Dr. Peter Forster

Biography

Peter Forster is an Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus at Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), where he has a distinguished career in the fields of political science, international relations, and security studies. He previously served as the Associate Dean for Online Professional Education and was a member of the graduate faculty. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on International Relations. Dr. Forster has held affiliate status at the School of International Affairs and the Center for Network Centric Cognition and Information Fusion. His primary research areas include terrorism and counter-terrorism, risk and crisis management, international relations, national security, and homeland security. He has contributed to significant research projects, such as a grant exploring broadband technologies for law enforcement situational awareness and initiatives to address humanitarian issues, including human trafficking. He has co-chaired initiatives such as the NATO/OSCE Partnership for Peace Consortium Combatting Terrorism Working Group, fostering collaboration between academics and practitioners on global terrorism issues. With extensive experience in security sector reform, Dr. Forster has consulted on defense institution building across various regions, including the Caucasus and South-Central Europe. He has also authored numerous publications on technology and terrorism, homeland security, and American foreign policy, reflecting his commitment to understanding and addressing the complex challenges of modern security threats. Dr. Forster has taught several courses related to crisis management, terrorism, and the implications of information technology in society, highlighting the intersection of these critical areas in contemporary geopolitics.

Research Interests