1. As the president, chief executive officer, and chief scientist at Strategic Analysis
Enterprises, Inc., Steve Shellman oversees a firm that advises the government
and corporations through scientific evaluations of political behavior, public
sentiment, and other factors. Steve Shellman also serves as the creator and
director of the Violent International Political Conflict and Terrorism (VIPCAT)
Research Laboratory at the College of William & Mary.
Founded in June 2007, the VIPCAT Research Laboratory was established
through a grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security. The
lab is a vehicle to conduct academic research on violent political conflict and
terrorism. Slightly over a year later, the group moved to the College of William &
Mary, where it remains today. Employees of the VIPCAT Research Laboratory
acquire data regarding state and non-state actors and use this information to
understand population displacement, disease distribution, and other concerns.
Since its creation, the VIPCAT Research Laboratory has involved itself in
numerous projects. The Intelligent Handling of Unstructured Text program
interprets news and blog sources to understand general sentiments and
attitudes. The Emergence of Political Violence and Extremism Research
Endeavor looks at causes behind political unrest in areas such as Pakistan and
Iran. Additionally, Project Civil Strife considers conflict-cooperation processes in
South and Southeast Asia.