Terrorism Research Center Staff
Dr. Steven Windisch
TRC Director & Assistant Professor
Dr. Windisch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and Director of the Terrorism Research Center (TRC). He earned his Ph.D. in Criminology & Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His interests are primarily at the individual-level and focus on how the negative consequences of physical/psychological trauma, identity formation, and interpersonal violence intersect with political extremism.
Laurie Mitchell
TRC Program Manager
Laurie Mitchell serves as the TRC Program Manager. She received her MS in Applied Sociology from the University of Texas-Dallas. With a background and program management and evaluation, Mitchell oversees the day-to-day operations of the TRC’s internship program and several federally-funded projects concentrating on radicalization, domestic extremism, and terrorism.
Student Research Assistants
Sophie Glick
M.A. Student
Ali Harrison
M.A. Student
Becca Simpson
M.A. Student
Taylor Tanaka
M.A. Student
Diego Sanchez Alvarez
M.A. Student
Madison Page
M.A. Student
Alyson Daykin
B.S. Student
Maddie Gwinner
B.A. Student
Alex Castronovo
B.S. Student
Hailyn Toedter
B.A,
Spring 2026 TRC Interns: Conrad Haslauer, Jamileth Rueda, Alena Ultes, Josh Blakely, Payton Allen, Reese Smith, Keiko Yoshiki, Autumn New, Molly Blancaflor, Crystal Delgado, Audrey Holick, Eliza Staton, Trinity Bale, Brooke Alvarez, Vivian Pettigrew, Caitlynn Weaver, Emma Jarrett, James Tullous, Sydney Watts, Caroline Culpepper, Lilly Lindsey, Arden Austin, Samantha Quevedo, Eleanor Foley, Kayleigh Gwiazdowski, Michael Guzman, Kristen Arft
Affiliated People & Programs
Dr. Steve Chermak (Michigan State University)
Dr. Josh Freilich (John Jay College, CUNY)
Dr. Summer Jackson (California State – East Bay)
Dr. Brent Klein (University of South Carolina)
START Center (University of Maryland)
Katie Ratcliff (Walmart Global Security and Investigations)
Brynn Schuetter (University of South Carolina)
Dr. Pete Simi (Chapman University)
The TRC core staff works with students and faculty at the graduate and undergraduate level across multiple disciplines, and collaborates with researchers at various organizations and universities. Meet some of the students that have worked with us and are recent graduates.
Interested in how the TRC supports undergraduate level research? Check out the newly established Brent L. Smith Undergraduate Research Award!
For more information about getting involved with the TRC, please see Opportunities.