Benjamin Shultz

I currently serve as Lead Researcher at The American Sunlight Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to countering lies, disinformation, and online harms that undermine democratic institutions. I also maintain an affiliation with the Council of Europe as an Artificial Intelligence Expert (nonresident).

I am a subject matter expert on foreign information manipulation and influence (FIMI) and my research is focused on two primary areas: 1) the efforts of the Kremlin to undermine democracy in the U.S. and Europe through disinformation campaigns; and 2) the use of online gaming and virtual reality platforms as recruitment channels by organized crime groups.

My prior experience includes two years as a Lead Analyst on Deloitte's Counter-Foreign Malign Influence Team in Washington, D.C., and I served as a 2023 NATO Youth Summit Delegate. I hold an M.A. in International Relations from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a B.A. in Political Science from Sonoma State University. As a graduate student, I served as a Trainee at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and worked with DebunkEU, a media literacy organization based in Vilnius.

In my free time, I enjoy exploring new countries, mapmaking, and serving as a volunteer severe weather spotter for the National Weather Service. I also have a keen interest in languages and am fluent in German, can read French and Spanish, and am learning Russian.