Sean Robson

Senior Behavioral/Social Scientist; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology, University of Tulsa; B.S. in psychology, James Madison University

One Page Bio

Overview

Sean Robson is a senior behavioral and policy scientist at RAND who works on manpower, personnel, and training issues, and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. As an expert on issues related to the scientific validation of tests and standards, he has been leading efforts to establish the scientific basis for assessment and selection programs and occupationally relevant physical fitness tests, which may be used to ensure the physical readiness of military personnel. Specifically, he has led research projects to identify physical fitness requirements in Air Force Battlefield Airmen as well as entry level physical strength requirements and tests for physically demanding occupational specialties in the Air Force. He has also had significant roles on projects examining stress inoculation training, resilience, diversity, leadership, competency modeling, and workforce development. Robson has a B.S. from James Madison University, and a Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from the University of Tulsa.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Krueger, Tracy C., Sean Robson, Joshua Snoke, Matthew Walsh, Matt Strawn, Anthony Atler, Jason H. Campbell, Isabel Leamon, Ryan Haberman, and Barbara Bicksler, Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare: Vol. 1, Defining Attributes and Designing Rater Training, RAND Corporation (RR-A549-1), 2022

Robson, Sean, Maria C. Lytell, Matthew Walsh, Kimberly Curry Hall, Kirsten M. Keller, Vikram Kilambi, Joshua Snoke, Jonathan W. Welburn, Patrick S. Roberts, Owen Hall, and Louis T. Mariano, U.S. Air Force Enlisted Classification and Reclassification: Potential Improvements Using Machine Learning and Optimization Models, RAND Corporation (RR-A284-1), 2022

Robson, Sean, Isabel Leamon, Maria C. Lytell, Miriam Matthews, and Margaret Chamberlin, A Review of the Air Force Fitness Assessment, RAND Corporation (RR-A762-1), 2021

Robson, Sean, Maria C. Lytell, Anthony Atler, Jason H. Campbell, and Carra S. Sims, Physical Task Simulations: Performance Measures for the Validation of Physical Tests and Standards for Battlefield Airmen, RAND Corporation (RR-1595-AF), 2020

Lytell, Maria C., Sean Robson, David Schulker, Tracy C. Krueger, Miriam Matthews, Louis T. Mariano, and Albert A. Robbert, Training Success for U.S. Air Force Special Operations and Combat Support Specialties: An Analysis of Recruiting, Screening, and Development Processes, RAND Corporation (RR-2002-AF), 2018

Honors & Awards

Bronze Medal for Mission + Impact - 2021, RAND
Mentor Spotlight Award - 2017, Global Research Talent
Research Excellence Award - 2016, RAND Project Air Force

