Sean Robson

Sean Robson is a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy and a Senior Behavioral/Social Scientist at the RAND Corporation. He serves as Associate Director of the Workforce, Development, and Health Program within RAND Project AIR FORCE, where he leads research on manpower, personnel, training, and readiness issues for the U.S. military.

Robson holds a Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from the University of Tulsa and a B.S. from James Madison University. His research expertise lies in the scientific validation of assessment and selection systems, physical and psychological fitness standards, and workforce development in military contexts.

His research interests span military education and training, operational readiness, gender integration in the military, workforce diversity, enlisted personnel management, leadership, and competency modeling. He has led numerous projects to establish evidence-based physical fitness tests for Air Force Special Warfare and combat specialties in the Army, and has contributed to reforms in recruiting, classification, and resilience programs.

Recent publications highlight a strong trend in applying data science, machine learning, and policy analysis to improve human resource management in the Air Force and Department of Defense. His work increasingly integrates artificial intelligence and optimization models to modernize workforce systems, while maintaining a core focus on human performance, resilience, and readiness.

• Assessment and selection for special operations
• Physical and behavioral fitness standards
• Military workforce development
• Machine learning in HR
• STEM talent in defense

Robson has made significant contributions through RAND’s research portfolio, with over 37 research publications and multiple expert insights. His scientific work informs high-level defense policy and operational practices, particularly in the U.S. Air Force and Army. He has also advised on diversity initiatives, abuse prevention in training, and energy-sector workforce development.

He is actively involved in current defense research, with recent and forthcoming publications in 2024 and 2025, indicating ongoing leadership and scholarly impact. He is based at RAND and can be contacted at Sean_Robson@rand.org.