Reppy Institute Fellows 2024-25
Our Reppy Fellows are master's, doctoral, and law students at Cornell who receive unique opportunities for professional networking and development in the field of peace and conflict studies. Meet the 2024–25 cohort.
Basim Ali
Basim is a second-year Master of Public Administration student at the Brooks School of Public Policy, concentrating in International Development Studies with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. His research interests lie in the intersection of conflict resolution, strategic decision-making, and leveraging artificial intelligence to address global policy challenges.
Carmine Couloute
Carmine Couloute is a PhD student in the Department of Government, specializing in International Relations. Her research focuses on ethnographically examining the enduring impact of French colonialism in Francophone West Africa. She aims to explore how protests over 'war taxes' facilitate practices of sovereignty and self-determination during political upheaval.
Danielle Obisie-Orlu
Director's Fellow
Danielle Obisie-Orlu is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Government, specializing in International Relations with a minor in international law, migration, and sustainable development. She researches how states’ memories of trauma can shape their international personas and the expectations about their responses to the challenges, rule of law, and novel opportunities.
Dayra Lascano
Dayra Lascano is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Government at Cornell University, specializing in International Relations with a minor focus on Comparative Politics. Her research focuses on understanding the conditions that promote successful cooperation among political leaders within Regional International Organizations (RIOs).
Elisha Smith
Elisha Smith currently pursuing an MPS in Global Development. For the past five years, he has worked in global development and agriculture in post-conflict regions in Iraq and Syria. He is interested in how to build peace in post-conflict communities in the Middle East through agriculture and rural community development.
Georgy Tarasenko
Georgy Tarasenko is a PhD student in the Department of Government. He is interested in freedom as a theoretical and empirical phenomenon, focusing on non-democratic and illiberal politics. His research examines wartime politics, specifically investigating Russian mercenary violence in Africa and the impact of casualties in the Russo-Ukrainian war on public opinion.
Lois Matthew
Lois Matthew is a PhD. Student in the Department of Government, specializing in Comparative Politics, with a Minor in International Relations and Methods. Her research focuses on Democratization, Authoritarian Legacies, Parties, Elections, and voting Behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Paul Caruso
Paul Caruso is a first-year MPA student at the Brooks School of Public Policy focusing on international affairs and peace studies. Paul’s research investigates the opportunities for conflict resolution and negotiation that shared climate crises present. He looks forward to meeting like-minded scholars and contributing to the institute’s events. Paul is further interested in transatlantic relations, international negotiation, and peacebuilding.
Maria Alejandra Anaya Torres
Director's Fellow
Maria Alejandra is a J.S.D. candidate at Cornell Law School. Her research interests include interdisciplinary approaches to law, environmental justice, and human rights. Her dissertation focuses on examining the intersection between rights-based climate litigation, climate movements, and climate governance at the global level.
Mursal Rahim
Mursal Rahim is an MPA student at the Brooks School of Public Policy, concentrating on Human Rights and Social Justice. Mursal has experience in legal, educational, and refugee community support. Her research explores the role of Afghan women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Mursal highlights the importance of inclusive approaches to sustainable peace and advocates for policies supporting women's active participation in the peace process.
Salvador Ernesto Pineda
Salvador Ernesto Pineda is a second-year MBA student at Cornell University and holds an MA in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University. His research interests include the intersection of conflict studies, international development and trade, climate policies, and financial empowerment. He examines conflict through the lens of transitional justice and explores how to minimize the recurrence of human rights abuses.
Zorana Knezevic
Zorana Knezevic is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Government, specializing in International Relations. Her research areas are in the intersection of conflict studies and human rights, human security, and international organizations. She is a published co-author in the Journal of Peace Research.