Ryan J. Bain is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Technology Applications and Implications stream at the RAND School and an assistant policy researcher at RAND. His research interests include: climate, energy, and decarbonization; defense and space policy; emerging technologies and artificial intelligence; the Russia-Ukraine war; and international strategic competition between the United States and China.
Before joining RAND, Bain was a policy analyst for an environmental think tank in Brussels where he primarily assessed legislation and briefed policymakers on how best to decarbonize industry and build climate-resilient energy systems. Across various policy and analytical roles over the past decade, he has deployed a robust mixed-methods skillset to conduct research on diverse topics ranging from income, well-being, and public opinion formation to raw material supply chains, critical infrastructure and security risks, and global strategic rivalries.
Bain earned his M.Phil. in policy analysis from the RAND School in 2025 and has an M.A. in European political and governance studies and public policy analysis from the College of Europe (2020). He also holds an M.S. in policy studies (2019) and M.A. (Hons) in politics and economic and social history from the University of Edinburgh (2015), and an M.S. in international relations from the University of Glasgow (2016).
M.Phil. in policy analysis, RAND School of Public Policy; M.A. in European political and governance studies and public policy analysis, College of Europe; M.S. in policy studies, University of Edinburgh; M.S. in international relations, University of Glasgow; M.A. (Hons) in politics and economic and social history, University of Edinburgh
English; French
