Working at the ICT

After being here for a month, I feel like I have finally gotten the hang of things. Work at the International Institute for Counter Terrorism is really interesting and I am enjoying every day some much.
My work consists of a few things. First, I am working on my own research which focuses on public resilience in dealing with terrorism and fear. I am still at the early stages but I have already found some really interesting ideas to build upon. Secondly, we work on simulations that allow us to asses potential risks within certain systems. Finally, the third part of it is other projects. Among them I am helping organize the executive Program: a three week course with some of the top scholars in the field of counter terrorism that will be taking place in July.

A typical day in the office starts at 10:30 a.m. which is pretty nice compared to other places. The problem is that you really need to time the bus to the Interdisciplinary Center (the college where the ICT is based) correctly. If not, a 40 min journey can take up to double the time! In any case, at the office we mostly focus on our own research and projects but we have frequent meetings with researchers and among us to make sure we are on track and doing what we need to do. I have to say it is a privilege to be meeting and learning from so many amazing experts in their own fields within counter terrorism. Only in this month, I have already learned so much.

The interns usually grab lunch together at the school cafeteria at around 12:30 and then we go back to the office and keep on working until about 4:30 p.m. We also have certain lectures we can sit in which has been one of my favorite parts. At the end of the day I usually either hang around the IDC or Herzliya before going salsa dancing or I come back to Tel Aviv to do other things.

Although this experience is different to Rome, I am very happy and have been really really busy both within the ICT and in the afternoons. I have kept on going to salsa and now I have my friends there which I really enjoy. Moving forward I want to do some more traveling in the country, but I am also looking forward to continue building on the relationships I have begun to create here. I think meeting people from all over has been one of my favorite parts about being abroad and in different places. Although it will be difficult to say goodbye...again, the people I have met and continue to meet have made of these experiences unforgettable.