Amidu Kalokoh, a doctoral student in Public Policy and Administration at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, is the recipient of the 2023 Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Summer Program Scholarship in Quantitative Methods. The program, held at the University of Michigan, offers in-person and online classes and is designed to fulfill the training needs of researchers. Students will receive  one-on-one guidance on best research practices while learning to understand collected data. Kalokoh says receiving the scholarship is fantastic news.

“This award rewards my hard work and commitment to my education,” He adds, “It builds my confidence that I am in the right direction in my academic and professional endeavors. I feel inspired to keep working hard and smart.”

“At the Wilder School, you meet hardworking and friendly faculty and administrators who care about your progress as a student. The close mentorship with professors provides guidance in navigating learning and preparation for professional life.” – Amidu Kalokoh

Kalokoh’s current research explores the intersections of criminal justice, homeland security and emergency management. He is focused on improving law enforcement engagement with school safety and security arrangements, disaster and emergency management, mitigating money laundering, fighting financing terrorism and, democratic governance. His research interests developed through his experiences growing up amid a civil war and post-war conditions in Sierra Leone.

“Part of the problem was bad governance caused by ineffective policies and public service. I selected this field to contribute to public policy and administration in ways that transform governance, criminal justice system, security and emergency management.”

Growing up during a civil war, his parents played a pivotal role by providing love and compassion while ensuring his survival and education. Their resilience inspires Kalokoh and drives him to pursue his education further. His choice to attend the Wilder School was an easy decision.

“At the Wilder School, you meet hardworking and friendly faculty and administrators who care about your progress as a student,” he says. The close mentorship with professors provides guidance in navigating learning and preparation for professional life.”

Kalokoh is a fellow of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), a William Averette Anderson Fund fellow, which supports underrepresented doctoral students in programs and research that relate to hazard mitigation and disaster risk reduction, and a winner of 2022 and 2023 Leigh E. Grosenick Scholarship for outstanding scholarly achievement. Once he completes his Ph.D. program, Kalokoh plans to secure a faculty position in academia. He is also interested in working with intergovernmental organizations and think tanks, which strengthen democratic governance, security, and sustainable development.

Read Amidu Kalokoh’s recent published articles

Louis‐Charles, Kalokoh, A., Torres, J., & Jamieson, T. (2023). Emergency management and the final frontier: Preparing local communities for falling space debris. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1002/rhc3.12266 

Louis-Charles, H., Teron, L., Douglas-Glenn, N., & Kalokoh, A. (2023). Unmasking disaster disparities and inequality in local emergency management. In E. L. Harper-Anderson, J. S. Albanese, & S. T. Gooden (Eds.), Racial equity, covid-19 pandemic, and public policy: The triple pandemic (pp. 11-31). Taylor & Francis Group DOI:10.4324/9781003286967-2 

Kalokoh, A., & Kochtcheeva, L. V. (2022). Governing the artisanal gold mining sector in the Mano River Union: A comparative study of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Journal of

International Development, 34(7), 1398–1413. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3643