Éder Sousa is a computational scientist and AI/Aerospace Engineer at RAND's Santa Monica office, where he has led technical research and policy analysis across some of the most complex challenges facing the U.S. defense enterprise. With a PhD in Aerospace and Energetics from the University of Washington and a background in high-performance computing and plasma physics, he brings rigorous quantitative methods to bear on real-world policy questions.
At RAND, Sousa has built deep expertise in defense acquisition and cost analysis, helping senior military and civilian leaders navigate procurement decisions for advanced and emerging technologies. His work on space systems has examined commercial and military launch markets, infrastructure requirements, and rapid acquisition strategies — contributing to landmark studies on the National Security Space Launch program and the modernization of legacy space systems.
Sousa has also become a leading voice at RAND on hypersonic weapons, co-authoring foundational research on the industrial base challenges, cost drivers, and sustainment needs of hypersonic systems. In the AI space, his work spans both the operational and societal dimensions of the technology — from exploring AI applications in military intelligence and decision-making to studying how artificial intelligence is reshaping the broader labor force, including a data-driven analysis of AI-exposed occupations based on patent and job task data.
Ph.D. in aero/astro engineering, University of Washington; M.S. in aerospace engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; B.S. in aerospace engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Portuguese; Portuguese Creole
