Cortney Weinbaum

@cortney_dc on Twitter

Senior Management Scientist

Washington Office

Education

B.S. in physics, University of Michigan

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Cortney Weinbaum (she/her) is a senior management scientist at the RAND Corporation. She specializes in intelligence and space topics, and she has worked with the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense to improve policies, practices, and technologies. She has improved analytic and collection tradecraft; identified emerging technologies and their impact on space architectures, special operations, countering weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence; and examined new workforce models for intelligence agencies. She facilitated cross-discipline teams to apply structured analytic techniques to intractable intelligence topics, and she has applied wargaming and scenario-based planning against both operational and enterprise topics.

Weinbaum led two teams to receive the Director of National Intelligence's Meritorious Unit Citation for advancing the IC's knowledge of two intractable intelligence topics. Since joining RAND, she has studied emerging technologies and their implications for intelligence; unclassified intelligence; the ethics of scientific research; and other topics. She began her career as an intelligence officer developing radio frequency and electromagnetic MASINT collection systems. Weinbaum earned her B.S. in physics from the University of Michigan.

Research Focus

Honors & Awards

Defense Intelligence Agency Humanitarian Award, 2005
Defense Intelligence Agency Sustained Superior Performance Award, 2004
General Electric Fellowship and Grant for Women in Physics & Computer Science, 2000

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Channel 4, UK; The Diplomat; KJZZ-FM Online; KNX-AM; Sansad TV, Parliament of India

Commentary

United States Army

An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This
Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.
Jun 1, 2023
Modern War Institute (West Point)
Arms Proliferation and Control

How China Is Building Influence Through Arms Sales
China may be using arms sales to strengthen alliances around the South China Sea and counter the United States' regional alliances. Beijing's security relationships around the South China Sea could be a harbinger of what it might replicate in Africa and possibly Latin America.
Dec 9, 2022
The National Interest
Terrorism Threat Assessment

The Intelligence Community Doesn't Warn About All Attacks Against the U.S. Homeland. Why Not?
Targets for foreign threats against the United States increasingly include entities that are not part of the U.S. government or military. But too many of these potential victims are unaware of threats against them, are not warned with intelligence reporting about such threats, and lack information about options to protect themselves.
Oct 21, 2022
Defense One
China

China's Security Contractors Have Avoided the Fate of Russia's Military Contractors, So Far
China's approach to private security contractors is much more limited in scope and effects than Russia's use of private military contractors. But indicators suggest that Chinese planners see benefits in expanding and maturing China's use of private contractors, which creates the potential for dangerous results for China and the rest of the world.
Mar 11, 2022
RealClearDefense
Open Source Intelligence

The Intelligence Community's Deadly Bias Toward Classified Sources
Even when relevant data is publicly available, U.S. intelligence analysts are not including it in their analytic products during their routine course of business. This willful ignorance of publicly available information is hurting U.S. national security.
Apr 12, 2021
Defense One
Science and Technology Legislation

Scientific Research Integrity Demands Transparency—the Law Should Require It Too
China pays U.S. scientists for their innovations in exchange for money and access to research laboratories and speaking and publication opportunities. They require the researchers to keep these agreements secret from their employers or the U.S. government. Perhaps it is time to codify scientific transparency into law.
Apr 12, 2021
Artificial Intelligence

A Code of Conduct for AI in Defense Should Be an Extension of Other Military Codes
An AI code of conduct for defense should look a lot like all other defense codes of conduct. A global society that would create the Geneva Convention is a society that believes in a moral code for warfare. This same code could extend into its weaponized algorithms.
Sep 11, 2019
Friends of Europe's Debating Security Plus 2019 Programme
Intelligence Analysis

Intel, Ethics, and Emerging Tech: Q&A with Cortney Weinbaum
Cortney Weinbaum studies topics related to intelligence and cyber policy as a senior management scientist at RAND. In this interview, she discusses challenges facing the intelligence community, the risks of using AI as a solution, and ethics in scientific research.
Aug 23, 2019
Artificial Intelligence

Here's What an AI Code of Conduct for the Pentagon Might Look Like
Advocates want a code of conduct for how artificial intelligence will be used and oversight to ensure it is being followed. DoD could identify areas where it might use AI in the foreseeable future and set rules and guidelines for business uses, non-lethal military uses, and lethal uses.
Jun 24, 2019
C4ISRNET
Female Populations

Book Review: 'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone
'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone is the story of Elizebeth Friedman, the mother of modern cryptoanalysis and cryptography. She broke coded messages of organized crime, broke the Nazi Enigma cryptography machine, and deciphered, mapped, and monitored Nazi activities in South America, though it is her husband William who often gets credit.
Feb 19, 2019
Modern War Institute (West Point)
Cybersecurity

Financial Frameworks for Cybersecurity Are Failing
Cybersecurity has become a team sport. But all participants on the field are playing without clear rules, without a team approach, and without knowing when to pass the ball or to whom.
Oct 25, 2018
The RAND Blog
Intelligence Community

Business Model of the Intelligence Community Needs an Upgrade
The workplace practices of most intelligence agencies are outdated. Rethinking and redesigning the intelligence business model could help agencies better respond to current-day threats.
Oct 24, 2018
The Hill
Russia

Covert Influence Is the New Money Laundering
Anti-money laundering laws provide lessons for combating covert influence operations, such as Russian meddling in the U.S. election. These laws could be adapted for online media models that do not require users to be paid customers.
Nov 6, 2017
TechCrunch
Cybercrime

The Future of Cyber Investigations at the FBI Is Unclear
Evidence presented by the FBI in the case of U.S. v. Jay Michaud was excluded because the agency was unwilling to reveal the software exploit used to collect it. If the FBI exposes its capabilities, other criminals can patch their computers, but concealing its techniques risks the ability to prosecute cyber criminals.
Aug 24, 2016
Inside Sources
Intelligence Community

