Christopher Mouton, Ph.D., is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation. Mouton is a strategic technologist with specializations in technological innovation, public policy, and artificial intelligence (AI). He leads a research team focused on special operations forces (SOF), conducting in-depth capability reviews and cost-effectiveness analyses that have significantly improved SOF operational effectiveness. His work has directly influenced procurement decisions and has contributed to a rigorous approach for prioritizing technology investments essential to national security, which balances operational value, risk, and cost. Previously, as Acting Director of RAND's Acquisition and Technology Policy Program, he managed multidisciplinary research in domains including space, air, ground, sea, and cyber. Mouton holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology and has been honored with multiple awards, including RAND's Leonard Schaeffer Medal.
M.S. and Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech); B.S. in aerospace engineering, University of Texas
