Marielle Geerling is an Intern in the Middle East Security Program. Her research interests include sectarian conflict, political psychology, politics in the Arab Gulf states, political Islam, and other Middle East regional security issues.
Prior to joining CNAS, Marielle worked as Programs Assistant for the Middle East Studies Association and as Project Intern for the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, where she supported the development of programs and events designed to educate attendees about the contemporary Middle East. Marielle has also interned for Search for Common Ground in Brussels, Belgium, where she primarily focused on new and upcoming development projects in the Middle East and North Africa.
Marielle earned her BA in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where she received the Maxwell Undergraduate Research Award for her Capstone research. Marielle also earned her MA in Political Science from Columbia University in 2020.