Regina Jefferies

Dr. Regina Jefferies is a Laureate Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, ARC Laureate Evacuations Research Hub at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and an affiliate of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University. She specializes in international human rights law and refugee law, focusing on transnational legal theory, state responsibility, and multi-jurisdictional legal frameworks. Her current research examines international law’s role in transboundary evacuations, including disaster, climate, and conflict contexts. Dr. Jefferies holds a PhD from UNSW, an MSt in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford, a Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University, and a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University.

Her education includes:

• PhD in Law, UNSW (2018)
• MSt in International Human Rights Law, University of Oxford (2015)
• Juris Doctor, Arizona State University (2011)
• Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs, George Washington University (2008)

Her research interests center on bridging legal theory and practice through empirical and data-driven methods, particularly in migration and refugee policy. Key themes include:

• Legal compliance mechanisms in transnational frameworks
• Tech-driven policy development in migration law
• Hidden decision-making pathways in asylum systems

Her articles critically analyze pandemic-era border policies, refugee claim procedures, and international law’s application in emergencies. Awards include the John S. Lancy Distinguished Alumni Award (2021) and the PLuS Alliance International Interdisciplinary Researcher designation (2018–2019). She has contributed to policy briefs on emergency protection frameworks and airport asylum processes.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the Kaldor Centre research team and the ARC Laureate Evacuations Research Hub, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects involving law, sociology, and policy studies.