Tricia Bacon, PhD, is a Professor at American University, jointly appointed to the School of Public Affairs and School of International Service. She also directs AURORA, American University's Open Source Intelligence & Analysis Hub. She is the author of The Counterinsurgency Dilemma with Stanford University Press, Terror in Transition: Leadership and Succession in Terrorist Organizations with Columbia University Press in 2022, and Why Terrorist Organizations Form International Alliances published with University of Pennsylvania Press in May 2018.

Prior to her employment at American University, Dr. Bacon worked on counterterrorism for over ten years at the Department of State, including in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Her work on counterterrorism in the intelligence community received numerous accolades, and she conducted research and analysis on counterterrorism, with a focus on South Asia and Africa.

Dr. Bacon is a non-resident associate fellow with the International Centre for Counter-terrorism and a Senior Associate (non-resident) with the Transnational Threats project at Center for Strategic and International Studies. She serves on the Countering Terrorism & Extremism Program Advisory Council for the Middle East Institute and the editorial board of Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Terrorism and Political Violence, Perspectives on Terrorism, and The Journal of the Middle East and Africa.

Her research focuses on terrorist and insurgent groups' behavior and decision-making, U.S. counterterrorism policy, and the role of intelligence in national security decision-making. She has published articles on terrorist group alliances, terrorist leadership, terrorist safe havens, and other related topics.

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