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| SAMS Research Services | |
|---|---|
| Name | SAMS Research Services |
| Type | Independent research and consulting firm |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Area served | Global |
| Services | Policy analysis; field surveys; technical advisory; remote sensing; training |
SAMS Research Services is an independent research and consulting organization headquartered in London that provides analysis, field research, and advisory work for international agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private clients. It conducts multidisciplinary work across humanitarian response, conflict analysis, environmental assessment, and capacity building, operating in complex settings in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The organization combines remote sensing, field surveys, and policy advising to support decision-makers in humanitarian operations, development planning, and security analysis.
Founded in the 1990s, the organization emerged during a period of expanded international engagement following events such as the Rwandan genocide and the Balkans conflicts. Early projects drew from methodological precedents in institutions like the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch, while adopting technical approaches used by UNICEF, UNHCR, and World Food Programme. Throughout the 2000s it expanded its toolkit to include satellite imagery analysis inspired by practices at NASA and European Space Agency, and its field methods reflected standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Wellcome Trust. The firm worked in response to crises associated with the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and the Hurricane Katrina aftermath, partnering with agencies such as United Nations Development Programme and Médecins Sans Frontières. In the 2010s and 2020s it adapted to new priorities emerging after the Syrian civil war and the Global refugee crisis, incorporating digital data techniques similar to those adopted by Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and research units at Oxford University and Harvard University.
The organization is typically structured with units comparable to those found at Chatham House and CIVICUS, including an executive leadership team, technical research divisions, and regional program offices. Senior staff often have backgrounds from institutions such as King's College London, London School of Economics, University College London, Georgetown University, and Columbia University. Operational teams mirror staffing patterns used by International Rescue Committee and Save the Children, employing field researchers, data analysts, GIS specialists, and logistics coordinators. Advisory boards have included experts associated with Royal United Services Institute and former officials from agencies like Department for International Development and European Commission.
Research programs span thematic areas found in centers like the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and International Institute for Strategic Studies. The organization maintains capabilities in remote sensing with software stacks similar to tools promoted by Esri and workflows used at NASA Earth Observatory. Field survey teams employ sampling and epidemiological approaches informed by guidance from World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facilities include secure data handling suites reflecting standards from RAND Corporation and secure communications systems comparable to practices at International Committee of the Red Cross field units. Training centers are modeled on curricula seen at Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Core services include needs assessments, damage and displacement monitoring, risk analysis, and program evaluation—services commonly commissioned by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, and bilateral donors such as the United States Agency for International Development and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Analytical outputs draw on geospatial analysis similar to that used by UNOSAT and quantitative surveys employing methods taught at Imperial College London. The organization provides remote training and capacity building comparable to offerings by Interpeace and Mercy Corps, and technical advisory services aligned with standards from OECD and Global Affairs Canada.
Partnerships include collaborations with academic institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Johns Hopkins University, and American University, and operational partnerships with International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, World Bank, and regional bodies like the African Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It has worked alongside international NGOs including Oxfam, CARE International, Plan International, and ActionAid, and technology partners drawing on platforms from Google Earth Engine and tools developed in partnership with groups like Humanitarian Data Exchange and ReliefWeb.
Funding sources mirror those supporting think tanks such as Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Wilson Center, including grants from multilateral organizations like the European Commission and United Nations Development Programme, contracts with donor agencies such as USAID and DFID, and consultancy fees from private foundations akin to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and corporate partners. Governance arrangements typically involve a board of directors and compliance frameworks similar to those required by Charity Commission for England and Wales and reporting standards used by International Aid Transparency Initiative.
Notable project work has included displacement monitoring in contexts such as Darfur, rapid needs assessments after the Haiti earthquake, and environmental impact studies in the Amazon rainforest. The firm contributed to mapping and early warning initiatives resembling projects at UNOSAT during the Typhoon Haiyan response, and supported program evaluations for agencies implementing schemas like Sustainable Development Goals. Its applied research has been cited in policy briefs from United Nations agencies and in reports produced by International Crisis Group and Amnesty International, informing humanitarian programming and donor strategies.
Category:Research organizations