START is currently accepting applications for the Summer 2018 Internship Program!
Looking for interns with skills in or majoring in Criminology, Communications, Government, International Relations, Public Policy, History, GIS, Geography, Economics, English, Mathematics, Psycholo
Interns will receive mentoring, training, and the ability to participate in a calendar of professional development activities. START is also willing to work with academic institutions to enable students to undertake our internships for credit. Our internships are unpaid and students must be able to undertake their work hours at START at the University of Maryland College Park, unless stated in the internship description.
Below is a short summary of the opportunities available. For more information and to access the application form: http://www.start.umd.edu
Global Terrorism Database (GTD) Internships
The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is the most comprehensive unclassified terrorism database in the world. Currently updated through 2016, the GTD details information on more than 170,000 terrorist attacks that have occurred since 1970. Data from the GTD have been featured by the BBC, CNN, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Economist, The New York Times, Reuters, The Washington Post, and numerous other media outlets. The data are also used by the United States Department of State in its annual publication, Country Reports on Terrorism. GTD interns gain valuable experience working on a time-sensitive data collection effort that is used by those responsible for shaping United States counterterrorism policy. The GTD intern team is organized into the following themes:
- GTD: Incident Location and Geographic Identification
- GTD: Perpetrator Identification
- GTD: Target Classification
- GTD: Understanding the Patterns and Use of Weapons and Tactics
- GTD: The Consequences of Terrorism – Casualties and Outcomes
- GTD: Coding Intern At Large (Generalist)
Open-Source Geospatial Intelligence Internship
These internship opportunities will consist of open-source research in furtherance of a large-scale data collection effort to determine possible points of entry (POEs) across a variety of nations.
Conduct open source research to identify transnational criminal Cartel Smuggling organizations, in South America and the United States that may be relevant to attempts to smuggle illegal drugs and material. Interns will research specific groups, translate Spanish information to English, and identify new or emerging patterns relevant to project interest. Interns may also be involved in additional data collection on those organizations and networks that are deemed as having the capability to engage in such trafficking. Interns may also work to identify or verify through open sources transportation networks in the regions of interest.
Unconventional Weapons and Technology (UWT): Aviation Insider Threat Research Internship
A principal goal of the homeland security enterprise is the deterrence, detection, and prevention of radiological and nuclear (RN) terrorism against the United States. This effort is pursued in part through the understanding and analysis of various pathways and modalities of attack which adversaries could exploit. With the 2010 attempt by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to infiltrate the international air cargo (IAC) system, focus has turned to the possibility of the IAC becoming susceptible to terrorist plots involving uncontrolled RN materials, as well as the development of “insiders” who could help to facilitate these ends. Through rigorous study of the air cargo industry and the psychosocial factors which could precede a vetted employee’s choice to betray his or her company’s commercial goals, START has developed a novel modeling and diagnostic tool relying on a brand new approach to improving air cargo and air cargo personnel security now deployed in the IAC system. During the summer 2018 period, the project team will execute the software tool’s deployment with government and commercial cargo entities.
Communications Internship
The START Communications team is seeking communications, public relations or journalism students to serve as interns this summer semester. Rather than performing START research, candidates chosen for this project will gain extensive experience writing and publishing, developing social media strategies, and monitoring and reporting various analytics for the organization as a whole. Interns will also have the opportunity to work with the news media, learn media list and monitoring programs, and work in graphic design.
Multimedia Internship
The START Communications team is seeking a Multimedia intern this summer. Rather than performing START research, candidates chosen for this project will gain extensive experience filming and editing professional training videos, assisting in designing concepts for multimedia projects and using a studio lighting kit to produce high quality video. Interns will also have the opportunity to work with the Multimedia team in order to design graphics and photograph company events.
ICONS Project Internship
The International Communication and Negotiation Simulations Project (ICONS) is a unit of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland, College Park. ICONS creates web-based computer simulations for policy analysis and forecasting to help public and private sector organizations solve complex problems. Our policy division creates bespoke simulations to support think tanks, cabinet-level agencies, and Department of Defense major commands as they tackle complex national security challenges. Our Education Division places high school and college students from around the globe in challenging online simulation and gaming exercises that allow them to role-play resolving contentious geo-political issues.
START/State Department Terrorist Organizations Project Internship
START is excited to be able to offer a limited number of highly selective intern positions to students interested in working on projects for the U.S. State Department using START data (such as the GTD) and other open sources. Students will be tasked with developing materials that create a realistic scenario based on extensive research on history, geopolitical situations, and internal religious or ethnic cleavages in a region in support the Bureau of Counterterrorism training efforts. This internship will be co-supervised by START on-site staff at the University of Maryland and by project leads at the U.S. State Department. The U.S. State Department leads will set and give feedback on tasks.
Understanding Domestic Radicalization and Hate Crimes
This internship will support START research focused on the processes of radicalization to violent extremism and hate crime offending in the United States. The core component of this research portfolio is the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset, the largest dataset of US-based cases of radicalization of its kind, which contains information on the trajectories, mechanisms, and consequences of violent and non-violent extremism at the individual level. PIRUS and its related projects have already generated significant attention among policymakers and scholars, and PIRUS researchers have published several reports and articles based on the data.
Developing Technology in Explosive Detection Dogs Internship
Interns for this project will assist in developing deployment strategies with explosive detection dogs while utilizing new technology in the field. Interns will be working closely with four K9 dogs and their handlers while training and being deployed for Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device Detection.
Why choose an internship at START?
- Experience working with a large team of dynamic and experienced researchers.
- Exposure to cutting edge theories and methods.
- Deepen your understanding of current issues in terrorism and homeland security.
- Work on projects of immediate interest to the practitioner and policy community.
- Hone and develop a range of transferable skills attractive to future employers.
- Opportunity to work with and meet other students and researchers with similar interests.
- Enrichment activities offering wide opportunities for learning and personal growth, schedule includes simulations, career presentations and research talks.
- Mentorship from START staff and researchers in a successful professional environment.
- Internships can be undertaken for academic credit (depending on approval from your institution and department).
General requirements
Applicants for all internships must:
- Have a good academic record.
- Demonstrate an interest in the subject matter.
- Be able to complete their internship work hours on site at START.
- Agree to attend orientation and training.
- Submit an application by the deadline, all application packets must include:
- A complete application for the correct semester (available at http://www.start.umd.edu/ca
reers/internships ), - One page resume,
- Cover letter,
- Writing sample,
- Unofficial transcripts from most recent institution.
Each project may have additional requirements, including minimum credit hours, preferred majors and compulsory meeting times.
How to apply
Priority application deadline Summer 2018: Sunday, March 4, 2018; 11:59pm
Final application deadline Summer 2018: Sunday, March 25, 2018; 11:59pm
Applicants should visit http://www.start.umd.edu
For more information about the projects, requirements and for the application form visit: http://www.start.umd.ed
