Cynthia R. Cook

Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Cynthia Cook

Cynthia R. Cook is a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). An expert on defense policy and innovation, she is widely published on acquisition reform, supply chain resilience, and the production and sustainment of military systems. Dr. Cook has advised policymakers across multiple administrations, briefing Department of Defense and allied defense leaders on industrial base policy. She serves on the editorial board of the Defense Acquisition Research Journal, is an adjunct professor and has advised dissertations at the RAND Graduate School, and is affiliated with the Acquisition Innovation Research Center and the Institute for Defense Analyses’ Defense Management Institute. Before joining CSIS, Dr. Cook spent more than two decades at RAND as a senior management scientist. Earlier in her career, she was a research specialist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lean Aerospace Initiative and a corporate finance analyst at a New York investment bank. Dr. Cook holds a BS in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an AM and PhD in sociology from Harvard University, where she serves on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Alumni Council.

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Evaluating Pathways for U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation with Allies

This report examines how deeper cooperation with allies—particularly South Korea and Japan—could help the United States attain the naval capabilities it needs. 

Report by Henry H. Carroll, Cynthia R. Cook, Seamus P. Daniels, and Oliver B. Buntin — August 10, 2026

Formula 1 on the Front Lines

Hosting F1 races was supposed to showcase the Gulf's post-oil future. Instead, the Iran war canceled two Grand Prix races and two more are under threat. What does this mean for the future of hosting major global events in contested regions?

Commentary by Emily Harding and Cynthia R. Cook — July 9, 2026

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Formula 1 on the Front Lines

An audio version of "⁠Formula 1 on the Front Lines⁠," a new commentary by CSIS’s Emily Harding and Cynthia R. Cook. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Emily Harding and Cynthia R. Cook — July 9, 2026

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Outlining the Challenges to U.S. Naval Shipbuilding

The U.S. naval shipbuilding enterprise struggles to produce ships at the scale and speed demanded despite being a bipartisan priority for successive administrations and Congress. The White House must tackle complex, longstanding challenges to improve shipbuilding capacity.

Report by CSIS Scholars — December 16, 2025

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Putting the Industrial Base on a Wartime Footing

An audio version of "⁠Putting the Industrial Base on a Wartime Footing⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS's Jerry McGinn and Cynthia R. Cook. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.  

Podcast Episode by Jerry McGinn and Cynthia R. Cook — December 5, 2025

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Putting the Industrial Base on a Wartime Footing

Putting the industrial base on a wartime footing will require strong leadership and consistent funding, with an investment in readiness for day one of any conflict, and the ability to maintain, repair, and replace the capabilities needed to prevail in any future fight. 

Commentary by Jerry McGinn and Cynthia R. Cook — December 5, 2025

Improving U.S. Cooperation with Allies and Partners

To make the most of its vast network of allies and partners, the United States must understand the barriers inhibiting U.S.-allied cooperation and devise ways to overcome them.

Report by CSIS Scholars — October 14, 2025

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Power Projection and the Logistics of Modern War

An audio version of “⁠Power Projection and the Logistics of Modern War⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Cynthia R. Cook. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Cynthia R. Cook — September 16, 2025

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Industrial Roadblocks: Producing at Scale and Adopting New Technologies

An audio version of “⁠Industrial Roadblocks: Producing at Scale and Adopting New Technologies⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Cynthia R. Cook. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Cynthia R. Cook — September 16, 2025

Audio Briefs