ABOUT MonTREP

The Monterey Terrorism Research and Educational Program (MonTREP)at the Monterey Institute of International Studies is a research and educational component of the Graduate School of International Policy Studies that conducts in-depth research, assesses policy options, and engages in public education on issues relating to terrorism and international security. The focus of the program is on the study of violence-prone extremist groups and their historical evolution, ideological motivations, organizational structure, demographic profile, operational methods, and potential interest in carrying out mass casualty attacks (including through the acquisition and use of so-called "weapons of mass destruction" [WMD]). Our experts examine the motivational factors that lead terrorist groups to select designated "enemies," choose particular targets, and resort to different types of attacks in an effort both to inform scholars and policymakers and to enhance the level of public knowledge about how and why such actors make strategic and tactical decisions. Our objective is to undertake projects that adhere to the highest scholarly standards but also have the potential to contribute to the formulation of more effective security and counterterrorism policies.

Since its inception, MonTREP has supported the work of a wide range of private and public institutions, ranging from government agencies to international organizations to academic foundations. MonTREP is also a major partner in the newly-created Homeland Security National Center for the Study of Terrorism and the Response to Terrorism (NC-START). NC-START is a consortium of educational and research institutions that received the competitive award for the fourth Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence (DHS-COE).

The threat assessments generated by MonTREP combine historical and sociological research, regional and language expertise, technical assessments, and scientific analyses. Our staff relies on both in-house and, when necessary, outside expertise. Such an integrated approach allows MonTREP to conduct cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative studies on the study of terrorism, WMD, and international security. While many organizations continue to struggle to develop or refine their thinking about these critical aspects of the terrorist threat, the Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies has already spent several years analyzing these crucial issues and is therefore especially well-placed to make significant contributions to national and international security.

MonTREP is staffed by scholars with backgrounds in the social sciences, humanities, physical sciences, and public policy. Full-time staff include: Dr, Fred Wehling (Co-Director for Research), Dr. Jeffrey M. Bale (Senior Researcher and terrorism expert), Sammy Salama (Senior Research Associate and Middle East expert), Sundara Vadlamudi (Researcher and WMD Terrorism Database Manager) and Researchers Markus Binder and Andrew Jayne. Each semester MonTREP also employs ten to twenty Graduate Research Assistants who are completing their education in security and nonproliferation studies at MIIS.