Hi! I’m Biz, an applied social scientist and award-winning visual journalist with a Ph.D. in Political Science.

I have over a decade of experience in multi-method research, statistical analysis, data visualization, programming, and multimedia storytelling.

I’m currently a Researcher with Switchboard at the International Rescue Committee, where I’m serving as the Principal Investigator of the Annual Survey of Refugee Service Providers. Previously, I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House as part of the Borders and Boundaries Project, and member of the Human Trafficking Vulnerability Lab. I’m an affiliate of the Trauma and Global Mental Health Lab. I’ve worked for various media outlets, including as a regular contributor to The New York Times.

My research and reporting has focused on a range of topics: women in Congress, trauma and war, 9/11 in history textbooks, ethical research practices, undercover anti-abortion activists, historical photographs, historic road trips, and more.

My primary academic research examines how psychological trauma impacts social cohesion and political participation in communities affected by crises. My dissertation won the Best Dissertation Award from the Political Psychology section of the American Political Science Association. I additionally work on trauma-informed research methods, as well as ethical and practical considerations for working in trauma-affected contexts.

On this site you can find a portfolio with selection of my research and journalism, as well as select talks and interviews.

To get in touch, please navigate to the contact page or email me at elizabethdherman [at] gmail [dot] com.