Dr Jessica White

Dr Jessica White is Acting Director of Terrorism and Conflict Studies at the Royal United Services Institute. Her expertise encompasses countering terrorism and violent extremism policy and programming, with a focus on gender mainstreaming strategies. She has over a decade’s worth of experience, both as a researcher and a security practitioner, having served in US military intelligence.

Jessica co-founded and co-convenes the Extremism and Gaming Research Network, as well as leading RUSI’s Far-Right Extremism and Terrorism programme. She is also an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism and Expert Working Group member of the Counter-Terrorism Preparedness Network.

Jessica conducts research projects and has recently published on a range of topics including gender in security, far-right extremism and terrorism, terrorism in the media, and the nexus of extremism and online gaming. She also regularly participates on expert panels and in the media.

Her recently published book Gender Mainstreaming in Counter-Terrorism Policy: Building Transformative Strategies to Counter Violent Extremism provides guidance for mainstreaming gender at international, national and programmatic levels. Jessica acts as a Gender Advisor on a range of projects, including for the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the European Union.