KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 11, 2025

Most people study war to win it. She studies it to end it.

This July, Osebhahiemen Okooboh, a doctoral candidate in International Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University, will join a distinguished group of scholars at the Summer Workshop on the Analysis of Military Operations and Strategy (SWAMOS), held at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

At first glance, a peace studies scholar attending a military strategy workshop might seem like a contradiction, but for Osebhahiemen, it is exactly where she needs to be. “Several factors inspired my decision to apply for this workshop,” she explains. “Foremost is my overarching desire to deepen my understanding of the military and defense ecosystem. As a social science researcher within the peace studies discipline, my work often engages in a paradoxical relationship with conflict, particularly international armed conflict.”

Her dissertation focuses on defense acquisition, examining how weapons systems, logistics, and risk perception shape military strategy and operational effectiveness. She views SWAMOS as a critical step in her journey to becoming a strategic risk expert. “This program aligns seamlessly with my academic objectives,” she says. “One of the most compelling aspects is its emphasis on simulations and wargaming.” As a Teacher of Record at KSU, she integrates simulation-based learning into her undergraduate course on peace and conflict. This workshop offers a valuable opportunity for her to refine and expand her expertise.

The workshop is no small undertaking. Participants are expected to complete more than 1,000 pages of reading before diving into two weeks of immersive sessions. But Osebhahiemen is ready. She approaches the experience with enthusiasm and says she is looking forward to the sessions on Military Modeling, National Security Resource Allocation, and Combat Motivation, which directly support her research and teaching. “I am particularly interested in observing how participants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds conceptualize and interpret military strategy,” she adds. “I anticipate that this workshop will serve as a dynamic environment for the exchange of strong and varied perspectives.”

Osebhahiemen’s research in peace studies will bring a distinctive perspective to this workshop. She aims to remain open to every learning opportunity the program offers, both in and outside of the classroom, and make meaningful connections with fellow participants. “I see myself as the voice in the war room consistently advocating for peace, not as a distant aspiration, but as a strategic imperative that can and should shape the conduct of war.” She expects to complete her PhD in the spring of 2026 and hopes this experience will further position her at the intersection of peacebuilding and strategic security studies.

Stay tuned for a follow-up feature later this summer, where we’ll catch up with Osebhahiemen to hear how the experience shaped her thinking and what insights she brings back to the classroom and beyond.

-       By Tracy Gaudlip