Amidu Kalokoh is a doctoral candidate in public policy and administration and a graduate teaching and research assistant in the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He has worked as a security analyst for the Office of the President of Sierra Leone, supporting national and international security, peace, and development initiatives.
Kalokoh’s research focus includes public policy, homeland security, emergency management, criminal justice, and governance. His current research examines emergency preparedness for vulnerable populations and local emergency management capacity building in the United States, and money laundering and terrorist financing. His research supports policies and programs that sustainably tackle hazard vulnerabilities, build community resilience, and enhance public safety and justice for all.
He is an active member of the academic community, serving as an author, reviewer, student leader, and mentor. He has presented his research at national and international conferences, such as the Social Equity Leadership Conference, the American Society for Public Administrators (ASPA), the Natural Hazards Workshops, the African Studies and Research Forum, and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Kalokoh is a Bill Anderson Fund fellow, ASPA Founders’ fellow, Public Administration Theory fellow, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research scholar, and a Coastal Hazards, Equity, Economic prosperity, and Resilience scholar. He received the 2024 Black History in the Making Award, the 2023 Development Advocate of the Year, and the 2024 Outstanding Public Policy and Administration Doctoral Student at VCU.