Omi Hodwitz’s expertise sheds light on the nuances of terrorism and crime. Before joining University of Idaho, she worked as a researcher at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at University of Maryland. Hodwitz’s research interests include the role of non-combatants in the escalation of terrorist activity, and she has conducted fieldwork in conflict regions such as Pakistan and Turkey.
Additionally, she has worked extensively to compile the most comprehensive database of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirits (MMIWG2) in the United States and Canada.
Hodwitz also provided the spark for getting U of I involved in the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program. The worldwide program allows U of I students to experience education in our prison system and correctional residents a glimpse at their own potential. As of 2022, thanks in part to Hodwitz’s leadership, incarcerated individuals in Idaho now have greater access to higher education, using the U.S. Department of Education’s Second Chance Pell Experiment.
Available to speak on: 

Terrorism and counterterrorism (examining the impact of criminal justice responses and counterterrorism policy on terrorist offending and reoffending patterns)
Missing and murdered Indigenous people (examining contributing factors, policy responses and trends across time and space)
Prison education (fostering reformation and reducing recidivism through educational initiatives)