Saeed Ahmed
Senior Research & Policy Specialist | Comparative Political Scientist | Global Affairs Scholar
Calgary, CA.About
Highly accomplished Comparative Political Scientist and Global Affairs Scholar with deep expertise in civil rights, political violence, and digital governance across the Global South. Proven leader in designing and executing large-scale research initiatives for WHO, UNICEF, and USAID, leveraging rigorous interdisciplinary methodologies including fieldwork and digital media analysis. Drives impactful research and policy recommendations to advance human rights, foster institutional trust, and address conflict legacies globally.
Work
Think Tank Journal
|Lead Global Survey Researcher
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Summary
Leading the design and computational analysis for a global youth survey focusing on Fifth-Generation Warfare, with findings currently under SCOPUS-indexed review.
Highlights
Designed a comprehensive global youth survey on Fifth-Generation Warfare (5GW), encompassing advanced sampling strategies, instrument development, and computational analysis.
Managed the research pipeline for a significant study, ensuring methodological rigor and preparing findings for SCOPUS-indexed peer review.
Preston University
|Visiting Faculty Lecturer
Islamabad, Punjab, Pakistan
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Summary
Delivers advanced courses in comparative politics, international relations, and research methods, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills in graduate students.
Highlights
Developed and delivered comprehensive curricula for courses including Comparative Politics, International Relations Theory, Political Economy of Development, and Research Methods.
Mentored and guided students in Peace & Conflict Studies and Governance & Public Policy, facilitating their understanding of complex global issues.
Integrated practitioner-style workshops leveraging UN and NGO field experience, enhancing practical application of academic concepts for over 100 students annually.
Supervised undergraduate and graduate capstone research projects, ensuring methodological rigor and academic excellence in comparative politics, conflict studies, and media analysis.
World Health Organization
|Technical Lead
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Summary
Co-led a critical community-based mortality surveillance initiative in Somalia, collaborating with LSHTM and the University of Geneva to enhance public health data collection and analysis.
Highlights
Co-led a community-based mortality surveillance program in Somalia, significantly improving data collection and analysis across conflict settings in collaboration with LSHTM and the University of Geneva.
Designed and implemented robust data validation systems, tools, and surveys to ensure accuracy and reliability of public health data in complex humanitarian environments.
Conducted in-depth interviews, applied causal inference modeling, and synthesized policy insights to inform strategic interventions for vulnerable populations.
Focused research on equity, crisis-affected communities, and rights-based access to health and information, directly contributing to evidence-based policy formulation.
USAID / Democracy International / MSI
|Senior Researcher
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Summary
Designed and led mixed-methods research frameworks on extremism, governance, and political behavior, providing strategic insights for international development initiatives.
Highlights
Designed and executed complex mixed-methods research frameworks, investigating extremism, governance, and political behavior across diverse contexts.
Led elite interviews, case studies, and longitudinal institutional analyses, generating comprehensive data for policy recommendations.
Contributed to strategic planning and program evaluation by providing evidence-based insights derived from rigorous research methodologies.
UNICEF
|Principal Specialist, Research & C4D
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Summary
Directed large-scale Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) surveys across Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, enhancing evidence-based program design for Communication for Development.
Highlights
Directed extensive Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) surveys across Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, informing critical C4D strategies and interventions.
Developed and implemented robust survey instruments, precise sampling frames, and comprehensive enumerator training protocols, ensuring high data quality and integrity.
Managed and executed data cleaning processes for large datasets, maintaining accuracy for subsequent analysis and reporting.
Authored and published methodological and policy-impact reports, translating complex research findings into actionable recommendations for UNICEF programs.
Oxfam Novib
|Policy Advisor
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Summary
Developed critical knowledge-sharing frameworks and governance diagnostics to improve program effectiveness across various conflict zones.
Highlights
Developed and implemented innovative knowledge-sharing frameworks to disseminate best practices and lessons learned across diverse conflict-affected regions.
Designed and applied comprehensive governance diagnostics, providing critical insights into institutional performance and accountability in complex environments.
International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI)
|Visiting Lecturer
Islamabad, Punjab, Pakistan
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Summary
Taught specialized courses in comparative politics and human rights, contributing to the academic development of students in international affairs.
Highlights
Instructed courses on Comparative Politics of the Middle East, Globalization & Development, and Human Rights & International Law.
Facilitated engaging classroom discussions and critical analysis of complex geopolitical issues for diverse student cohorts.
University of the Punjab
|Lecturer
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
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Summary
Delivered foundational courses in media, political communication, and public policy analysis, shaping students' understanding of contemporary societal challenges.
Highlights
Taught core curriculum in Media & Development, Political Communication, and Public Policy Analysis to undergraduate students.
