Hello! I’m a research scholar at the U.C. Berkeley Risk and Security Lab.
I hold B.A.s in physics and classical studies from Carleton College, an M.S. in nuclear health physics from Georgetown University, and an M.P.P. and PhD in international security from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation.
My research leverages my interdisciplinary background in physics and public policy to examine issues at the intersection of technology and international security through a sociotechnical lens. States’ decisions to invest in technologies, adopt armament strategies, or pursue cooperative risk reduction opportunities are rarely driven solely by strategic, political, or technical considerations. Given the dynamic interaction of these factors, a sociotechnical perspective enables a more integrated analysis of relevant security logics, domestic politics, and technical factors.
Through adopting this interdisciplinary approach, my research contributions fall into two key categories. First, through developing and defining a unique sociotechnical perspective that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative techniques, my work advances interdisciplinary methodological approaches to examine the complex interactions between technology, society, and policy. Second, by applying this sociotechnical approach, my research provides insights into contemporary international security challenges. For example, my analyses have informed nuclear force structure requirements, opportunities for arms control and cooperative risk reduction measures, and strategies to govern emerging technologies.
Drawing upon my work experience outside of academia, I also aim to ensure my research is policy-relevant. I’ve gained valuable insight on political mechanisms and institutions through working with practitioners in various government and government-adjacent settings. This includes advising and briefing members of the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security. I’ve also collaborated with folks at the RAND Corporation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and members of the private sector.
Lindsay Rand 