Ph.D. Students

Priscilla Aybar

Priscilla is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant in the International Crime and Justice Program at FIU. She holds a BA in International Criminal Justice with a double minor in Political Science & Criminology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a MA in Strategic Communication from Seton Hall University. Her professional experience includes corporate and political digital advertising. She led the first digital anti-fraud initiative for her party’s congressional campaign committee across 40+ congressional districts during the 2020 midterm election cycle. Her research interests include Cyber Organized Crime and National Security.

Email:  Payba001@fiu.edu

Charlie Berichi is a Ph.D. Candidate in the International Crime and Justice Program and serves as an Adjunct Professor at Florida International University. He holds a BA in Criminal Justice and an MPA from Florida Atlantic University. His research focuses on aviation security, anti-terrorism, and policing.

Email:  cberichi@fiu.edu

Mary Dwyer

Mary is a Ph. D student in the ICJ Program. She earned a BA in Sociology and Criminology from Albright College and an MS in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State College. Her research interests include innovative policing methods, intimate partner violence, and prostitution.

Email:  mdwye007@fiu.edu

Giselle Kleiban

Giselle is a Ph.D. student in the ICJ Program at Florida International University. She holds an A.A. in a Criminal Justice Pathway from MDC and a B.A. in Psychology with Minors in Forensic Studies and Honors from Nova Southeastern University. She worked as a Crime Scene Technician for approximately two years at the Hialeah Police Department. Her current research interests include murder-suicides, intimate partner violence, homicides, and racial profiling.

Email:   gklei011@fiu.edu

Chelsea Lopez

Chelsea is currently a Ph.D. student in the International Crime and Justice Program. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University, a M.S in Forensic Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Graduate Certificate in Crime Analysis from the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include sentencing, jury selection, restorative justice, cybercrime, and crime and the media.

Email: clope302@fiu.edu 

Dylan Matthews

Dylan is a Ph.D. student in the International Crime and Justice Program at FIU. He holds a B.A. in Psychology, a B.S. in Criminal Justice, a M.S. in Criminal Justice, and a M.S. in Public Administration. His research interests include drug-related crimes and prevention, prosecution, and the application of geographic information systems in crime prevention. He previously worked as a graduate research assistant on the  Data-Informed Prosecution Project funded by the MacArthur Foundation. Additionally, Dylan served as an inaugural University Graduate School Writing Fellow, in which he coached graduate students how to meet scholarly writing expectations, as well as build better habits and techniques to be more effecient in their writing process. 

Email:  dmatt001@fiu.edu

Patrick Moricette

Patrick is a Ph.D. student at FIU and is currently serving as a teaching assistant. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). His areas of interest include corrections, human trafficking, the effects of traditional bullying and cyberbullying on Haitian immigrants, and the effects of predatory/forced marriage on undocumented Haitians. He will be the first in his family to obtain a PhD.

Email:  pmori004@fiu.edu

Rachel Silverthorn

Rachel is a Ph.D. student in the International Crime and Justice Program at FIU. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Eastern Washington University, where she was a McNair Scholar. Her research interests include judicial proceedings and treatment of defendants and offenders within the criminal justice system. Rachel currently works as a graduate research assistant in the Center for the Administration of Justice.

Email: rsilv104@fiu.edu

Troy Teresak

Troy is currently a Ph.D. student and Teaching Assistant in the International Crime and Justice program at FIU. He holds an M.S. in Applied Intelligence from Mercyhurst University and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Lock Haven University. His current research interests include juvenile delinquency, victimology, gender inequalities, crime prevention, and racial biases.

Email:  ttere004@fiu.edu