Department Head, International Affairs
Professor of International Affairs
Faculty Fellow, Benson-Bertsch CITS

Curriculum Vitae

Professional Website

Personal Website

Justin Conrad is Department Head and Professor of International Affairs. He is an international security expert with a focus on nuclear security, energy security, interstate conflict, and terrorism. Dr. Conrad is jointly appointed to the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL).

Dr. Conrad’s work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Stanton Foundation, and his research has been published in leading academic journals, including International Organization, the Journal of Politics and the British Journal of Political Science.

He is the author or co-author of three books: Gambling and War: Risk, Reward, and Chance in International Conflict (2017), Militant Competition: How Terrorists and Insurgents Advertise with Violence and How They Can Be Stopped (2021), and Probability and Statistics: The Vegas Way (2024).

Dr. Conrad has appeared in, and his research has been cited in, a variety of international media outlets, including the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, National Interest, Diplomat, Slate France, Navy Times, and Voice of America.

In addition to his research activities, Dr. Conrad develops and implements training programs for government officials and corporate audiences on topics such as counterproliferation, border security, and strategic trade management.  He is a former U.S. Navy officer and has worked in the international private sector.

Education
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  • Ph.D, Florida State University
  • MA, University of California-Los Angeles
Areas of Expertise
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  • International security
  • International conflict
  • Nuclear security
  • Energy security
  • Counterterrorism
Honors, Awards, and Achievements
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  • Student Career Success Influencer Award (2023)
  • SPIA Excellence in Research Award (2022)
  • Best Paper in International Relations Award, Midwest Political Science Association (2018)
Affiliations
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  • Faculty Fellow, Benson-Bertsch Center for International Trade and Security
  • Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy
Selected Publications
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Douglas, James W., Justin Conrad, and Joseph A. Frederick. 2025. “Budgeting for the Human-Made Disaster of War: US Aid to Ukraine.” Public Money and Management 45(3): 247-255.

Reyes, Liana Eustancia, Justin Conrad, and Cyanne Loyle. 2025. “Depoliticizing Rebels: Government Use of Civilian Trials during Armed Conflict.” Conflict Management and Peace Science. 07388942251342975.

Conrad, Justin, Kevin T. Greene, and Brian J. Phillips. 2024. “Introducing ViNSAR: Dyadic Data on Violent Non-state Actor Rivalry.” Journal of Conflict Resolution: 68(9): 1884-1908.

Walsh, James Igoe, Justin Conrad, and Beth Elise Whitaker. 2024. “Rebel Human Rights Abuses During Civil Wars: Introducing the Rebel Human Rights Dataset.” Journal of Peace Research 61(3): 477-488.

Conrad, Justin. 2023. “Natural Resource Exploitation and Military Spending.” International Studies Quarterly 67(3).

Conrad, Justin and William Spaniel. 2021. Militant Competition: How Terrorists and Insurgents Advertise with Violence and How They Can Be Stopped (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

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