This page provides profiles and information about Graduate and Undergraduate Students Affiliated with the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs.

• CUSA Affiliated Students

• Former CUSA Affiliated Students

• CUSA Student Achievements

CUSA Affiliated Students

Jesse Baker is a PhD student in the department of Planning, Policy, and Design. He received his bachelor's degree in anthropology from Colorado State University, where he was the director of an intensive twelve-week field study program in Belize that focused on integrated resource management in the developing world. Jesse’s current research focuses on the effects that consumerism in the industrialized world has on human security in the developing world. His proposed dissertation will explore the local, regional, and global implications of oil nationalization in Venezuela.

Natalie Baker is a PhD student in the Department of Planning, Policy, and Design with an emphasis in the Environmental Policy specialty. She has a bachelors of science in Psychology from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, graduating Cum Laude with honors in her major. Additionally, Natalie has a masters of science in public health with an emphasis in Tropical Medicine and a masters of science in International Development, both from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ms. Baker has professional experience working with the City of New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board, Tulane University's Center for Bioenvironmental Research-Center for Infectious Diseases, and the State of Louisiana Office of Public Health-Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology. She also has extensive experience working in the non-profit world, in the areas of HIV and homelessness as a program coordinator and grant writer. Natalie's current research interests primarily lie in the effect of natural and man-made disasters on cities from a sociological/historical perspective, particularly on New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina and cities in the Middle East. Natalie was recently honored with a 2007 Graduate Student Mentor award.

Candice Carr Kelman is a PhD student in the Environmental Policy track of the Department of Planning Policy and Design at UC Irvine. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Policy from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, graduating Cum Laude, with minors in Political Science and International Studies. Her interests are in the fields of environment and development studies, with a focus on environmentally sustainable development initiatives and concerns, such as community-driven forest management regimes, and the environmental security of indigenous peoples. She is particularly interested in the rainforests of Southeast Asia and the indigenous peoples who depend upon them for their survival. Her proposed dissertation would investigate particular Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) in Indonesia with regard to their environmental sustainability and reasons for their relative success or failure.

Heather Goldsworthy is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine.  She is also a research associate with the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs, and an affiliate of the Department of Women’s Studies at UCI. Heather received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and minor in Ecology from Washington State University, cum laude, in 2002. Her research focuses include environmental and human security, microfinance, environmentally forced displacement, and feminist studies. She has a forthcoming book review in The Journal of Environment and Development, as well as book chapters on women and environmental change, and microfinance and the environment.  Her dissertation research examines the environmental consequences and security implications of microfinance in the developing world. Heather is currently in Washington DC conducting research. Read more about her travels at: www.hegoindc.blogspot.com

Samantha Lane is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology, Law & Society at the University of California, Irvine and a research associate with the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs. Sam received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and minor in English from UCLA, cum laude, in 2001. Her research interests include law, language, justice and reconciliation, war crimes, genocide, and human security. She is currently working on a project on online social networking sites, privacy, law, and identity, as well as a forthcoming book chapter on women, law, justice, and genocide in Rwanda.  Her proposed dissertation research examines the every day impact of  different levels of law in providing justice locally for women survivors of sexual assault during the Rwandan genocide.

Crystal Murphy Morgan is a Ph.D. student in the department of Planning, Policy & Design at the University of California, Irvine. She is a Research Associate at the Center for Unconventional Security affairs and is a Councilmember for the Association of Graduate Students for the School of Social Ecology. She holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from UCI, and a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, with high honors, and a minor in Cultural Anthropology from Vanguard University. Broadly, she is interested in the policies that shape community-based planning processes. She is passionate about the rudiments behind sustainable ways for people to thrive in conflicted states. Her current research focuses on microfinance provision for conflict affected displacement, specifically camp-dwelling refugees and internally displaced people. She has worked the past several summers in Northern Uganda, performing research for Uganda Microfinance Limited, and volunteering with community development NGOs. This past summer, she attended the African Microfinance Conference in Kampala.
 

