I study subnational conflict processes and foreign aid. My research takes advantage of emerging data and technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), to understand the local geography and context of political action. This approach enables me to answer questions relating to where in space events break out in addition to why they occur or what strategies will be used. To date, my research has appeared in International Interactions, Foreign Policy Analysis,Public Choice, Global Policy Journal, and International Studies Review.
My dissertation examined the conditions affecting the strategic use of foreign aid by donors. In it, I develop a framework that explains how each component of the aid-for-policy exchange - the donor, the recipient, and the aid itself - influences the level of cooperation a donor receives from any given recipient. To do so, I draw upon theories from international relations, public policy, and organization theory to show donors who 1) better generate policy change, 2) are more central to a recipient, and 3) better leverage domestic audiences achieve greater cooperation.
I have lived across the United States with public service stops in Arizona, California, New Jersey/New York, Texas, and Rhode Island. When I am not writing, analyzing data, or generating maps, I am getting ready to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers.