PEOPLE
The AISSS Team
AISSS is led by distinguished scholars and practitioners with deep expertise in African security, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations.
Leadership
Prof. Declan I. Onwudiwe
Director / Principal Investigator
Professor Declan Onwudiwe is a leading scholar of African security, terrorism, and political violence. He founded AISSS to create a dedicated research and policy hub that centers African perspectives on African security challenges. He is a Professor at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University.
Prof. Robert Mupier
Associate Director / Data and Grant Management Coordinator
Professor Robert Mupier is a scholar of African politics, governance, and security. He brings extensive expertise in political economy and institutional analysis to AISSS's research agenda.
Prof. George Klay Kieh Jr.
Coordinator, Research and Publications
Professor George Klay Kieh Jr. is a distinguished scholar of African politics and international relations, with particular expertise in West African security and U.S.–Africa policy.
Prof. Chris Chinwe Ulasi
Coordinator, Media and Public Affairs
Prof. Chris Chinwe Ulasi coordinates AISSS media and public affairs, supporting the institute's communications, outreach, and publications activities.
Fellows
AISSS fellows are scholars and practitioners who contribute to the institute's research agenda and engage with its programs. Fellows bring expertise from across the African continent and the United States.
David Baker
David Baker is an Associate Professor at Texas Southern University's Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs in the Department of Administration of Justice and Acting Chair. He is also a research Fellow at the Center for Justice Research and has published in a variety of criminal justice journals, including the International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory, the International Criminal Justice Review, Criminology and Criminal Justice Research & Education.
Jasmine Drake
Jasmine Drake serves as the interim associate dean and an associate professor in the BJ-ML School of Public Affairs and as the laboratory coordinator of the Forensic Science Learning Laboratory at Texas Southern University. Since 2016, she has also served as a Governor-appointed commissioner on the Texas Forensic Science Commission. She earned a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Southern University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Louisiana State University. Her current research focuses on disparities in drug policies and the identification and characterization of emerging drugs and the development of novel analytical techniques for their reliable identification. Previously, Drake worked as a forensic chemist at the Drug Enforcement Administration in Dallas, TX. She is also a research fellow at the TSU Center for Justice Research.
Jovita O. Esechie
Jovita O. Esechie holds a PhD in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy and a Master's in Public Administration from Texas Southern University. Prior to joining TSU, she was a Visiting Professor/Consultant in the College of Business at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman from 2004–2010. She is currently a Faculty Instructor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. Her primary research areas are Environmental Planning, Public Policy, Emergency Management, Community Resilience and Sustainability, and Rehabilitation of Ailing Economies through Effective Management of Small-Scale Industries. She was awarded a fellowship by NASA in 2008 as part of a team in the URC-Center for Bio-Nanotechnology and Environmental Research at Texas Southern University.
Andrew I. E. Ewoh
Andrew I. E. Ewoh is a Professor of Political Science and Public Administration in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. He served as Interim Dean and Interim Associate Dean at TSU. He is a Fulbright Specialist for the Council for International Exchange of Scholars and a Visiting Professor of Public Administration at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. His long-term research interests are in public policy, public administration, governance, human resource management, political economy, economic development, conflict management, and security studies. He is a Fulbright Specialist Alumnus, a Fellow of the Academy of Political Science, and is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.
Jimmy Imo
Jimmy Imo is a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Durham, North Carolina. He is a specialist in Terrorism, Public Policy, Media and Communications, and author, whose career spans top leadership and management roles across the public and private sectors in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A dedicated lifelong learner and Chevening Scholar, he holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Administration with a specialization in Terrorism Mediation and Peace from Walden University. His research interests include Security Studies, Terrorism, Military, Peacekeeping, and communication and media. He is an active member of the International Communications Association (ICA) and the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA).
Oluponmile Olonilua
Oluponmile Olonilua is the Interim Chair and Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Texas Southern University. She earned her Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy from Texas Southern University. She is the coordinator for the Emergency Management and Homeland Security degree program and is a certified flood plain manager (CFM). Her research interests are hazard mitigation/emergency management, diversity, equity, and inclusion planning, land use planning, environmental planning, and community development. She is a Board Member of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Association.
Smart Otu
Smart Otu holds two doctoral degrees in Criminology — a D.Litt. & Phil. from the University of South Africa, Pretoria, and a D.Phil. from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He is a Fellow of the West Africa Research Association (WARA) and has served as a research intern with the RAND Corporation. He currently serves as a Professor at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Nigeria. His research interests are in organized crime, criminal profiling, conventional violent crimes, prisons, police and policing, corruption, and criminal justice systems. He also serves as a visiting professor at various universities and a consultant to many organizations on matters relating to crime, law, corruption, and security.
Graduate Student Fellows
Abba Giza
Abba Giza is a doctoral candidate in Educational Administration at Texas Southern University, where his research focuses on student persistence, stop-out behavior, and the role of cognitive and non-cognitive factors in higher education outcomes. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Management Information Systems. Professionally, he serves as a System Analyst within the Office of Information Technology at Texas Southern University, where he supports enterprise system integration and the deployment of digital learning technologies. His broader research and professional interests include digital equity, workforce development, educational policy, and the application of data analytics to improve institutional effectiveness. He is particularly interested in contributing to interdisciplinary research that informs policy and strengthens institutional capacity in both U.S. and African contexts.
Undergraduate Student Fellows
Stephanie Worjloh
Stephanie Worjloh is a major in the Department of Administration of Justice in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University.
AISSS welcomes applications from scholars and practitioners interested in joining our fellowship program. Fellows contribute to ongoing research projects, participate in AISSS events, and benefit from the institute's networks and resources.
Contact us to learn more about fellowship opportunities.
Contact AISSS