Benjamin Schmida

Benjamin Schmida is a researcher with ISW’s Middle East Security Program. Prior to joining ISW, he worked at the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre where he conducted OSINT research and published articles on topics such as the threat of Central Asian mercenaries in Syria. He graduated with a B.A. in Arabic Studies from American University. While studying abroad in Jordan, Benjamin interned at OXFAM providing media and communications support to teams at Zaatari Refugee Camp. His research interests include extremist private military companies, arms trafficking in the digital age, and transitional justice in post-conflict settings.

Benjamin has experience in OSINT research, geolocation, ArcGIS/QGIS, weapons identification, battle damage assessments, dark web research, video and photo production, and website design. He also has an extensive background in providing administrative, programmatic, and logistical support to highly technical and fast-paced teams. He has working proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Levantine Colloquial Arabic.

Benjamin holds a B.A. in Arabic Studies with a minor in history from American University. While at American University, he spent a year abroad in Amman, Jordan, as part of the Amideast study abroad program.