May News: START researchers present on climate change & terrorism

May 31, 2022

JOIN OUR TEAM

Communications and Transition Manager – This is a full-time regular exempt staff position, reporting directly to START’s Director. This position is open until filled.

Research Software Engineer, Global Terrorism Database (GTD) – This is a full-time Faculty Specialist position, with an initial term of 12 months, starting in June 2022. This position is open until filled.

NEWS

START researchers present on terrorism and climate change at terrorism risk (re)insurance conference
Earlier this month, START researchers spoke on climate change and terrorism at the annual International Forum of Terrorism Risk (Re)Insurance (IFTRIP) virtual conference, which is the largest industry conference for the terrorism insurance industry, as well as the Security Industry Association (SIA) GovSummit.

Welcoming interns back in person at START
START is looking forward to welcoming interns in person in the fall 2022 semester, for the first time in more than two years. The plan for the upcoming fall semester is contingent on the University of Maryland’s precautions in regards to COVID-19.

Using applied math to de-bias hiring algorithms
How can we remove bias from artificial intelligence (AI) systems designed for everything from talent acquisition to online shopping to surveillance systems? Ten University of Maryland undergraduates came together to answer this question for their Gemstone honors research project.

FEATURED PUBLICATION

Extremist Group/Movement Affiliations of the January 6 Capitol Rioters
Michael Jensen

This network visualization maps the extremist connections of, and between, the January 6 Capitol riot defendants. The map presents 280 Capitol defendants with links to 46 extremist groups and movements, representing approximately 35 percent of all such defendants. These defendants form 745 dyadic relationships to the groups and to each other.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Online Summer Courses
START offers fully online summer and winter courses each year which are open to any current degree seeking student or non-degree seeking individual. Current University of Maryland students may register through Testudo. Non-University of Maryland students must apply as non-degree seeking students, visiting students, or students with Golden ID Cardholder Status through the University of Maryland’s Office of Extended Studies. Topics this summer include analyzing terrorism, terrorist financing and human rights and human security, and classes will run from May 31 – August 19, 2022.

START Internships
START offers paid internships year round on a variety of research projects and teams. During the course of their internship, participants are exposed to the most up-to-date theories, methods and information related to the study of terrorism. They are versed in the critical questions tackled by homeland security practitioners, policy makers and researchers, and are mentored in a professional environment geared toward student success. The program is designed to prepare the next generation of homeland security scholars and practitioners through real-world research experience. Apply by June 12, 2022 for Fall 2022.

Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Security and Terrorism Studies
Prospective students can now apply for START’s fully online MPS in Security & Terrorism Studies. The program is appropriate for individuals interested in (and/or currently) working in fields related to intelligence analysis, national security analysis, or analysis of other relevant topic areas, and individuals interested in (and/or currently) conducting scholarly research on terrorism and security. Apply by August 5, 2022 for Fall 2022.

Global Terrorism Studies Minor Program
START has developed an undergraduate minor in Global Terrorism Studies, a cross-disciplinary program housed in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland. The minor is designed to train the next generation of terrorism analysts, including students who plan to pursue graduate study related to terrorism as well as employment in the federal, state, local, non-profit, and/or private sectors. START accepts applications to the program from University of Maryland undergraduates once per calendar year, during the spring semester. Apply by February 17, 2023 for Fall 2023.

EVENTS

Virtual Information Session: MPS in Security and Terrorism Studies & Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis (7/14)
6 p.m. ET July 14, Online
START's Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Security and Terrorism Studies prepares students to examine the complex social, political, economic, and psychological underpinnings of terrorist and security threats, while the Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics and impacts of international and domestic terrorism.

Virtual Information Session: MPS in Security and Terrorism Studies & Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis (8/24)
6 p.m. ET August 24, Online
START's Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Security and Terrorism Studies prepares students to examine the complex social, political, economic, and psychological underpinnings of terrorist and security threats, while the Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics and impacts of international and domestic terrorism.

START IN THE NEWS

PolitiFact: Dennis Prager baselessly claims Black students commit 'overwhelming' share of campus hate crimes
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about hate crimes on college campuses.

Rolling Stone: Caught on tape: Oath Keeper leader wanted Trump to 'expose all the pedophiles'
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about QAnon and the Oath Keepers.

PolitiFact: What is the 'great replacement theory' linked to the Buffalo shooter?
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about the grocery store shooting in Buffalo, NY.

The Conversation: A quest for significance gone horribly wrong – how mass shooters pervert a universal desire to make a difference in the world
START affiliate Arie Kruglanski wrote this opinion piece about the quest for significance among mass shooters.

This is a selection of news clips from the past month.

A complete list of START’s media coverage can be found here.

SUPPORTING START

Help Support START Research and Education
The START Consortium is dedicated to generating knowledge of the human causes and consequences of terrorism. Applying rigorous standards to both research and education, START seeks to illuminate one of the most highly politicized and understudied phenomena in the social sciences for students, practitioners and policy-makers. Funded primarily through research grants to date, START is seeking to generate an endowment that will provide the flexibility and autonomy to ensure that it can continue to serve as an objective source of data and empirically based analysis into the future. To donate, or for more information, please click here.