
Anabella Nosel
Research Intern, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
Major: CCJS
Class Year: 2024
What was a typical week like in your internship position?
A typical week includes working in person and remotely. I prefer to work in person as the office environment motivates me and I can chat with my fellow interns about an interesting case. My work consists of looking at open sources (news articles, court documents, social media sites, etc.) to build a mini-case study on an individual who was radicalized in the U.S. I code about 100 variables into Excel about the individual and how law enforcement responded to their behavior. We have one team meeting a week where we talk about different topics relating to the field such as militia groups, new research methods, and potential policy implications to combat violent extremism.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
I really enjoyed networking with my fellow interns during team meetings. Part of our internship requires us to do an end-of-year presentation. I had the opportunity to collaborate with a fellow intern to do a research project on social media and radicalization trends where we looked at updated Profiles of Individuals Radicalized in the United States (PIRUS) data. We utilized pivot tables to update graphs and charts from a brief previously published by START researchers. Likewise, we connected our findings and trends to a case study on QAnon. This presentation brought me closer to my fellow intern and was a fantastic experience to add to my research experience!
How did your coursework help you in your internship?
As I am part of the GTSM program, my understanding of domestic and international terrorism greatly aided my experience at START. Specifically, BSST338R: Far-Right Extremism played a huge role in my interest in understanding domestic radicalization. It was really interesting to see my professional work and my education intersect throughout this internship experience.
How did you locate your internship position?
I found my internship through involvement in my minor, Global Terrorism Studies.
Advice for students:
Don't be afraid to apply for a position or company that is a little outside your field of expertise. Recruiters are looking for someone with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. They will train you for the job and support your progress. Ask questions and network throughout your experience, too!