My research focuses on the history of American foreign relations, with an emphasis on the Middle East. My first book, Jimmy Carter and the Middle East: The Politics of Presidential Diplomacy, was published by Palgrave Macmillan. I have also begun work on new projects: a political history of the American media and the 1979-81 Iran Hostage Crisis, a biography of former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and an analysis of journalists in the first Arab-Israeli War.
Previously a Teaching Fellow and a Visiting Research Fellow, and a Guest Teacher in the International History Department. I have also been a Visiting Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, worked as an LSE100 Teaching Fellow, and served as a Managing Editor for Cold War History. Prior to academia, I spent a decade in journalism, latterly as senior producer and London editorial manager for NBCNews.com.
Expertise
History of U.S. Foreign Relations, Arab-Israeli Dispute, Modern Middle East, Journalism History, Transnational American History, Post-1945 U.S.
"FLAG and the Diplomacy of the Iran Hostage Families," Meeting of Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) (June 28, 2016)
"FLAG and the Diplomacy of the Iran Hostage Families, 1979-81," International History Research Seminar, LSE (September 30, 2015)
"U.S. Domestic Politics and the Iran Hostage Crisis," Middle East Research Seminar, LSE (March 2, 2015)
"Desperate Diplomacy: The Politics of Jimmy Carter’s ‘Wild Dash’ to Conclude the Egypt-Israel Treaty," Cold War Research Seminar, LSE (February 5, 2014)
"Jimmy and the Jets: Capitol Hill Fight Over Carter’s 1978 Middle East ‘Package’ Airplane Sale," SHAFR (June 21, 2013)
"The Press as a Source and Topic of Historical Inquiry," International History Research Seminar, LSE (February 20, 2013)
"Pivot: Sadat’s Israel Trip, Public Opinion and U.S. Policy," SHAFR (June 28, 2012)
"Sadat’s Jerusalem Trip and U.S. Policy Response," Middle East Research Seminar, LSE (February 6, 2012)
"‘Getting Control’: U.S. Efforts to Manage the Message at the 1978 Camp David Summit," LSE-GWU-UCSB Conference on the Cold War, London (April 20, 2012)
"Carter, Domestic Politics and the Effort to Convene a 1977 Mideast Conference," European Summer School on Cold War History, Padua, Italy (September 10, 2011)
Research
PhD fully funded by LSE PhD Studentship (scholarship), which covered full tuition and an annual stipend (2009-12)
Master’s dissertation won Medlicott Prize with highest mark in department (2006)
Winner of Class Teacher Award for work on LSE100 course (2015)
Martín Abél Gonzales Departmental Prize for teaching excellence (2012)
Nominated for LSE-Student Union Teaching Excellence Award (2014, 2015, 2016)
Recipient of LSE International History PhD partial scholarship (2012-13)
Recipient of LSE International History Travel Bursary (2010-13)
Member of an NBCNews.com unit that won First Place, Team Video, National Press Photographers Association for series about economic migration in Europe (2007)
Peacock Award (internal NBCNews.com recognition of excellence) (2007)
