Marvin Eric Polk

Marvin Polk is a Ph.D. student at the RAND School of Public Policy, assistant policy researcher at RAND, and active-duty U.S. Army officer with over 19 years of military experience. His research interests include national security issues, intelligence, great-power competition, military recruiting, force structure and modernization, security cooperation, and military and civilian education.

Prior to joining RAND, he served as professor of military science at the University of Southern California. Throughout his career, Polk served in numerous leadership and staff assignments across the Army, Joint Force, and Intelligence Community. These assignments included work in Special Operations, ASCC Staff, COCOM Staff, and tactical assignments in airborne units. He has two combat deployments to the Middle East as well as operational experience in South America and Eastern Europe. 

Polk holds an M.S. in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University, an M.A. in intelligence studies from American Public University, and B.A.s in East Asian studies and history from the University of Southern California.