Scott Helfstein, Ph.D. is the Director of Research for the Combating Terrorism Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy, West Point. He is also a Senior Fellow at George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute. He focuses on the intersection of economics and national security, addressing topics such as network diffusion, economic interdependence, technology, threat finance, terrorism, nonproliferation and crisis decision-making. The transdisciplinary nature of his research is evidenced by publication in journals across economics, political science and public policy. Scott has lectured at places such as Cambridge, Harvard and the University of Michigan on economic security, technology in counterterrorism and cybersecurity. He has consulted for or worked with numerous government offices such as the National Security Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of State Policy Planning and the Joint Staff. Scott has also advised companies in the defense, energy, financial and technology sectors on matters related to investment security and global trends.

Scott holds a Joint Doctorate in Public Policy and Political Science from the University of Michigan, where he focused on world politics and political economy. He also holds a Master’s Degree in War Studies from King’s College, London, and from 1999 to 2002, he worked as an investment banker focusing on mergers and acquisitions at Credit Suisse First Boston. Prior to that, Scott worked at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in the Banking Supervision and Regulation and Research and Statistics Divisions from 1997 to 1999. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from The George Washington University. Scott is a Term Member in the Council of Foreign Relations, a member of the CFR Term Member Advisory Committee and was a participant in National Defense University’s Combating WMD Program for Emerging Leaders from 2009-2011.