Phil Doherty
Phil’s doctoral research lies in terrorist risk assessment criteria and process validity, hostile reconnaissance, and terrorism decision making. Some of his work has looked at sentiment analyses on prior terrorist writings and language styles to research attack predictiveness and linguistic trends between writing types. He holds a BA in Criminology and Psychology and MSc in Countering Organised Crime and Terrorism. Before joining UCL, Philip worked as a Cyber Intelligence Analyst identifying patterns and trends of malicious and non-malicious strategic cyber activity globally, in particular the APAC region.
Sara Rubini
Sara’s doctoral research investigates politically motivated hackers, with a particular focus on understanding the similarities and differences between various ideologies, as well as how their actions evolve during times of conflict. To pursue this research, she drew on her background in political science and international security, integrating it with insights from criminology and computer science. Sara has also worked as PGTA and Research Assistant in the Department of Seucirty and Crime Science. Outside academia she works as a Research Specialist for Rape Crisis South London.
Lujia Pei
Lujia’s doctoral research focuses on youth radicalisation and extremism, with a particular interest in the psychological, behavioural, and social factors that contribute to pathways of violent mobilisation. She is currently working on a project examining grievance-fuelled targeted violence in the United States, where she analyses case data and investigates mobilisation processes. Lujia holds academic degrees in criminology, psychology, and international crime and justice, with prior experience at Penn State University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She has also taught on topics such as eyewitness testimony, counter-terrorism, and extremism. Her broader interests include individual vulnerability, identity development, and cognitive pathways in radicalisation, with the aim of informing early intervention and prevention strategies.
Mary-Ann Cherry
Mary-Ann’s doctoral research is grounded in social psychology and focuses on the influence of intergroup emotions (particularly contempt and hate) on the development of a violent extremist worldview. She holds a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Countering Organised Crime and Terrorism. Mary-Ann has over a decade of analytical and leadership experience at the intersection of national security, counter-terrorism, and behavioural science, including extensive work across Defence, policing, and international partnerships. She has particular expertise in integrating behavioural and psychological frameworks into assessment methodology.
Shu Jia Chee
Shu Jia’s doctoral research examines how extremist actors leverage disinformation, propaganda, and persuasive strategies to cognitively manipulate and influence online audiences. She holds a BA in Criminology and MRes in Security Science. Before joining UCL, she worked as a social and behavioural scientist, where she employed horizon scanning methods and security perspectives to identify strategic challenges and evolving threats in the APAC region.
Ance Martinsone
Ance’s doctoral research explores how personal grievances and online conspiracy narratives interact to drive radicalisation and political violence, focusing on the January 6th Capitol riots in the USA, with the goal of better understanding mobilisation pathways and informing interventions. She holds an MPhil in Criminology from the University of Cambridge, and a BSc in Security and Crime Science from UCL. Ance is also a research assistant on several projects, including one examining lone-actor grievance-fuelled violence in the USA and another looking at emerging extremist groups such as 764 and O9A. Beyond academia, her prior experience includes threat assessment research at Theseus Risk Management and engagement with counter-extremism policy through the EU Radicalisation Awareness Network.
Emily Mayrand
Emily doctoral research focuses on the influence of time and context on risk, and risk assessment. Her other research interests include disengagement and intervention efforts. Emily has a Master of Arts from Georgetown University, and a BSocSc in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from the University of Ottawa. Prior to starting her research at UCL she worked for Public Safety Canada's Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence as a Research Analyst.
Valia Panagiotaropoulou
Valia doctoral research is on the direct and indirect effects of the urban built environment on terrorism. Her current work focuses on how spatial and structural features of cities may facilitate or inhibit the activation of foreign fighter mobilisation across diverse geopolitical and urban contexts. She holds a Diploma in Architectural Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and an MPhil in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. Her previous research has explored the impact of micro-scale spatial characteristics on terrorist target selection, as well as the urban configurations necessary to accommodate the legal, educational, and childcare needs of refugees and displaced populations.