Cynthia R. Cook

Cynthia R. Cook is a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy and an Adjunct Management Scientist at RAND Corporation. She specializes in military acquisition, defense technology, and disaster recovery, with 28 research publications and 41 total results. Her work spans FEMA collaborations, Department of Defense studies, and international defense projects for Australia, Canada, and the UK.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Sociology, Harvard University
  • B.S. in Management, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Her research focuses on military procurement, space acquisition, disaster recovery planning, defense industrial base, and cost analysis. She has led major studies on:

• USSF agile acquisition processes
• Puerto Rico hurricane recovery plans
• Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal implementation
• Lean manufacturing in defense
• Intelligence-acquisition integration

Her recent publications (2021-2025) emphasize:

• Rapid space acquisition risk mitigation
• Game-changing technology prioritization
• Intelligence support modernization
• Disaster recovery strategic planning
• Acquisition reform change management

She previously served as:

• Director, Acquisition and Technology Policy Center
• Associate Director, Project AIR FORCE
• Research Specialist, MIT Lean Aerospace Initiative