Daniel M. Gerstein

Daniel M. Gerstein
Senior Policy Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in biodefense, George Mason University; M.S. in national security, National Defense University; M.M.A.S. in national security strategy, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College; M.S. in operations research, Georgia Institute of Technology; B.S. in engineering, United States Military Academy

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.

More Experts

Overview

Daniel M. Gerstein is a senior policy researcher at RAND and professor of policy analysis at Pardee RAND Graduate School. Previously, he served at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as under secretary (acting) and deputy under secretary in the Science & Technology Directorate. He has extensive experience in security and defense while serving as a Senior Executive Service (SES) government civilian, in uniform, and in industry. He is also an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, D.C. In DHS S&T, he managed the directorate's $1-billion budget and spearheaded several cross-departmental efforts in big data, cybersecurity, and biodefense.

Gerstein began his professional career in the U.S. Army, serving on four continents, participating in combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism, and homeland security. Following retirement from active duty, he joined L-3 Corporation as vice president for Homeland Security Services. Before joining DHS, Gerstein was the principal director for Countering WMD in OSD (Policy). He also served on the Holbrooke Delegation that negotiated the peace settlement in Bosnia, established SOUTHCOM's cybersecurity facility following 9/11, developed a biosurveillance system for DoD, and led the Army's most comprehensive restructuring since WWII.

He has received many foreign, military, and civilian awards, including the U.S. Army Soldiers Medal for heroism. He has published numerous books and articles on national security topics and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Gerstein graduated from West Point and has a Ph.D. from George Mason University and master's degrees from Georgia Tech, National Defense University, and Army Command & General Staff College.

Selected Publications

Daniel M. Gerstein, Tech Wars: Transforming U.S. Technology Development, Praeger, 2022

Daniel M. Gerstein and Perry Smith, Assignment Pentagon (5th Edition), , 2020

Daniel M. Gerstein, The Story of Technology: How We Got Here and What the Future Holds, Prometheus Books (Rowman and Littlefield), 2019

Daniel M. Gerstein, National Security and Arms Control in the Age of Biotechnology: The Biological Weapons Convention, Rowman and Littlefield, 2013

Daniel M. Gerstein, Bioterror in the 21st Century, Naval Institute Press, 2009

Daniel M. Gerstein and Perry Smith, Assignment Pentagon, Potomac Books, 2007

Daniel M. Gerstein, Leading at the Speed of Light, Potgomac Books, 2006

Daniel M. Gerstein, Securing America’s Future: National Strategy in the Information Age, Praeger Security International, 2005

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: 2022 Talks; CBC, Canada; CNBC World; C-SPAN, Washington Journal; Federal News Network Online; Going Global; Government Matters; Here and There, Santa Fe Public Radio; KBIA-FM Online; KCBS-AM - San Francisco; NewsNation; Out Of The Blank podcast; Sinclair Broadcast Group; WNCT (CBS) - Greenville, NC; WWL-AM Online; Yahoo

Commentary

Publications