Emily Burchfield was an assistant director at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, where she managed a wide range of projects aimed at promoting peace and security through scholarship and engagement. Her research focused primarily on civil conflict, its regional implications, and its impact on US foreign policy. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Security Studies at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations and a minor in Middle East Studies from the University of California, San Diego. Previously a program assistant at the Atlantic Council focusing on Syria, she also has experience as a researcher focused on political, security, and humanitarian developments in Iraq, and working with Syrian and Iraqi refugees in both Jordan and the United States. She has co-authored and edited Atlantic Council reports including The MENA Region: A Great Power Competition, The Future of Northeast Syria, and The Arc of Crisis in the MENA Region. A frequent contributor to Atlantic Council blogs MENASource and SyriaSource, her analysis has also been published in World Politics Review, RealClearDefense, The National Interest, Georgetown Security Studies Review, and regional outlets.