Ahmet S. Yayla, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Homeland Security Program at DeSales University in Pennsylvania, where he also directs both the Center for Homeland Security and the Master of Arts in Homeland Security (MAHS) program. Concurrently, he serves on the faculty of the Master’s Program in Applied Intelligence at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies in Washington, D.C., teaching counterterrorism and intelligence. He is also a research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. Dr. Yayla earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Information Sciences from the University of North Texas in 2005 and previously chaired the Department of Sociology at Harran University in Turkey.
A 20-year veteran of the Turkish National Police’s Counterterrorism and Operations Department, Dr. Yayla led the Counterterrorism branch in Şanlıurfa from 2010 to 2013. During a period marked by some of the most intense terrorist activity in the region’s history, he oversaw hundreds of investigations and operations, as well as conducted thousands of interviews with suspects drawn from diverse organizations and ideologies. His work extended beyond domestic borders through collaborative international operations and diplomatic engagements, providing him with a unique perspective on both policy formulation and practical fieldcraft.
In parallel with his operational career, Dr. Yayla has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles on topics such as radicalization and recruitment processes, holistic counterterrorism strategies that minimize force, and the effective use of intelligence to preempt threats. He serves on the editorial boards of Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Perspectives on Terrorism, and other leading journals. Driven by a commitment to bridge theory and practice, he continues to advise senior government leaders worldwide and mentor the next generation of security practitioners, always mindful that the greatest advances in the field come from combining lived experience with thoughtful research.
