Marjory S. Blumenthal

Photo of Marjory Blumenthal
Acting Associate Director, Acquisition and Technology Policy Center; Senior Policy Researcher
Washington Office

Education

M.P.P., Harvard University; A.B. in population studies, Brown University

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

Marjory Blumenthal is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. Prior to joining RAND, she served as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Blumenthal's PCAST projects addressed how systems engineering can improve the delivery of health care, the challenge of protecting privacy in the context of big data, new directions for cybersecurity, how information technology can improve education and training, the implications of new technologies for cities, biosecurity, design and evaluation of research programs, and more. Previously she was associate provost, academic, at Georgetown University, developing academic strategy, strengthening the sciences and the overall research program, and promoting innovation in areas from international engagement to teaching and learning.

Before starting at Georgetown, Blumenthal was the founding executive director of the National Academies' Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB). She convened and teamed with technologists, social scientists, and other experts, producing over 60 influential books and reports that addressed the full range of information technologies and their societal impacts.   At RAND, Blumenthal has been working on assessing research, autonomous vehicle safety and policy, citizen science, technology and the future of cities, wireless communication, regulatory policy, AI, and defense innovation—among other things.

Blumenthal earned her M.P.P. from Harvard University.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Chari, Ramya, et al., The Promise of Community Citizen Science, RAND (PE-256), 2017

Miller, Ben, et al., Inching Toward Reform: Trump's Deregulation and Its Implementation (PE-241)

Commentary

  • Artificial intelligence concept, photo by kentoh/Getty Images

    Military Deception: AI's Killer App?

    Contrary to the promise that AI would deliver an omniscient view of everything happening in the battlespace—the goal of U.S. military planners for decades—it now appears that technologies of misdirection are winning. Military deception, in short, could prove to be AI’s killer app.

    Oct 23, 2019 War on the Rocks

  • Interior of autonomous car with ones and zeroes superimposed, photo by metamorworks/Getty Images

    Why AV Safety and Cybersecurity Need to Be Pursued in Tandem

    Safety and cybersecurity are generally pursued by separate teams within autonomous vehicle companies. A joint approach to standards could optimize safety and cybersecurity and reduce overall risks to autonomous vehicle operation.

    Mar 20, 2019 Axios

  • Car driving autonomously with LIDAR sensor

    The New AV Challenge: Creating a Universal Safety Framework

    Autonomous vehicle developers are pursuing different safety strategies and technologies, making different claims, in different ways, about their systems. A universal framework could provide a more consistent and transparent view of progress in AV safety within and across the industry, better informing the public and policymakers.

    Nov 2, 2018 Axios

  • Robots working with cardboard boxes on a conveyer belt

    AI's Promise and Risks

    Artificial intelligence seems to be advancing faster than efforts to understand its potential consequences, good and bad. And discussions about AI often veer toward extremes. More balanced, rigorous analysis is needed to help shape policies that mitigate AI's risks and maximize its benefits.

    Oct 24, 2017 TechCrunch

  • Floating ice and iceberg in Antarctic Peninsula

    When It Comes to Climate, Look for Vulnerabilities in Policy, Not Science

    Federal policymakers have picked up on the concept of red teaming — actively seeking out one's own vulnerabilities. While red teaming may not make sense for climate science, it does offer great benefits when weighing climate policy options.

    Aug 4, 2017 The Hill

Publications