Designed course materials and assessments to promote critical engagement with public policy and media studies.
University of Cambridge
|Research Assistant
Cambridge, England, UK
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Summary
Provided crucial research and academic support to students with learning disabilities across political science, IR, and media research fields.
Highlights
Provided tailored research and academic support to students with learning disabilities, enhancing their success in political science, International Relations, and media research.
Assisted in literature reviews, data collection, and analysis, contributing to the academic progress of multiple student projects.
Education
Preston University
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PhD
International Relations
Courses
Comparative Political Manoeuvrings
Global Order
Historical Political Economy
Security Studies
Computational Politics
AI-Driven Generational Warfare
London School of Economics (LSE)
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M.S.
Media & Development Studies
Courses
Political Communication
Comparative Politics
Global Governance
Awards
WHO Recognition for Research Leadership
Awarded By
World Health Organization (WHO)
Acknowledged for leadership in critical research initiatives, contributing to global health outcomes.
UNICEF Global Polio Research Award
Awarded By
UNICEF
Awarded for impactful research contributions to global polio eradication efforts.
USAID Awards for Governance Research
Awarded By
USAID
Recognized for significant contributions to governance research initiatives funded by USAID.
Chevening Scholarship
Awarded By
Chevening
Prestigious scholarship awarded by the UK government to future leaders for postgraduate study at UK universities.
Publications
Certificates
Leadership, Peacebuilding & Governance
Issued By
Harvard University
Peace & Conflict Research
Issued By
USIP
Project Management, Risk Mitigation & Budgeting
Issued By
University of California
Leadership, Governance & Institutional Design
Issued By
SUNY
Communication for Development & Public Health Emergency Research
Issued By
UNICEF
Skills
Research Methodologies
Causal Inference (DiD, IV, RDD, matching), Survey Experiments, Conjoint Analysis, Econometrics (panel data, multilevel models), Statistical Inference, Bayesian Methods, Geospatial and Conflict Event Data Analysis, Elite Interviews, Archival Research, Focus Groups, Process Tracing, Ethnographic Fieldwork, Mixed-Methods Research Design.
Data Analysis & Software
R, Stata, Python, QGIS, NVivo, Atlas.ti, Qualtrics, KoboToolbox, LaTeX, Computational Text Analysis (LLMs, NLP), Disinformation Mapping, Data Visualization.
Policy & Governance
Policy Analysis, Policy Synthesis, Public Policy Evaluation, Governance Diagnostics, Institutional Design, Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation, Risk Mitigation, Budgeting.
Subject Matter Expertise
Comparative Politics, International Relations Theory, Political Economy of Development, Peace & Conflict Studies, Security Studies, Digital Governance, Human Rights, Transitional Justice, Political Violence, Digital Propaganda, 5th-Generation Warfare, AI-Driven Warfare, State-Society Relations, Conflict Legacies, Crisis-Affected Communities, Vulnerable Populations.
Leadership & Training
Research Leadership, Team Leadership, Curriculum Development, Experiential Learning Design, Mentorship, Workshop Facilitation, Stakeholder Engagement, Cross-functional Collaboration.
Communication & Reporting
Academic Writing, Policy Briefs, Technical Reporting, Public Speaking, Digital Media Analysis.
Interests
Geopolitics & International Security
Political Violence, Conflict Legacies, Historical Political Economy, Global Order, 5th-Generation Warfare, Cyber Conflict, Digital Authoritarianism, Security Studies, State Capacity, Institutional Trust, Global Powers.
Human Rights & Development
Civil & Human Rights, Transitional Justice, Post-Conflict Reconciliation, Peacebuilding, Digital Governance, Migration, Diasporas, Political Belonging, Political Economy of Development, Public Health Emergency Research, Communication for Development.
Digital & Social Science
Digital Propaganda, Disinformation, Computational Social Science, AI-Driven Generational Warfare, Media Ecologies, Political Behavior, Survey Methods, Field Experiments, Causal Inference.
References
Prof. Dr. Amanullah Memon
Supervisor PhD, Preston University | aman.memonpres@gmail.com
Prof. Dr. Hassan Shahzad
IIUI | studycircle16@gmail.com
Projects
Computational Text Analysis & Disinformation Mapping
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Summary
Applied advanced computational methods, including LLMs and NLP, to analyze text data and map disinformation campaigns.
Human Rights Trends Visualization
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Summary
Visualized complex human rights trends using R/Python and geospatial tools to provide clear, actionable insights.
Digital Archiving & Media Histories
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Summary
Initiatives focused on digitally preserving and analyzing conflict narratives and media histories to inform peacebuilding and historical understanding.