Dr. Jessica Piombo is a comparative politics scholar specializing in African politics, peacebuilding, post-conflict statebuilding, transitional regimes, dynamics of foreign assistance, African security, and U.S. engagement with sub-Saharan Africa.​
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Associate Professor
Institute for Regional and International Security
​(formerly the Department of National Security Affairs)
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, CA​ 

[email protected]
​[email protected]

Broad Expertise

Over the course of my career, I have written and given talks about political transition and international assistance, U.S. foreign policy and military activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, party politics in South Africa, and third-party mediation and negotiation in Burundi.  I have engaged in election monitoring in Nigeria and South Africa, and have served as a subject matter expert (African politics) in a variety of consultancies.  

Teaching 

I've taught courses on comparative politics, resource conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa, ethnic politics and conflict worldwide, Southern African politics, United States foreign policy towards Africa, African politics through film and fiction, and research methods. 

In addition to traditional classroom education, I've designed and led executive education courses for diverse audiences, and I co-teach a workshop on terrorism and counterterorrism in Africa for the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. I've taught in diverse locations, ranging from on board U.S. navy ships, to  U.S. military installations, and as part of mobile education teams in Brazzaville, Cape Town, Freetown, Naples, Pensacola,Stuttgart, and Washington DC. ​

Research

My current research focuses state perception of threat how that influences government response to those threats, and how in turn these dynamics influence the relationship between African governments and US security sector assistance projects (funded by the OSD Minerva Intiative).

Recent past research examined the effectiveness of statebuilding and peacebuilding in Africa and Southeast Asia, how US security assistance has been affected by rising Chinese influence on the continent, and how countries in the Gulf of Guinea address illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. 

My next project will examine the use of autonomous and uncrewed vehicles in African conflicts. 

Over the past 23 years, I've been the lead investigator on 16 separate research and education projects, managing over $3.5m in funding. 

Leadership

In my leadership roles I have initiated tough conversations, advocated for vulnerable communities, and led policy changes to improve working environments and employee welfare. I've been the Chair of the  Faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School, the Vice Chair of the African Politics Conference Group, the Academic Director of the Regional Security Education Program at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), and a department officer in the Institute for Regional and International Security (formerly the National Security Affairs Department) at NPS. I am a past member of the governing council of the International Security Studies Section (ISSS), the largest association group within the International Studies Association. 

Beyond the scholar

I strive to constantly learn about the world around me, to understand how people in various cultures view their world, and to seek out new experiences. I'm an avid hiker and an intermediate potter. In 2023, walked the Camino Frances route of Camino de Santiago (the St James Way) and this year will tackle the Great Glen Way in Scotland. 

​I am a past board member for two organizations in the local community, the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay and the Community Partnership for Youth.