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Drones and Terrorism: Graduating Senior Bahceci Shines at Criminology Conference

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:56:17 +0000

Drones and Terrorism: Graduating Senior Bahceci Shines at Criminology Conference Andrew J Schappert Thu, 11/21/2024 - 10:56

Presenting a research poster at a major conference is a big deal for a student, particularly for an undergraduate.

Poster presentations create networking opportunities with experts and peers who often provide constructive feedback; summarizing complex ideas and data enhances communications skills; and, in addition to building confidence, it makes a significant addition to resumés and CVs.

Ayse Selma Bahceci with her poster: ‘Presenting at this level gave me firsthand insight into the many opportunities to further enhance our research.’ Photos provided.

For Ayse Selma Bahceci, presenting her poster in mid-November at the American Society of Criminology’s 79th annual meeting in San Francisco, a conference that draws more than 4,000 attendees from more than 40 countries, was not only thrilling, but also nostalgic.

“I was incredibly excited, as this was my very first conference,” the graduating senior said. “It was also a nostalgic experience because I was born and raised in San Francisco.”

Bahceci presents her poster to a conference attendee.

The government and international politics major in the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV had her dream fulfilled just in time: She graduates in December. It’s an opportunity she was happy to have experienced.

“I had the chance to network with a diverse group of talented individuals in their respective fields, which was truly inspiring,” she said. “Presenting at this level gave me firsthand insight into the many opportunities to further enhance our research.”

The poster was titled “Changing Weapon Types in Terrorist Organizations: Which Groups Have Used Drones?” and reflected the work accomplished at George Mason’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) and its affiliated organizations and tools.

“In this presentation, I analyzed drone use within terrorist organizations using data from the Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center [GTTAC] and the Incidents Database [GRID], shedding light on how drones are shifting weapon and logistic strategies among these groups,” she said.

Bahceci, left, with Mahmut Cengiz at the conference: ‘I’m excited to see how the Schar School is preparing young experts to fight terrorism around the world,’ he said.

“Many attendees were intrigued by our Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center data collected at the Schar School, and my presentation on drones received excellent feedback,” she said, adding that the data is open for all to use.

“This was Ayse Selma’s first conference, and she gave an exceptional poster presentation on drones, a timely and important topic,” said Associate Professor Mahmut Cengiz, director of the GTTAC. Cengiz accompanied Bahceci to California.

“Her presentation was excellent and she was very well received,” he said. “I’m excited to see how the Schar School is preparing young experts to fight terrorism around the world.”

Presenting at a conference, Bahceci said, “has always been a goal of mine, and I am especially grateful to my mentor and advisor, Professor Cengiz, who supported me every step of the way in reaching this milestone in my career.

“I made many connections during my time at the conference, both from the United States and abroad,” she said. “I believe these networks are valuable moving forward in my career after I graduate.”

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Schar School’s Mahmut Cengiz: On the Frontlines of Global Security and Terrorism

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 17:42:08 +0000

Schar School’s Mahmut Cengiz: On the Frontlines of Global Security and Terrorism Andrew J Schappert Thu, 10/24/2024 - 13:42

Associate Professor Mahmut Cengiz: Studying terrorism ‘is not a job; it’s a mission.’ Photos by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

Mahmut Cengiz's first exposure to the brutal realities of transnational organized crime, terrorism, and illicit economies was in films he saw as a young man growing up in Türkiye. But these were not abstract horrors: They were living nightmares, unfolding in real time. The images of suffering and devastation seared themselves into his mind, igniting a fire in him to fight back.

“I couldn’t just stand by,” he recalled. "These crimes destroy lives—thousands, millions. I had to act."

Mahmut Cengiz: His students are ‘exceptionally well-prepared to become young experts in analyzing terrorism and this critical security issue in the U.S.’

Cengiz spent more than 15 years as a high-level official in law enforcement, focusing on counterterrorism and trafficking cases. During that time, he saved more than 300 victims of human trafficking. However, he had a larger goal in mind.

“I wanted to create a model to address human trafficking,” he said, reflecting on the lasting impact of his work. And to do that he needed to apply his passion to a different front—academia— where he could train the next generation of warriors to continue his battle.

Cengiz continues this work as an associate professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV, where he not only teaches students how to follow in his footsteps but also leads a number of initiatives devoted to dismantling the systems of evil that perpetuate human suffering.

For Cengiz, “it’s not a job; it’s a mission,” he said.

Cengiz is a graduate of George Mason, having completed his PhD in 2010 at the Schar School before joining the Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Corruption Center (TraCCC) in 2015. His current research focuses on the convergence between organized crime and terrorist networks, a growing trend in the international underworld.

