Summary

Work experience

• Senior Strategic Advisor

  Independent / Brookings Institution

  2024.01-Current

  (2 years)

  · Provide strategic counsel on international security, emerging technology risks, and great-power competition to think tanks, government partners, and private-sector clients. · Monitor and assess China-related policy developments, issuing early-warning analyses on regulatory, technological, and security shifts. · Maintain active collaborations with experts across Europe, North America, and Asia to validate intelligence and enrich analytical depth.
• Associate Professor & Director, Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technology (CSINT)

  American University, School of International Service

  2017.01-2024.01

  (7 years)

  · Led a premier research center focused on cyber conflict, intelligence reform, and national security innovation; served as primary liaison to U.S. Cyber Command, NSA, and defense industry partners. · Directed multi-year, NSF-funded research on cyber offense/defense trade-offs, producing policy-ready reports used by government stakeholders. · Built and sustained international networks through co-edited volumes, joint workshops, and editorial partnerships with institutions in the UK, EU, and Asia. Scholar-in-Residence
• Scholar-in-Residence

  National Security Agency / U.S. Cyber Command

  2018.06-2019.08

  (a year)

  · Embedded within operational intelligence environment to study intelligence-policy gaps and advise on strategic communication challenges. · Produced classified and unclassified assessments on adversary cyber strategies and escalation dynamics.
• Distinguished Chair in National Security & Director, Security and Strategy Program

  Southern Methodist University, Tower Center

  2013.01-2017.01

  (4 years)

  · Launched flagship research initiatives on U.S.-China strategic rivalry, defense innovation, and intelligence oversight. · Advised senior military and civilian leaders through executive education programs and closed-door briefings.
• Faculty, Strategy & Policy Department

  U.S. Naval War College

  2008.01-2013.01

  (5 years)

  · Trained senior military officers in grand strategy, intelligence tradecraft, and crisis decision-making. · Conducted applied research directly informing joint doctrine and interagency coordination practices. International Engagement & Networks · Co-edited Chaos Reconsidered (Columbia UP, 2023) with scholars from the U.S., UK, and continental Europe. · Organized and co-chaired major international conferences (ISSS/ISA Annual Meetings, CSINT workshops) with participants from NATO, EU, and Indo-Pacific institutions. · Served on editorial boards for International Affairs, The Chinese Journal of International Politics, and Cambridge University Press engaging peer reviewers and authors across 5 continents. · Regular collaborator with IISS, Chatham House, and European security research networks. Analytical Portfolio · Books: Author/co-editor of 4 strategic studies volumes, including award-winning Fixing the Facts (Cornell, 2011)—a foundational text on intelligence politicization and policy risk. · Reports & Articles: Published in International Security, Journal of Strategic Studies, Texas National Security Review, and policy outlets; consistently focused on anticipatory risk assessment and decision support. · Congressional Testimony & Briefings: Delivered expert input on cyber deterrence, intelligence reform, and China’s strategic behavior.

Educational experience

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Political Science

  2008.10-2010.06

  (2 years)

  Advanced doctoral training focused on intelligence–policy relations, politicization of intelligence, and national security decision-making, supported by award-winning dissertation research with direct relevance to U.S. defense and intelligence institutions.
• Boston College

  Political Science

  2002.08-2004.05

  (2 years)

  Graduate-level specialization in international security, strategic studies, and political analysis, building a strong theoretical and methodological foundation for applied research in geopolitics and intelligence policy.
• University of California, San Diego

  Political Science

  1998.11-2002.12

  (4 years)

  Comprehensive undergraduate education emphasizing international relations, comparative politics, and analytical writing, establishing early expertise in global security and policy analysis.

Languages