Doga Unlu
Research Associate
Ms. Doga Unlu joined The Cohen Group in August 2023 after graduating from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science and Global Affairs. Ms. Unlu concentrated her studies on implicit decision making to bring a novel approach to understanding geopolitical challenges. Her empirical thesis investigated the factors behind uncompromising outcomes in conflict mediation and is awaiting publication in a scientific psychology journal. For her Global Affairs capstone project, Ms. Unlu was tasked with analyzing the changing landscape of Russian hybrid warfare activities after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and was sent to Finland to conduct a case study on Finnish cyber resilience.
While completing her studies, Ms. Unlu interned at The Cohen Group, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and the Institute for the Study of War. Her work included promoting nuclear disarmament in policy circles and conducting open-source intelligence analysis. At ISW, Ms. Unlu was tasked with tracking political and kinetic activity in Afghanistan during the 2021 Taliban offensive and the collapse of the Afghan government. She published two forecast reports on Afghanistan and produced other intelligence products on Northern Syria and the Caucasus to share with US decision makers. Most recently, Ms. Unlu completed a fellowship studying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, awarded jointly by Yale University and the United States Military Academy, and conducted field research in Israel and Palestinian territories. She has additional research experience in nationalist and religious radicalization, Turkey-European Union relations, and maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Ms. Unlu is fluent in Turkish and proficient in Russian and German.