Government · Policy · Law
Cornell Government senior. I study how institutions work — and why they sometimes don't. My work spans legal research, technology policy, and comparative governance across six organizations and five languages.
I was born in Balkh, Afghanistan — a fragile state at the crossroads of Central, South, and West Asia. At home I spoke Farsi, and picked up many more languages along the way. The correct pronunciation of my name is [AR-SA-LAAN], and friends may call me Aslan.
The field of "in-between(s)" and intersections is where much of my interest lies. Growing up between languages, cultures, and developing institutions, I found myself asking "why" more than anything else — why systems take the shapes they do, why they so often fail the people they're meant to serve. At some point during my teenage years, I came across the story of Aaron Swartz, a computer prodigy who advocated for an open-access internet but faced federal prosecution that led him to take his own life under that weight. I could not fathom why a country renowned for freedoms and democracy would treat someone so unfairly. It inspired me to forge a path that explores similar questions.
I started school at Cornell University, where I study Government with minors in Information Science, Public Policy, and Law & Society. My experiences have ranged from archival analysis of post-conflict institutional transitions at the Hoover Institution (Stanford University), to quality assurance reviews for legal encyclopedias at Cornell Law's Legal Information Institute, to tracking $20B+ in arms transfers at the Center for International Policy. Most recently, I contributed to the Financial Freedom Index at Cornell's Center on Global Democracy, analyzing S&P 500 investment in authoritarian regimes through data analytics.
"Across these roles, I've been drawn to the same core concern: how institutions structure power, and how they might be made more transparent, accountable, and humane."
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time reading, skiing, playing guitar and poker, or hitting the gym.
I am currently pursuing full-time roles at the intersection of policy analysis.
Research Assistant & Lead Democracy Fellow · Cornell University
Built repeatable data extraction and integration workflows for multi-country supplier datasets, achieving 100% accuracy while reducing manual processing through creative automation strategies.
Research Assistant · Cornell Law School
QA-reviewed 120+ Wex Legal Dictionary entries and produced concise legislative and judicial summaries that translate complex legal materials into authoritative public resources.
Student Research Fellow · Palo Alto, CA
Leveraged 100+ primary and secondary sources to examine post-victory governance transitions and institutional continuity, producing data-driven content analysis of historical and contemporary publications.
Legal Research Intern
Streamlined 300+ U.S. Supreme Court case summaries for Oyez — translating complex judicial opinions into accessible abstracts to enhance civic understanding of Court decisions.
Intern · New York, NY
Led a cross-departmental IT documentation project across three teams, facilitated the World Wide Meeting, and improved relationship tracking via Salesforce (FordCRM) across 24 staff members.
Public Relations Intern · Washington, DC
Spearheaded campaigns for two major clients, delivered landscape assessments on U.S. cyber threats and North Carolina drug shortages, and conducted media trend analysis using Muck Rack and LeadershipConnect.
Tech Policy & Security Monitor Intern · New York, NY
Analyzed 50+ congressional bills and tracked $20B+ in arms transfers and foreign military aid across 70+ countries via the Security Assistance Monitor database. Published 170+ public dispatches to 10K+ followers.
Research Assistant · Cornell University
Analyzed cross-national time-series data in three languages across LexisNexis, ProQuest, and FACTIVA to identify patterns in violence against public-facing women.
Contributed research and editorial support to Cornell Law's free legal encyclopedia, improving clarity and public accessibility of 120+ entries.
Founded APPS Cornell — a student platform for practical policy strategy, mentorship, and applied governance problem-solving.
Streamlined 300+ Supreme Court case summaries into accessible civic abstracts, making the Court's reasoning legible to non-lawyers.
Contributed policy-data workflows for comparative governance analysis in the Brooks School × Center for Global Democracy research initiative.
Launched a student-led platform for practical policy strategy, applied governance problem-solving, and peer mentorship at Cornell.
Led cross-campus programs and policy-facing events that expanded outreach and participation across the Afghan and Central Asian student community.
Supported student wellbeing through conflict resolution, community building, and day-to-day mentorship across two academic years.
Coordinated programming and strengthened collaboration across student organizations representing dozens of nationalities.
Advised students on resumes, applications, and interview preparation as a certified peer coach.
Cornell in Washington Ambassador · Student Advisory Board · Alexander Hamilton Society · Sigma Alpha Mu · Prepare Mentor · Handshake AI Fellow
Open to full-time roles in policy analysis, legal research, and governance strategy beginning May 2026. Also happy to connect about research, writing, or collaboration.