Former CUSA Affiliates

Leah M. Fraser, PhD is currently Policy Director for Latino Health Access. She received her Ph.D. in the Department of Political Science at UCI in 2004. Leah's graduate work has concentrated on American public policy and minority politics. Leah has been the recipient of a number of grants, including a UCI Trans-disciplinary Tobacco University Research Collaborative Grant 2003 to support research on the California's Proposition 10's funding of health programs, and a UCI Latin American Studies Summer Research Grant in 2003 to support field research on migrant farmworkers' health and justice in Costa Rica. In 2003, Leah was awarded the Eckstein Scholar Award in recognition for achieving excellence in her graduate studies program since candidacy.

Lauren Sanne graduated cum laude from UCI in 2005 with a bachelor of arts in International Studies and a Minor in Spanish. During the 2004-05 school year she worked on her International Studies honors senior thesis under Dr Richard Matthew. She researched the US’s HIV/AIDS prevention policies abroad, specifically in Africa. The thesis is entitled "The ABC’s of the US’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Policy in Africa." Lauren is interested in working on international environmental issues or human rights laws. She has been accepted into the UCDC program in Washington DC this coming fall, where she will be interning for three months and then begin looking for a job. Lauren has plans to eventually return to graduate school in a few years.

Brittany Schick, worked with CUSA on a project entitled “The Changing Roles and Methods of U.S. Military Intelligence.” Schick, a UCI Political Science major was honored for her academics, leadership, and community service by being awarded a Mitchell Scholarship. As a Mitchell Scholar, Brittany will study for a Master's degree in International Relations at Dublin City University where she will explore Northern Ireland's experiences dealing with terrorism. Brittany is the first UCI student to be chosen for this honor.

Darlene Tong, received her Bachelor's Degree from UCI in 2005. She was a UROP Fellow and worked with CUSA on a research project on “U.S. Approach to Human Trafficking—Abroad and at Home."

CUSA Student Achievements

Candice Carr honored with Outstanding Mentor award CUSA Research Associate Candice Carr has been honored with a 2008 Outstanding Mentor award from the School of Social Ecology. Candice was also awarded a Dean's Dissertation Fellowship from the School of Social Ecology.

Goldsworthy Selected as 2008 UCI Medal Dinner Fellow Heather Goldsworthy, a CUSA Research Associate and PhD student in Planning, Policy and Design, has been chosen as a 2008 UCI Medal Dinner Fellow. This award is given annually by the School of Social Ecology "to its most outstanding graduate students in recognition of their superior performance in both the academic and research arenas." A portion of proceeds from the UCI Medals Dinner, an event that celebrates the recipients of the campus' highest honor, the UCI Medal, provides funds for the stipend.

Natalie Baker honored with Graduate Student Mentor award CUSA Research Associate Natalie Baker has been honored with a 2007 Graduate Student Mentor award from the School of Social Ecology.

McDonald named Tamura Fellow Bryan McDonald has been named the 2006-07 Tamura Fellow for the School of Social Ecology. The fellowship is named and awarded in honor of Justice Stephen K. Tamura who was appointed in 1961 by Governor Pat Brown to the Orange County Superior Court. Later elevated to the Fourth Appellate District, Justice Tamura was the first Asian American to sit on the California Court of Appeals. He also served as Justice Pro Tem on the California Supreme Court.

Goldsworthy awarded Newkirk Center Fellowship Heather Goldsworthy has been awarded a Graduate Fellowship from the UCI Newkirk Center for Science and Society for her project on "The Role of Climate Change Science in Microfinance." Heather has also been recognized with a Shirin Ebadi Graduate Fellowship from the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding, and UCI Dean’s Dissertation Data Gathering Fellowship, School of Social Ecology.

Carr Kelman receives grant from CGPACS CUSA affiliated graduate student Candice Carr Kelman was awarded a research grant by the Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies for her project, “Integrated Conservation and Development Projects in Indonesia: A Critical Review of the Literature and Analysis of Historical and Ecological Context.”

McDonald Chosen as Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Graduate Student Bryan McDonald was selected as the 2006 Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Graduate Student. McDonald is among nineteen members of the University of California, Irvine community who was honored at the 36th annual Lauds & Laurels Awards ceremony Thursday, April 27, at The Westin South Coast Plaza. The UCI Alumni Association awards program, initiated in 1971, recognizes alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends who have brought recognition to the university through their achievements, studies or profession.

