its Implications in Africa
Countering Small Arms/Light Weapons (SALW) & Their Ammunition
Rappouteur: February 2019 (Steyning, U.K.)
Invited to participate in and analyze the proceedings of Wilton Park conference on small arms threat
Report title – Countering the diversion of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition
Hertog War Studies Program
Invited participant: July 2015 (Washington D.C., U.S.A.)
Participated in seminar on the theory and practice of war run by Drs. Fred & Kim Kagan and Gen. James Dubik; additional courses by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Gen. David Petraeus, Amb. Rob Ford, Gen. Martin Dempsey, and others
Advanced seminars on the Cold War (2017) and Salafi-Jihadism (2017)
International Policy Program
Co-chair: 2015 - 2016 (Chicago, IL, U.S.A.)
Leadership position in designing and implementing internal-politics-oriented programs for the Institute of Politics (IOP)
Included coordination with internal and external guest speakers, IOP executive board, other groups
Project for International Security Policy (PISP)
Nominated Fellow: 2014 - 2015 (Chicago, IL, U.S.A.)
One of five undergraduate students at the University of Chicago invited to be a fellow for PISP workshop
Responsible for attending and contributing to weekly sessions featuring presentations of academic working papers
-QUANTITATIVE & TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS-
METHODOLOGICAL EXPERTISE
Quantitative skills: Regression techniques (including linear and hierarchical modelling, logistic and probit regression, time series models), machine learning (neural networks, random forest), predictive modeling (Monte Carlo), Geospatial modelling, network theory, game theory, open source intelligence
Languages and software: Python, SQL, R, SPSS, Stata, Tableau/Tableau Prep, LaTeX, Alteryx, ArcGIS, QGIS, Microsoft Excel & Access, Palantir, Gephi, Adobe products
-SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS-
Sidney Perry Foundation Scholarship (2018)
Awarded for exceptional academic achievement and expected professional prospects
Chizel Education Foundation Trust Award (2018)
Awarded for exceptional potential to do social good
Veterans for Peace Scholarship (2018)
Awarded for dedication to promoting peace, potential for successful research in conflict studies
Hertog Fellowship (2015)
One of two individuals chosen for year-long fellowship position at military affairs think tank
-RELEVANT COURSEWORK-
QUANTITATIVE METHODS
Advanced statistics courses including applied regression analysis, analysis of categorical data, applied hierarchical linear models (Prof. Stephen Raudenbush); Social-science-driven methodological courses including the practice of social science research, game theory (Prof. Monika Nalepa), linear models & experimental design
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS & ECONOMY
Courses on strategy (Prof. Robert Pape), the practice of war (Prof. John Stone); Courses on global economic governance (Prof. Suzanne Wengle), corruption, finance and security (Prof. Martin Navias); Courses on state-failure and state-building (Prof. Christine Cheng), secrecy in international politics (Prof. Austin Carson) and authoritarianism (Prof. Oisin Tansey)
COMPARATIVE & REGIONAL STUDIES
Specific regional courses on the Israeli-Arab conflict (Prof. Orin Bashkin), Arab uprisings (Prof. Lisa Wedeen), Russian politics (Prof. Stanislav Markus), trade and development in Mexico (Prof. Chad Broughton); American politics courses on foreign policy (Prof. Felicity Vabulas) and formal institutions (Prof. John Hansen)
POLITICAL THEORY
Courses on power and identity (Prof. Andrew Abbott), as well as on inhumanity, injustice, and inequality (Prof. Sankar Muthu); Courses on the philosophy underpinning cold war strategy and technology (Prof. Lino Camprubí), economics and evolution (Prof. Naomi Beck), and theory of war (Prof. Jan Willem Honig)
