Elizabeth Bodine-Baron

@bodinebaron on Twitter

Associate Director, Force Modernization and Employment Program, RAND Project Air Force; Senior Information Scientist

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D., M.S. in electrical engineering, California Institute of Technology; B.S. in electrical engineering, University of Texas at Austin; B.A. in liberal arts, University of Texas at Austin

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

Elizabeth Bodine-Baron is associate director of the Force Modernization and Employment Program in RAND Project Air Force (PAF) and a senior information scientist at the RAND Corporation specializing in complex networks and systems. Her research interests include network analysis and modeling for both domestic and national security issues. Her recent work includes analysis of cyber and information operations, intelligence and targeting tools and processes, and the cybersecurity of logistics and weapon systems. She has used network analysis of social media data to study Russian propaganda, violent extremist messaging, ISIS support and opposition networks, and information operations. Bodine-Baron received a Ph.D. and M.S. in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in electrical engineering and a B.A. in liberal arts (Plan II Honors) from the University of Texas at Austin.

Research Focus

Concurrent Non-RAND Positions

Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations

Recent Projects

Wing-Level Mission Assurance for a Cyber-Contested Environment
Countering Violent Extremism in Indonesia: Using an Online Panel Survey to Assess a Social Media Counter-Messaging Campaign
Countering Russian Social Media Influence
Russian Social Media Influence
Examining ISIS Supporters and Opponents on Twitter

Honors & Awards

Silver Medal/Innovation Award, RAND
PAF Team Innovation Award, RAND

Commentary

Are Counter Violent Extremism Interventions Effective?
Government efforts to counter the propaganda and radicalization that lead to violent extremism are becoming more common around the world, but there's little research on whether such programs work. It is critical to conduct more research to tease out which programs are most effective.
Sep 11, 2020 The RAND Blog
Stop Calling Us 'Women Experts'
To get to a place where a woman's expertise is valued as implicitly as a man's, women must be freed of the baggage of being “women scholars” and “women policymakers.” Instead, women must be given that most significant form of respect: Just call us experts.
Oct 11, 2019 The RAND Blog
Fighting the Islamic State on Social Media
Countering ISIL in the real world also requires countering its messaging online. It is critical that the U.S. and its international partners work with influential communities in the region that can more effectively and credibly counter the ISIL narrative.
Oct 11, 2016 Pacific Council on International Policy

Publications

Report
Cyber Mission Thread Analysis: A Prototype Framework for Assessing Impact to Missions from Cyber Attacks to Weapon Systems
A decision to mitigate or accept a risk from a cyber attack to a weapon system depends on the operational mission impact. This proposed method for assessing mission impact is at once comprehensive and simple enough to scale across the U.S. Air Force.
Mar 10, 2022
Report
Wing-Level Mission Assurance for a Cyber-Contested Environment
The authors offer ways to help wings assure their missions despite cyber attacks, focusing on how wings can maintain situational awareness, defend their systems, and respond to and recover from attacks to survive and operate when under cyber attack.
Dec 9, 2021
Report
Countering Violent Extremism in Indonesia: Using an Online Panel Survey to Assess a Social Media Counter-Messaging Campaign
This report presents the results of an evaluation designed to assess the effects of countering violent extremism–themed social media content used in a campaign to promote tolerance, freedom of speech, and rejection of violence in Indonesia.
Sep 9, 2020
Report
Promoting Peace as the Antidote to Violent Extremism: Evaluation of a Philippines-Based Tech Camp and Peace Promotion Fellowship
This report contains an evaluation of and recommendations from a countering violent extremism (CVE)–themed set of tech camps and fellowships in the Philippines. This report also contains research from a study of CVE radio programming on Mindanao.
Sep 9, 2020
Report
Countering Violent Extremism in Nigeria: Using a Text-Message Survey to Assess Radio Programs
The authors present the results of a text message–based randomized controlled trial designed to assess the impact of a countering violent extremism (CVE)–themed radio program broadcast in northern Nigeria in 2018–2019.
Mar 12, 2020
Report
Social Media and the Army: Implications for Outreach and Recruiting
Social media platforms play a key role in the U.S. Army's outreach and recruiting efforts. The authors analyzed these efforts to see if and how potential recruits and others are engaging with the Army's content and offer related recommendations.
Jun 3, 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
Countering Russian Social Media Influence
The Russian government's campaigns of disinformation -- political, social, religious, or otherwise -- have found a comfortable home on social media. This report presents strategies to counter Russian social media influence.
Nov 1, 2018
Report
Russian Social Media Influence: Understanding Russian Propaganda in Eastern Europe
Researchers analyzed Russian social media data and conducted interviews with regional and security experts to understand the critical ingredients to countering Russia's propaganda campaign against former Soviet states.
Apr 12, 2018
Report
Robust and Resilient Logistics Operations in a Degraded Information Environment
The U.S. Air Force asked RAND Project AIR FORCE to examine how tactics, techniques, and procedures should change to improve an airman's ability to detect, evaluate, and mitigate significant corruption of logistics data.
Nov 22, 2017
Report
The Global Landpower Network: Recommendations for Strengthening Army Engagement
The U.S. Army's global landpower network concept integrates, sustains, and advances the Army's efforts to meet U.S. national security guidance emphasizing the importance of working closely with partner nations to achieve U.S. strategic objectives.
Aug 21, 2017
Report
Empowering ISIS Opponents on Twitter
This Perspective presents options for operationalizing recent RAND Corporation findings about ISIS opponents and supporters on Twitter. It formulates a countermessaging approach for two main communication pathways.
Apr 21, 2017
Report
Examining ISIS Support and Opposition Networks on Twitter
This report examines the debate about the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Arabic Twitter and uses a mixed-methods analytic approach to identify and characterize in detail the Twitter networks of ISIS supporters and opponents.
Aug 16, 2016
Research Brief
Cybersecurity of Air Force Weapon Systems: Ensuring Cyber Mission Assurance Throughout a System's Life Cycle
Discusses how the Air Force acquisition/life-cycle management community can improve cybersecurity throughout the life cycle of Air Force weapon systems.
Oct 27, 2015
Report
Improving the Cybersecurity of U.S. Air Force Military Systems Throughout Their Life Cycles
Examines how the Air Force acquisition/life-cycle management community can improve cybersecurity throughout the life cycle of its military systems.
Oct 27, 2015
Multimedia
Using Network Analysis Methods to Support the Global SOF Network
This video explores how network analysis metrics--in particular
Nov 13, 2014