“Convergence equals collaboration,” he said, describing how terrorist groups learn from each other to strengthen their operations. For example, he examines how terrorist organizations have adopted money laundering and smuggling techniques from organized crime groups to fund their activities. For Cengiz, understanding this evolving dynamic is critical for developing effective policy solutions.

Cengiz is currently leading TraCCC’s Global Terrorism Trends and Analyses Center (GTTAC), which collects and processes data for the U.S. Department of State. In its seventh year at the Schar School, GTTAC has gathered over 55,000 terrorist incidents, including attacks by Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, lone wolves, and far-right extremist groups.

Cengiz invites and trains his students—there are 16 this semester—providing them one-of-a-kind, paid opportunities to work at GTTAC. Some 150 newly minted terrorism researchers have worked at GTTAC. That work often leads to publishing research and data-driven articles of opinion and to present their accomplishments at international conferences.

“They are exceptionally well-prepared to become young experts in analyzing terrorism and this critical security issue in the U.S.,” he said.

Cengiz appears frequently in international media outlets to share insights on transnational crime and terrorism. He regularly contributes to influential publications Small Wars Journal and Homeland Security Today, writing op-eds fueled by up-to-the-minute data collected at the GTTAC that raises awareness about the interconnectedness of terrorism, organized crime, and corruption.

He aims to make these complex issues more accessible to a broader audience, emphasizing the need for practicality and simplicity. His seventh book, Murder by Mail: The Global History of the Letter Bomb coauthored with Mitchel P. Roth, and other recent publications reflect his continued leadership and knowledge in the field.

Cengiz has a strong bond with his students and prioritizes enhancing their academic skills as they engage in analyses of global security issues.

In the classroom, Cengiz combines theory and practice, enabling students to gain from his real-world knowledge and transforming his expertise into impactful lessons. In fact, students have nominated him several times for George Mason’s Career Connection Faculty Award and the Teaching Excellence Award.

“My students appreciate the practical nature of my lectures and how I integrate field experience with theory,” he said.

Prospective students considering George Mason’s Schar School for their studies in international security will find an unmatched opportunity to learn from Cengiz and other top experts, including TraCCC’s founding director, University Professor Louise Shelley, as well as Master of International Security degree program director Ellen Laipson, Master of Biodefense and PhD in Biodefense director Gregory Koblentz, Distinguished Visiting Professor and former ambassador Richard Kauzlarich and others, including former directors of key agencies and current practitioners in important positions in Washington, D.C.

“We have great faculty with field experience and academic expertise,” Cengiz said, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the Schar School’s programs that often find diverse units combining expertise for research studies and panel discussions.

Cengiz’s work does more than analyze global security challenges—it actively seeks to combat them. His blend of field experience, academic expertise, and dedication to student success provides a pathway for those who want to make a tangible difference.

“You don’t just study these issues,” he said. “You gain the tools to confront and resolve them.”

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Schar School Alum Bilal Wahab Named President of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 16 May 2024 14:10:28 +0000

Schar School Alum Bilal Wahab Named President of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani Andrew J Schappert Thu, 05/16/2024 - 10:10

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Louise I. Shelley

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Bilal Wahab, PhD ’15: ‘I am equally honored and humbled.’ Photo provided.

Bilal Wahab, a 2015 graduate of ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government’s PhD program, has been named the president of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). The not-for-profit university, founded in 2007, is among the top-ranked private universities in the Kurdistan region.

Wahab takes the reins of the 1,400-student campus from AUIS president Bruce Walker Ferguson, who announced his departure in July. The school teaches primarily in English and focuses on liberal arts, critical thinking, and leadership skills in graduate and undergraduate studies.

“I am equally honored and humbled,” Wahab said of the AUIS board of trustees’ unanimous vote for his appointment. As a AUIS faculty member from 2012 to 2016, Wahab taught courses on the petroleum industry, public policy, and international politics and founded the school’s Center for the Development of Natural Resources. His Schar School dissertation focused on oil federalism in Iraq.

Wahab came to George Mason as a doctoral student from American University when University Professor Louise Shelley moved her Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) to the Schar School from American University.

Shelley has nothing but the highest praise for her former student, who was among the first Iraqis awarded a Fulbright scholarship.

“When he came to the U.S. to study at American, he was the number one choice of the Fulbright selection committee out of the many thousands of applicants,” she said. “I always knew he would be a president but the question for me was, ‘of what?’

“He is so articulate in English and so poised and showed such leadership. He has been such a good analyst of Middle East politics and has such great fluency in so many different languages—Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish.

“Going back to the American University of Iraq is so characteristic of Bilal,” she added. “He wants to give back and help students grow.”

As for his experience at George Mason, where he was a research assistant from 2008 to 2012 at TraCCC, “It is my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the unwavering support extended to me by the Schar School and the many scholars I studied under,” he said. “It has been a journey, but here I am, embarking on a new personal and professional chapter.”