Dr. Ilya Rudyak serves as the Head of Research at the Civil Commission, bringing a wealth of expertise in international humanitarian law, domestic criminal law, and terrorism. He is also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rudyak's research focuses on the intersection of international humanitarian law, domestic criminal law, and terrorism. His work has been published in traditional and peer-reviewed law journals, legislative proposals, professional reports, and formal submissions to international and state bodies. Dr. Rudyak joined the Civil Commission after a short stint as a law professor at the University of the Pacific, where he taught courses on criminal law and terrorism. Prior to that, he led research on domestic violent extremism at the University of Pennsylvania, as a Senior Fellow at CERL.

With a diverse background in law and public service, Dr. Rudyak previously served as the Legislative Director for a comprehensive criminal code reform project in Delaware and as the Director of Research at CERL. His earlier career included practicing litigation at a leading Israeli law firm and working as a Holocaust educator at Yad Vashem.

Dr. Rudyak's academic credentials include a joint LLB in law and psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and LLM and SJD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

In his role as Head of Research at the Civil Commission, Dr. Rudyak applies his extensive academic and practical experience to guide research initiatives, contribute to policy development, and provide expert insights on complex legal and ethical issues related to civil rights and social justice.

Email: ilya@dvora-institute.org