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Intelligence Agencies
The defense community has already begun a healthy dialogue about the ethics of AI in combat systems. The intelligence community should develop standards for AI risk assessments and assign responsibility for conducting them.
Jul 18, 2016
The National Interest
Cybersecurity

Defining a New Paradigm for Government Secrecy
Technology has afforded the U.S. national security apparatus incredible capabilities, along with equally monumental challenges and risks. The government has the option to choose whether to adjust by taking a proactive approach or to allow external forces to determine the future of its secrets.
Oct 13, 2015
U.S. News & World Report

Publications

Report
Neurodiversity and National Security: How to Tackle National Security Challenges with a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents
This report provides research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire simple steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity for national security workplaces.
Mar 27, 2023
Research Brief
Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity: Drawing on a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents to Tackle National Security Challenges
This brief summarizes research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire actionable steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity in national security workplaces.
Mar 27, 2023
Report
The Technology Promotion and Protection Decision Tool: Introduction and User Manual
The authors of this report describe a tool designed to help U.S. Department of Defense decisionmakers select from the many available approaches to promote and protect critical technologies and their associated industrial base.
Jan 31, 2023
Tool
Mapping Chinese and Russian Military and Security Exports to Africa
RAND researchers analyzed which African countries received military arms and private military and security contractors from China and Russia in 2018-2021. This visualization maps China's and Russia's influence across Africa.
Dec 13, 2022
Tool
China's Weapons Exports and Private Security Contractors
RAND researchers provide a visualization of China's military and security influence around the world through the country's exports of weapons and private security contractors during 2018-2021.
Aug 19, 2022
Report
Options for Strengthening All-Source Intelligence: Substantive Change Is Within Reach
Foreign attacks against the United States occur frequently. The authors propose game-changing ideas to enable intelligence analysts to address long-standing challenges related to the use of open sources, analytic tradecraft, and politicization.
Feb 28, 2022
Research Brief
Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base
This brief presents an assessment of the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB), using a methodology that could be applied to assess any country's DIB.
Feb 11, 2022
Report
Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base: With a Repeatable Methodology for Other Countries
The authors assess the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB) by designing and applying a comparative analytic structure that could be used to assess any country's DIB.
Feb 11, 2022
Report
Reimagining Defense Advisory Boards: Lessons Learned for Leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense
RAND Corporation researchers embarked on this exploratory study to reveal lessons learned for how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can improve its use of advisory boards.
Feb 9, 2022
Report
Measuring Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Effectiveness at the United States Central Command
The authors developed a repeatable process to measure the effectiveness of U.S. Central Command intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations; evaluate current performance; and plan for, influence, and resource future operations.
Jan 20, 2021
Tool
Measuring Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Effectiveness at the United States Central Command: Data Visualization Tool Documentation
The authors used Tableau to create a visualization tool that allows U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to display the performance and effectiveness of its support to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles, sub-roles, and activities.
Jan 20, 2021
Report
Ethics in Scientific Research: An Examination of Ethical Principles and Emerging Topics
Scientific research ethics vary by discipline and by country, and this analysis sought to understand those variations. The authors reviewed literature and conducted interviews to examine how ethics are created, monitored, and enforced.
Jun 5, 2019
Multimedia
Roberta Wohlstetter Forum on National Security: Game Changers in 21st Century Warfare
RAND hosted a forum on national security that honors the legacy of Roberta Wohlstetter, a military analyst who worked at RAND from 1948 until 1965. Panelists discussed areas that demand new approaches for national security and defense.
Mar 19, 2019
Report
Perspectives and Opportunities in Intelligence for U.S. Leaders
This Perspective identifies opportunities for senior government leaders to enact meaningful changes in the Intelligence Community across departments, agencies, and disciplines.
Sep 24, 2018
Journal Article
Intelligence in a Data-Driven Age
The Intelligence Community is nearing critical decisions on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Jul 13, 2018
Report
Moving to the Unclassified: How the Intelligence Community Can Work from Unclassified Facilities
This report provides analysis and recommendations for intelligence agencies on how to conduct work outside classified facilities by identifying policy, legal, technology, security, financial, and cultural considerations.
Apr 23, 2018
Report
Understanding Government Telework: An Examination of Research Literature and Practices from Government Agencies
This report provides an overview of the literature on telework, examines telework practices from across seven government agencies, and explains how government agencies benefit when employees engage in telework.
Apr 23, 2018
Report
SIGINT for Anyone: The Growing Availability of Signals Intelligence in the Public Domain
This Perspective examines signals intelligence (SIGINT) technologies available outside of government to understand the capabilities they provide and their implications for government policy and practices.
Dec 5, 2017
Tool
Roadmap to Succeed in the Open for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Human Development Directorate
This tool provides the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Human Development Directorate with a roadmap for how employees can overcome the hurdles to achieving the agency's missions outside of secure and classified environments.
Sep 26, 2017
Report
Exploring Cyber Security Policy Options in Australia
RAND conducted a cyber security exercise in Canberra, Australia to explore opportunities to improve cyber security, assess the implications of possible solutions, and inform Australia's next national Cyber Security Strategy.
Aug 7, 2017
Report
A Framework for Exploring Cybersecurity Policy Options
RAND conducted two discovery games to explore possible solutions for improving cybersecurity, assess their implications, and develop an initial framework to support debate and inform decisions regarding cybersecurity policies and practices.
Nov 23, 2016
Report
The Millennial Generation: Implications for the Intelligence and Policy Communities
This report describes how the intelligence community must engage millennials across multiple segments to succeed in the future: millennials as intelligence clients, employees, and partners and as members of the public.
Jul 18, 2016