Scott Savitz is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation. Much of his research focuses on how to improve the effectiveness and resilience of operational forces through the use of new technologies and modified tactics. He has developed numerous models and simulations in support of such analyses.
Recently, he has led analytical efforts to assess the impact of non-lethal weapons, military capability gaps in the Arctic, and how U.S., Brazilian, Australian, and Japanese services can invest in emerging technologies. Savitz has also led analyses on infrastructure requirements for testing autonomous systems, intelligence on threats to U.S. ports, improving maritime domain awareness, measuring the impact of efforts to counter hostile networks, improving data integration, and how to prepare for future Arctic operations. Earlier studies that he led focused on how the Navy can effectively use uncrewed surface vehicles, how to counter naval mine threats, and how the Coast Guard can make more informed asset-allocation decisions. At RAND, he has also analyzed historical insights regarding warship design, reducing airbase vulnerability, trapping fleets in port, tunnel warfare, and many other subjects.
Previously, Savitz provided on-site analytical support for the Navy's mine warfare command and the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He has led exercise-observation teams around the globe, and supported the Navy in Bahrain from 2001-2003, addressing counter-terrorism, political-military, and chemical/biological/radiological defense issues.
Savitz earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Yale University, as well as a master's degree and Ph.D. in the same field from the University of Pennsylvania.
Selected Publications
Scott Savitz, "Deceive the Enemy with Emerging Technologies," Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute, 147(2), 2021
Hornung, Jeffrey W., Scott Savitz, Jonathan Balk, Samantha McBirney, Liam McLane, and Victoria M. Smith, Preparing Japan's Multi-Domain Defense Force for the Future Battlespace Using Emerging Technologies, RAND Corporation (PE-A1157-1), 2021
Scott Savitz, "Rethink Mine Countermeasures," Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute, 143(7), 2017
Savitz, Scott, Aaron C. Davenport, and Michelle D. Ziegler, The Marine Transportation System, Autonomous Technology, and Implications for the U.S. Coast Guard, RAND Corporation (PE-359-DHS), 2020
Savitz, Scott, Miriam Matthews, and Sarah Weilant, Assessing Impact to Inform Decisions: A Toolkit on Measures for Policymakers, RAND Corporation (TL-263-OSD), 2017
Tingstad, Abbie, Scott Savitz, Kristin Van Abel, Dulani Woods, Katherine Anania, Michelle D. Ziegler, Aaron C. Davenport, and Katherine Costello, Identifying Potential Gaps in U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Capabilities, RAND Corporation (RR-2310-DHS), 2018
Scott Savitz, Irv Blickstein, Peter Buryk, Robert W. Button, Paul DeLuca, James Dryden, Jason Mastbaum, Jan Osburg, Philip Padilla, Amy Potter, Carter C. Price, Lloyd Thrall, Susan K. Woodward, Roland J. Yardley, John M. Yurchak, U.S. Navy Employment Options for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), RAND (RR-384), 2013
Scott Savitz, "Psychology and the Mined: A Case Study in Psychological Barriers to the Use of Statistical Analysis," Military Operations Research, 13(1), 2008