Shahaf Rabi | Research Data Analyst

Tuesday, March 23, 2021. It’s elections day in Israel. I’ve decided to wrap up a quick report (timed myself for 30 minutes drafting, 3 minutes proof-reading and 2 minutes uploading) related to the (now finally over) job hunting I’ve had in 2020-21. By the first of April 2020, I knew I’d no longer be pursuing an academic career but pivot my career to the high-tech industry. The timing was horrible due to COVID19. But hey, it is what it is I told myself. I simply never imagined it’d take nearly one year to complete this change in my career. I documented quite a bit of the actions which I took during the process and until I signed the contract: I cataloged every job I applied to, monitored any indications of success/failure along the way, et cetera. I present below a sort of data-overview of the process. I expose no secrets here. The insights pretty much corroborate the perhaps top two most known of tips: Networking (apply via people you know as well as increase your LinkedIn

In the following order, this post consists of: (1) a brief introduction about my academic journey; (2) my standardized test scores – GRE and TOEFL iBT; (3) some selected parts out of three letters of recommendation; and (4) my Statement of Purpose for Georgetown University. Brief Overview It became clear to me that I love researching during my B.A.’s second academic year. In 2017, during my third year, I started a research collaboration with Professor Avery Plaw (zl) of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth . As I worked with him, I was enchanted by the idea of pursuing a PhD and having an academic career. Every person I consulted with highly recommended I get a PhD from one of the most prestigious U.S. universities. It’s the most difficult to get but it opens doors worldwide and greatly increases the ability to land an academic job. Overall, I did two application rounds: 2018 and 2019. I got stuck on waiting lists both times. That is, I was admitted on the condition anothe

This is a step-by-step tutorial which explains how to host for free a WordPress website using Google Cloud Platform. How long does it take? It could take less than one hour if you pay attention and follow the instructions. Else, it might even take two hours. A note for non-technical folks: Although this might seem intimidating for you, I assure you that it is far less complicated than you think. In order to succeed, simply follow the instructions . I sure didn’t fully understand everything when I did it the first time. I merely collected bits of information online and brought them together in order to do it. But hey, it worked really well! Sidenote: I tried it when I was interested in learning SEO (search engine optimization). I set up www.securitystudiesreview.com to learn-on-the-go. But I’ve since decided it was not the career path for me. Also, this initiative actually gained traction, very much increasing the traffic to it, so I’ve since then decided to host it with Substack .

My 'scoop' - First time publication of the R9X (ninja bomb) Hellfire missile use in Libya on August 28, 2018. The text also covers all other known U.S. drones R9X targeted killings until that date. It was originally published on my previous website, posted 11 August 2020. Original Tweet, Aug. 13, 2020 U.S. drones conduct an increasing number of targeted killings using the AGM-114 R9X Hellfire missile, also called the “Ninja bomb” and “the flying Ginsu.” The secretive weapon was rarely used until quite recently; it was reportedly used only about six times between 2011 and May 2019. Yet as of August 2020, there are six confirmed strikes between December 2019 and June 2020, while the July 2020 case remains as a suspected one. This missile has six blades within it instead of a typical explosive-based warhead. The blades fold out moments before it tears and crushes through the top of the targeted vehicles and passengers. The idea here is that the R9X has a relatively small ki

  Originally published on my previous website, posted 9 August 2020 Pre-text: I wrote this draft/piece on January 7,  2018 . It was supposed to be published as a commentary on the website of the  Initiative for the Study of Asymmetric Conflict and Counterterrorism  (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth). But times were quite hectic. This weekend, as I decided to do some cleaning up in my PC, I rediscovered it. As we all know by now,  Suleimani  was indeed targeted and killed, but on  January 3, 2020 , by the United States.

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Belligerent Democracies in the Future of Warfare My submitted vignette to the Future Digital Threats to Democracy competition by the Center for a New American Security and Technology for Global Security (later re-branded as the Institute for Technology and Security ).   September 2019, there was a call for papers to write futuristic short pieces ("vignettes") for a competition -  Technology Trends and Democracy: Building a Window to 2030 .  The idea was to harness imagination/intuition in order to assess/predict the complexities which the future might bring. Two of my ideas were accepted. But I've submitted only one of them - the one written here. Acceptance e-mail Written by: Shahaf Rabi (Founding Director of the Israeli Center for the Study of Targeted Killing, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The text reflects his personal opinions/imagination). Date: 29 December 2019