Wayne A. Schroeder

Dr. Wayne A. Schroeder is an Adjunct Professor at The Institute of World Politics and Marymount University, and a Fleet Seminar Professor at the U.S. Naval War College. He holds roles as a Member of the Board of Advisors at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center. With a 45-year career in Washington, DC, he has served in the Department of Defense, U.S. Senate, military, and academia. His expertise spans defense strategy, nuclear policy, and international security.

Education: PhD in International Relations (University of Southern California, 1981), M.A. Political Science (Portland State University, 1976), B.A. Political Science (University of Oregon, 1974).

Research Interests: Defense budgeting, NATO capabilities, great power competition, military mobility, and strategic deterrence. He emphasizes bridging policy, academia, and military practice to address contemporary security challenges. Recent work includes analyzing NATO’s defense spending goals and evaluating U.S. posture amid geopolitical shifts.

Awards:

• Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service (2001–2004)
• Two leadership awards for macroeconomic/defense forecasting (2010–2015)

Advising & Grants: Served as a doctoral advisor at IWP and led the Atlantic Council’s military mobility task force. Chaired defense forecasting teams for the Professional Services Council, earning recognition for analytical leadership.

Labs/Teams: Contributed to the Scowcroft Center’s Transatlantic Security Initiative and collaborated on National Academy Press publications addressing strategic infrastructure protection.