Sydney Leigh Smith (she/her) is a PhD student in Security Studies at Princeton University, co-advised by Kim Lane Scheppele and Barbara Buckinx. She specializes in Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), international human rights, and humanitarian law. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University. Sydney applies feminist research methodologies to drive policy and legal reform, with a focus on sexual violence in conflict zones, particularly on invisible victims and perpetrators of CRSV.

Her research journey into CRSV began at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, where she played a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive global dataset on state-perpetrated sexual violence. Notable positions include her tenure as Lead Researcher at the Clooney Foundation for Justice, where she spearheaded strategic litigation initiatives to combat gender-based violence across Africa. Additionally, as a Legal Researcher and Advisor at the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, she contributed to the design of innovative data tools for the African regional human rights system and provided expert guidance on issues specifically affecting the rights of women and girls.

Currently, Sydney holds multiple roles, including International Legal and Policy Consultant at the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit (DGRU) at the University of Cape Town, where she supports the Judicial Institute for Africa (JIFA) and AfricanLII programs with expertise in African international law, governance, and policy. She is also a Gender Fellow and Africa Program Fellow at the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination, and a Contributor for Global Voices. She also chairs the Africa Policy Network at Princeton University, serves as president of the Princeton Pet Society, and represents PhD students as the PUPSG PhD Representative.

Beyond her academic and professional work, Sydney is deeply committed to advocacy and community service. She volunteers with Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, The Sato Project, and Liberty in North Korea. In her free time, she enjoys taking long walks with her rescue dogs, Baby and Barnaby.