I am a Post-Doctorate Research Fellow at the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab (RIPIL) hosted through the School of International Service at American University. I am a recent Ph.D. graduate from the University of Iowa. My research focuses on gender, conflict, and international institutions. Some of my current research projects include examining how states' commitments to the UN Treaty CEDAW influence women’s rights over time; how rebel commitments to human rights affect violence against civilians, particularly sexual violence; how natural disasters influence women’s political trust in their government in post-disaster countries; and how different peace agreements after civil war can influence the duration of peace as well as create a sense of healing for citizens. Overall, I am curious about how gender influences and is influenced by institutions and the outcomes created by these institutions for women. I hope to add to the current field by engaging on a deeper level with feminist literature and institutional design to help create solutions to issues for women.
Throughout my time as a doctoral student and candidate at Iowa I was awarded various fellowships, including the Summer Research Fellowship and the Post-Comprehensive Research Fellowship both from the University of Iowa Graduate College. I was also presented with various awards including an Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for my work instructing my own class, International Conflict. I was awarded the Lynne Rienner Award for the Best Paper Presented by a Graduate Student at the International Studies Association Midwest Annual Conference in the Fall of 2022, for my article "Women's Support Shaken: A Study of Political Trust After Natural Disasters". I also served a number of organizations as a graduate student at the University. I served as a a Graduate Representative on the Graduate Student Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council, I was a the Communications Officer for the Council on Women's Status at University of Iowa, I was also a Grant Reviewer for the Graduate Professional Student Government, and I served as the House Director for the Alpha Chi Omega chapter at the University of Iowa. Previously, I served as the Graduate Association of Political Scientists President and the Graduate Student Senator for Political Science.
Education
Ph.D, University of Iowa, 2023
BA, University of Kentucky, 2017
Throughout my time as a doctoral student and candidate at Iowa I was awarded various fellowships, including the Summer Research Fellowship and the Post-Comprehensive Research Fellowship both from the University of Iowa Graduate College. I was also presented with various awards including an Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for my work instructing my own class, International Conflict. I was awarded the Lynne Rienner Award for the Best Paper Presented by a Graduate Student at the International Studies Association Midwest Annual Conference in the Fall of 2022, for my article "Women's Support Shaken: A Study of Political Trust After Natural Disasters". I also served a number of organizations as a graduate student at the University. I served as a a Graduate Representative on the Graduate Student Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council, I was a the Communications Officer for the Council on Women's Status at University of Iowa, I was also a Grant Reviewer for the Graduate Professional Student Government, and I served as the House Director for the Alpha Chi Omega chapter at the University of Iowa. Previously, I served as the Graduate Association of Political Scientists President and the Graduate Student Senator for Political Science.
Education
Ph.D, University of Iowa, 2023
- Graduate Certificate in Gender Women's and Sexuality Studies, May 2021
BA, University of Kentucky, 2017
- Minors: International Relations, Gender Women's Studies
