Research Assistants

Ophelia Delali A. Akoto is a 3rd Year PhD Candidate at the Heller School. Her concentration is in Economic and Racial Equity with research interests in Women’s Economic and Labor Force Development, and STEM Education Policy Research, and Inclusivity. Ophelia is dedicated to advancing policies that empower underrepresented communities and is committed to shaping a more inclusive and equitable future through her research.

Isaac Konlan is a Master's student in the Conflict Resolution and Coexistence program at Brandeis University. He holds an MA in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis and a BSc in Social Change Communication from the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana. Isaac's research focuses on the intersectionality of education, peacebuilding, coexistence, and livelihood development. 

Ryan Lansing is a graduate of the dual Master’s Degree in Sustainable International Development and Conflict Resolution and Coexistence at the Heller School at Brandeis. He received a BA in Economics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and another BA in Chinese Studies from the University of North Dakota. Ryan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic. His research involves systematic and literature reviews, data extraction, analysis and synthesis in the area of livelihood sustainability, resilience and human well-being in marginalized societies.

Sumina Suwal is a Master’s student in Sustainable International Development at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and the recipient of the Co-existence Endowed Fellowship Award 2024. She graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Government and International Studies from Hong Kong Baptist University, and also studied at Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Strasbourg in France. Her academic and professional pursuits are driven by a keen interest in exploring how development philosophy can inform political economy and conflict resolution strategies. Sumina has diverse professional experience working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nepal, a human rights law firm in Hong Kong, and various NGOs in Nepal and Hong Kong. As a graduate research assistant at GDS, she continues to deepen her expertise at the intersection of these fields.

Jalessa "J." Huntley Compton originally hails from Brooklyn, NY but considers Grenada, W.I. her true home. She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies, and a Master's Degree in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School. She served as an Editorial Assistant with our academic journal CASTE: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion during her time at Brandeis.