Publications

Report
Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare: Vol. 1, Defining Attributes and Designing Rater Training
Air Force Special Warfare warrants specialized assessment and selection of future operators. The authors examine the nontechnical attributes needed to conduct challenging missions and the process for selecting candidates who can succeed.
Sep 27, 2022
Report
Is Today's U.S. Air Force Fit? It Depends on How Fitness Is Measured
In this report, the authors examine metrics used to monitor the fitness of airmen, and through their analyses of fitness data, they make a case for using multiple measures to gain a more accurate assessment of the health and fitness of the force.
May 2, 2022
Report
Physical Fitness Standards to Support Readiness and Deployability: An Examination of Department of the Air Force Policies and Culture
Through analyses involving the Air Force's Tier 1 fitness assessment (FA), the authors examine whether FA components meet their intended purpose to minimize health risks and maximize readiness of airmen.
May 2, 2022
Report
U.S. Air Force Enlisted Classification and Reclassification: Potential Improvements Using Machine Learning and Optimization Models
The authors review options for improving processes for classifying and reclassifying enlisted active-duty, non–prior service airmen for initial skills training in the United States Air Force.
Mar 14, 2022
Report
Championing the Agile Air Force Officer Career: Examining the Potential Use of New Career Management Flexibilities
The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act introduced new options for officer career management for the military services. Researchers examine the potential utility of five of the new flexibilities for improving the management of Air Force officers.
Jul 30, 2021
Report
Tailoring Medical Standards for Air Force Personnel
To serve in the U.S. military, individuals must meet medical standards to ensure that they are fit to serve. The authors explore the implications to U.S. Air Force culture of tailoring such standards to expand or limit the pool of qualified personnel.
Apr 8, 2021
Report
A Review of the Air Force Fitness Assessment
This report presents an overview of research relevant to U.S. Air Force fitness assessment components to ensure readiness of personnel, support the National Defense Strategy, and promote a culture of health and well-being across the U.S. Air Force.
Apr 6, 2021
Report
The Composition and Employment of Software Personnel in the U.S. Department of Defense: An Initial Analysis
The authors identify and characterize a subset of the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD's) software workforce, the types of software developed within DoD, and the variety of methods DoD programs use when employing that workforce to develop software.
Dec 24, 2020
Report
Software Acquisition Workforce Initiative for the Department of Defense: Initial Competency Development and Preparation for Validation
To support U.S. Department of Defense goals to improve software acquisition, the authors develop a competency model, review training and education courses, and present options for tracking and managing the software acquisition workforce.
Mar 31, 2020
Report
Physical Task Simulations: Performance Measures for the Validation of Physical Tests and Standards for Battlefield Airmen
This report describes RAND's assistance to the Air Force in designing physical task simulations to evaluate the physical capabilities required to perform critical physical tasks in six battlefield airmen occupational specialties.
Feb 20, 2020
Report
A Survey System to Assess Abuse and Misconduct Toward Air Force Students in Occupational Specialty Training
This report provides recommendations for how the Air Force's survey system for monitoring abuse and misconduct in Basic Military Training can best be adapted for use in technical training and flying training environments.
Mar 5, 2019
Report
An Examination of Recruiting and Selection Practices to Promote Diversity for Colorado State Troopers
The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) seeks to better reflect the demographic representation of the state of Colorado. This report offers an exploratory examination of how CSP's recruiting and selection policies and procedures relate to that objective.
Feb 28, 2019
Report
Evaluation of the Strength Aptitude Test and Other Fitness Tests to Qualify Air Force Recruits for Physically Demanding Specialties
This report evaluates the Strength Aptitude Test and related fitness tests to identify strategies for ensuring airmen can meet job-related physical requirements.
Aug 10, 2018
Report
Evaluating an Operator Physical Fitness Test Prototype for Tactical Air Control Party and Air Liaison Officers: A Preliminary Analysis of Test Implementation
This report provides a preliminary evaluation effort of the implementation of the physical tests and standards being adopted by the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party and Air Liaison Officer career fields.
Jul 11, 2018
Report
Training Success for U.S. Air Force Special Operations and Combat Support Specialties: An Analysis of Recruiting, Screening, and Development Processes
This report addresses challenges for implementing new approaches to Air Force high-demand, high-attrition specialty recruiting, screening, and development processes, and takes a holistic approach to identifying methods to fill gaps in processes.
May 15, 2018
Report
Career Development for the Department of Defense Security Cooperation Workforce
This study informs the development of career models for the Department of Defense security cooperation workforce. It assesses potential requirements for competencies and experience and identifies potential job families within the workforce.
Feb 8, 2018
Report
Fit for Duty? Evaluating the Physical Fitness Requirements of Battlefield Airmen
Describes a methodology for establishing physical fitness standards for four Air Force occupational specialties, as part of a broader Air Force effort to measure the physical readiness of airmen to perform their jobs.
May 9, 2017
Report
The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DMHA): An Assessment of Roles and Missions
This report examines the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance's history, activities, and roles to determine how its missions can best be performed to achieve the Department of Defense's objectives in this domain.
May 16, 2016
Report
Considerations for Integrating Women into Closed Occupations in U.S. Special Operations Forces
This report assesses challenges for unit cohesion from integrating women into special operations forces and provides analytical support for validating occupational standards for positions controlled by U.S. Special Operations Command.
Dec 16, 2015
Report
Airman and Family Resilience: Lessons from the Scientific Literature
This final report in a series reviews the concepts and measures of resilience, resilience factors, hardiness and flourishing. It highlights the eight fitness domain companion reports and types of Air Force data that could be used to track resilience.
Sep 29, 2015
Research Brief
Aligning Education and Training to Meet Energy Workforce Needs
The need to fill semiskilled jobs in the West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania energy sector and rapidly evolving technology and innovations require improving the pipeline of trained workers entering the labor force serving the industry.
Aug 31, 2015
Report
Energy-Sector Workforce Development in West Virginia: Aligning Community College Education and Training with Needed Skills
In 2013, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) asked RAND to work closely with the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia on a collaborative strategy for preparing the local talent pool for the energy-sector workforce.
Aug 31, 2015
Report
An Integrated Survey System for Addressing Abuse and Misconduct Toward Air Force Trainees During Basic Military Training
RAND developed an integrated survey system to help the U.S. Air Force's Air Education and Training Command monitor and address abuse and misconduct by military training instructors toward trainees during Basic Military Training.
Jun 18, 2015
Report
Behavioral Fitness and Resilience: A Review of Relevant Constructs, Measures, and Links to Well-Being
This report examines the relationship between behavioral fitness and resilience, using key constructs found in the scientific literature that relate to sleep, alcohol use, and tobacco use.
Dec 5, 2014
Report
Promoting Airmen with the Potential to Lead: A Study of the Air Force Master Sergeant Promotion System
Despite an evolving operational environment, the system for promoting airmen into the rank of master sergeant has not changed since it was developed more than 40 years ago. RAND researchers assessed the system and explored areas for improvement.
Nov 14, 2014
Report
Enhancing Performance Under Stress: Stress Inoculation Training for Battlefield Airmen
USAF pararescue and combat controllers routinely recover downed or injured military personnel and direct military aircraft in hostile or denied regions. Consequently, to be effective in these careers requires the ability to cope with severe stress.
Jul 23, 2014
Report
Psychological Fitness and Resilience: A Review of Relevant Constructs, Measures, and Links to Well-Being
This report examines the relationship between psychological fitness and resilience, using key constructs found in the scientific literature that address self-regulation, positive affect, perceived control, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and optimism.
Mar 11, 2014
Report
Physical Fitness and Resilience: A Review of Relevant Constructs, Measures, and Links to Well-Being
This report examines the relationship between physical fitness and resilience, using key constructs found in the scientific literature that address work-related physical fitness and health-related physical fitness.
Oct 3, 2013
Report
Second-Language Skills for All? Analyzing a Proposed Language Requirement for U.S. Air Force Officers
A survey of Air Force officers suggests that it would not be feasible to require a high level of proficiency in a second language upon commissioning. Alternatives, such as incentivizing steps toward attaining proficiency, are suggested.
Dec 19, 2012
Report
Optimizing the Defense Language Institute English Language Center
Presents an assessment of the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC), which trains foreign nationals in English prior to their attending U.S. military education and training courses.
Aug 30, 2012