Scott W. Harold

Scott W. Harold is a Senior Political Scientist at RAND Corporation and a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. His expertise focuses on the foreign and defense policies of China, Japan, North and South Korea, Taiwan, and Oceania. He has held significant roles, including serving as a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Defense (2022–2024) and associate director of RAND’s Center for Asia Pacific Policy (2015–2019). He is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Columbia University, and The George Washington University. Harold was awarded the Council on Foreign Relations/Hitachi International Affairs Fellowship—Japan (2024) and has held visiting fellowships at institutions like the Mercator Institute for China Studies. Fluent in Chinese, he holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University, focusing on China’s decision-making regarding WTO accession.

Education: Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University, specializing in Chinese foreign policy and international institutions.

Research Interests: East Asian security dynamics, Chinese military strategy, U.S.-China strategic competition, defense infrastructure, and cross-strait relations. His work integrates policy analysis with geopolitical trends, emphasizing practical implications for international security frameworks.

Awards & Recognition:

• 2024 Council on Foreign Relations/Hitachi International Affairs Fellowship—Japan
• 2012–2017 Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations
• Visiting Fellowships at Mercator Institute for China Studies, Institut Montaigne, and Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation

Advising & Grants: Advised U.S. Department of Defense on East Asia policy, contributed to numerous policy reports on Indo-Pacific security, and led research teams at RAND. His grants and funding have supported analysis of strategic competition, defense modernization, and regional diplomacy.

Labs & Teams: Associated with RAND’s Center for Asia Pacific Policy and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams focusing on military and geopolitical issues in East Asia.