Giannikopoulos awarded Mills McCartney Fellowship Dina Giannikopoulos has been selected to receive the 2005-2006 Heather Mills McCartney Fellowship in Human Security for her project, “Disability and Poverty Alleviation: A Cambodian Case Study.” Established in honor of the significant contributions to human security issues made by Heather Mills McCartney, this fellowship will allow graduate students to undertake original research on pressing security issues, and allow them opportunities to use their research to help address real world challenges.

Goldsworthy wins CAHS Fellowships Heather Goldsworthy, has won a Coalition Advocating Human Security (CAHS) Fellowship for her project  “Environmental Change and Forced Displacement in Bangladesh: Implications for Peace and Conflict.” CAHS fellows will advance its mission of promoting research, education, public awareness, and evidence based policy making to address urgent cases of vulnerability linked to global changes that impact the lives of individuals, communities, and nations.

McDonald Selected for Chancellor’s Club Fellowship Bryan McDonald has been awarded a 2005-2006 UCI Chancellor's Club Fund for Excellence Dissertation Fellowship. The UCI Chancellor’s Club is one of the oldest and largest support groups on campus. Founded in 1972, is counts over 1,200 alumni, community leaders, business leaders, and parents in its membership.

Goldsworthy receives grant from CGPACS CUSA graduate student Heather Goldsworthy has been awarded a research grant by the Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies for her project, "Environmental Change and Forced Displacement in Bangladesh: Implications for Peace and Conflict."

Lane selected for Government Accountability Office Internship Sam Lane, a graduate student affiliated with CUSA, has been selected for a summer internship with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), on the Department of Homeland Security and Justice team in Washington DC. Lane is a PhD Student in Criminology, Law and Society in the School of Social Ecology.

Schick honored by the California State Assembly Brittany Schick has been honored by the California State Assembly with a resolution commending “her exemplary record of academic and civic leadership.” Brittany, an undergraduate affiliated with CUSA, is UC Irvine’s first recipient of the George J. Mitchell Scholarship. Schick completed honors research on 21st century security challenges with CUSA Director Richard Matthew.

McDonald wins Dean's Dissertation Fellowship Bryan McDonald has been awarded a Dean's Dissertation Fellowship from the School of Social Ecology for his dissertation project on "Human Security, Biological Threats and the Food System in the 21st Century." This recognition of Bryan’s work builds on his selection last summer for the University of California’s Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation’s Public Policy and Biological Threats Training Program.

Giannikopoulos to work with Cambodian NGO Dina Giannikopoulos, a graduate student affilated with CUSA, was selected to participate in a human rights delegation to Cambodia during summer 2005. She will work with Cambodian Volunteers for Community Development, a grassroots NGO whose mission is to reduce poverty within communities through education and volunteerism by offering disadvantaged citizens the opportunity to cooperate in their own community development. In addition to collecting preliminary data for her dissertation, Dina will also spend time teaching English to young children living in squatter communities in the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Schick wins Mitchell Scholarship Brittany Schick, a UCI Political Science major has been honored for her academics, leadership, and community service by being awarded a Mitchell Scholarship. Brittany has been working with CUSA on a project exploring the role of military intelligence in the new security environment of the 21st century. As a Mitchell Scholar, Brittany will study for a Master's degree in International Relations at Dublin City University where she will explore Northern Ireland's experiences dealing with terrorism. Brittany is the first UCI student to be chosen for this honor.

Three Undergraduates selected as UROP Fellows Three CUSA affiliated undergraduates have been selected as Fellows by UCI’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for 2004-2005. Lauren Sanne, “US Global HIV/AIDS Prevention Policy.” Brittany Schick, “The Changing Roles and Methods of U.S. Military Intelligence.” Darlene Tong, “U.S. Approach to Human Trafficking—Abroad and at Home."

Urban Security course tours LA/Long Beach Port Members of a our course on Urban Security toured the LA/Long Beach Port on June 9, 2004. Following a  presentation by the Coast Guard on port security challenges, class members were treated to a water's eye view of the port and were able to interact with port based law enforcement agents.