About PAXsims

The PaxSims blog is devoted to the development and effective use of games and simulation-based learning concerning issues of conflict, peacebuilding, and development in fragile and conflict-affected states, as well as to the policy application of gaming and simulation techniques. We welcome comments.

Editors

Rex Brynen is Professor of Political Science at McGill University, where he specializes in Middle East politics, development, and security issues. He is author or editor of eleven books on the politics of the region. He has also served as a a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a member of the Political and Security Policy Staff of the (Canadian) Department of Foreign Affairs, an intelligence analyst for the Privy Council Office, and as a consultant to the International Development Research Centre, the World Bank, United Nations agencies, and others. In 2011 received the International Studies Association’s Deborah Gerner Innovative Teaching Award for his work with classroom simulations. He can be reached at rex.brynen (@) mcgill.ca, or on Twitter as @rexbrynen.

Gary Milante is an economist with an interest in game theory. He currently directs the Macroeconomics of Security project for the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), splitting his time between Washington DC and Stockholm. Before SIPRI, Gary worked for the World Bank on development in challenging environments of conflict and fragility, and was the team economist for the World Development Report 2011 on  conflict, security, and development. For the Bank he designed and delivered the Carana simulation more than a dozen times in the Bank’s fragile states strategy course. Additionally, he enjoys game play and design, time permitting. Occasionally Gary tweets from @gmilante and he can be reached at milante (@) SIPRI.org

 Associate Editors

Elizabeth “Ellie” Bartels is a PhD candidate and assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation. Prior to joining RAND, Ellie served as a Senior Associate at Caerus Associates working on developing and testing tools to better understand the urban operational environment. Ellie also led teams to design educational and analytical strategic wargames at the National Defense University. She has designed games for various parts of DoD, including military schoolhouses, OSD, force providers and operational commands, the Office of Personnel Management, Congressional Staff, and international military delegations. She focuses on how methods for national security game design for analysis and education can be improved She can be found on Twitter at @elliebartels.

Devin Ellis is a faculty research associate in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, and the Policy & Research Program Director for the ICONS Project – a simulation research and training program in the University’s Center for International Development and Conflict Management. He is an Affiliate Researcher at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), and a member of the CSIS Pacific Forum Young Leaders program. Ellis is a policy analyst by training, specializing in East Asian security issues and crisis management. He has designed or consulted on simulation and gaming projects for USAID, the World Bank, DHS, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, CSIS, the Office of Personnel Management, NDU, START, the Kennedy School of Government, the Fletcher School of Diplomacy, several Fortune 100 corporations, and various parts of DOD including the Joint Staff, OSD, and PACOM. He can be found on Twitter at @DevinHayesEllis.

Tom Mouat MBE is the Directing Staff Officer for Simulation and Modelling at the Defence Academy of the UK. He holds an MSc in Defence Modelling and Simulation and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education. In his 37 years’ service in the British Army he has served worldwide, including operational tours in Bosnia and Iraq, designed and run training events from Battlegroup to Corps level and spent five years in Defence Procurement as a Requirements Manager in the acquisition of Simulation Systems. He holds commendations from the Ministry of Defence Chief Scientific Officer and the Head of Defence Procurement, and has been a contributing author to a number of books on wargaming. He is also currently on the Management Board of the Connections UK professional wargaming conference.

Research Associates (2016)

Ryan Kuhns (US) is an MA student at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky. He is interested in peace and conflict simulation.

Nick LaLone (US) is a PhD student in information science and technology at Pennsylvania State University, and Director of the Game Studies Program at Bellevue University. You’ll find more on his work here.

Christian Palmer (US) is a civil affairs officer in the United States Marine Corps. He also holds an M.S. in education and social policy from Northwestern University.

Former research associates: Nikola Adamus (2015), Corinne Goldberger (2015).

Contributors

PAXsims also welcomes guest contributions. Among those who have contributed in the past are:

• Chloe Brynen
• David Brynen, University of Ottawa (student)
• Skip Cole, Sea Change Simulations
• Christopher Davis, US Army Reserve
• John Dentico, LeadSimm LLC
• James Devine, Mount Allison University
• Stephen Downes-Martin,  US Naval War College
• Kristen Druker, The Bishop’s School
• Mick Dumper, University of Exeter
• Chris Engle
• Tom Fisher, game designer
• John Gastil
• Glenn Gibson
• Natasha Gill, TRACK4: Simulations in Conflict, Negotiation and Mediation.
• Corinne Goldberger, McGill University (student)
• John Gorkowski, game designer
• Eileen Guo, 4D Training Solutions
• Esra Cuhadar Gurkanyak, Bilkent University
• Shay Hershkovitz, Department of Information & Knowledge Management, University of Haifa; School of Communication, Sapir Academic College; Linx
• David Hockaday, Emergency Capacity Building Project
• Joe Jaeger, Statecraft
• Kim Kanger, game designer
• Jonathan Keller, James Madison University
• Ronit Kampf, Tel Aviv University
• Matthew Kirschenbaum, University of Maryland
• Alex Langer, McGill University (student)
• Graham Longley-Brown, LBS Consultancy
• Lisa Lynch, Department of Journalism, Concordia University
• Roger Mason, LEC management
• Matthias Meyer,  Hamburg University of Technology
• June McCabe, McGill University (student)
• Mark M^cDonagh, National Security Decision Making Game
• Ed McGrady, CNA and Two-Stone LLC.
• Tom Mouat, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
• Luke Nicastro, Center for Applied Strategic Learning, National Defense University
• Michael Peck, Training & Simulation Journal and Foreign Policy magazine
• Peter Perla, Center for Naval Analyses
• Ian Platz, Booz Allen Hamilton
• John Poniske, game designer
  
• David Romano, Missouri State University
• Philip Sabin, King’s College London
• James Sterrett, Deputy Chief, Simulations Division,  Digital Leader Development Center, US Army Command and General Staff College
• Ora Szekely, Department of Political Science, Clark University
• Ben Taylor, Defence Research and Development Canada
• Brian Train, game designer
• William Van Horn, AFROTC, Montana State University
• Jeremy Wells, Department of Political Science, Texas State University
• Tim Wilkie, Center for Applied Strategic Learning, National Defense University
• Jorit Wintjes, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

PAXsims has been cited by:

• CBC News
• CNN
• Foreign Policy
• France Info
• Geeks & Sundry
• Los Angeles Times
• RIA Novosti
• Washington Post
• VICE News

Have a piece on conflict simulation, peacebuilding, and serious games that you would like considered for inclusion on the website? Email us!