Brent L. Smith Undergraduate Research Award

The Brent L. Smith Undergraduate Travel Award supports the TRC’s mission to inform evidence-based policy and practice and to train the next generation of researchers and law enforcement professionals. Recipients of the award are chosen by an award committee made up of TRC faculty and staff.  Recipients demonstrate leadership by contributing to sponsored research grants, mentoring interns, and presenting at conferences. The award supports undergraduate UofA students seeking to present research by providing funds for travel.

Becca Simpson
ATS Project Manager

Becca Simpson is a senior triple majoring in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminology. Simpson currently serves as a TRC Project Manager for the American Terrorism Study (ATS). She has contributed to three funded research projects and has played an integral role in managing large databases and TRC Interns.

Distinguished Professor Brent L. Smith, founder of the Terrorism Research Center (TRC), was a staunch supporter and advocate of integrating students into ongoing research projects. After receiving his Ph.D. from Purdue University, Smith began active duty in the U.S. Army and taught courses at the Police School. Smith’s course curriculum was centered around “predicting terrorism.” While teaching the course, Smith realized just how little was known about the topic.

Since that time, Smith made significant contributions to the body of research on American terrorism and is considered a pioneer in the criminological study of terrorism and violent extremism. Smith may be most remembered, however, by the continued guidance and support he gave to the many students he mentored during his career. Colleagues remember Smith as continuously striving to find opportunities to incorporate graduate and undergraduate students into his research. The TRC hopes to continue Dr. Smith’s legacy by providing the award to undergraduate students intending to present research at national conferences.