Jessica Davis: Bridging Research and Practice in Counter-Terrorist Financing
Jessica Davis came to NPSIA with a wealth of experience in national security—but the PhD program offered her something new: the chance to bridge policy and academia in a way that would redefine her career. A former intelligence analyst with experience at Global Affairs, FINTRAC, and CSIS, Davis brought a wealth of practical knowledge to her doctoral studies. Encouraged by her longtime colleague and friend, Dr. Stephanie Carvin, she applied to NPSIA— “a bit of a fluke,” she admits—with the goal of conducting policy-relevant research on terrorist financing.
That decision led to a uniquely interdisciplinary and productive experience. Co-supervised by Dr. Carvin and Dr. Dane Rowlands, Davis found a collaborative environment that shaped her dissertation into something that bridged the gap between academic theory and policy application. “The academic work wasn’t talking to the policy world, and the policy world wasn’t listening to academics,” she explained. “I tried to bring those two sides together.”
While completing her doctorate, Davis also ran her consulting business, Insight Threat Intelligence, published a widely read newsletter, and launched the Secure Line podcast. With NPSIA’s encouragement, she pursued media commentary, research partnerships, and co-authored projects with faculty like Dr. Alex Wilner (she later had the opportunity to brief the U.S. Special Representative for Hostage Affairs on their joint work on kidnapping-for-ransom).
“NPSIA had this incredible flexibility and a culture that encouraged public engagement, it gave me room to explore.”
In 2023, her work was nationally recognized with a SSHRC Impact Talent Award—an honour that affirmed the relevance of her research in a field often overlooked. “Counter-terrorist financing is niche and complicated,” she said. “To have it recognized at that level was really validating.” And this week, she will be awarded a University Medal for Outstanding Graduate Work at the Doctoral Level—a prestigious honour presented at convocation to recognize exceptional academic achievement.
Now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary, Davis continues to research illicit finance, currently focusing on how state and non-state actors use cryptocurrency to evade sanctions. She’s also turning her dissertation into a book.
Her advice to future PhD students? “Listen to your advisors. That back-and-forth is how the ideas get sharper.” At NPSIA, she found not just guidance but mentorship—professors who challenged her thinking, encouraged public engagement, and supported her ambitions.
“It was always a team effort,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to do this work.”