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Research Director, CNA Corporation | Operations Research, National Security
Dr. Larry Lewis spearheaded the first data-driven approach to protecting civilians in conflict, analyzing military information in conjunction with open-source data. He has worked extensively with militaries—including the U.S., NATO, and key U.S. partners—to help reduce civilian harm in their operations and to strengthen their institutional capacity for reducing such harm. Dr. Lewis has led many studies over the past two decades on mitigating civilian harm. For example, he was the lead analyst and co-author (with Dr. Sarah Sewall at Harvard University) for the Joint Civilian Casualty Study (JCCS) in support of GEN Petraeus, GEN McChrystal, and ADM Olson (SOCOM); GEN Petraeus described the study as “the first comprehensive assessment of the problem of civilian protection.” His work, including analysis of over 2000 real world cases of civilian harm, identified the causes of civilian harm and supported the development of tailored, actionable solutions: policy and practical measures complementary to existing protections and principles in international humanitarian law. In 2017 he founded CNA’s Center for Autonomy and AI, where he worked on military use of autonomous systems and promoting Responsible AI. He continues to explore ways AI and other emerging technologies can be leveraged to support mitigation of civilian harm. Dr. Lewis was previously the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State responsible for human rights, where he authored the first draft of US national policy on civilian harm mitigation, Executive Order 13732. Before that he analyzed real world operations as the project lead and primary author for many of DOD’s Joint Lessons Learned studies. A significant focus area was the issue of balancing mission effectiveness with the protection of civilians during combat operations. Dr. Lewis is also a subject matter expert on the subject
Rice University
PhD, Chemistry
January 1, 1991 – January 1, 1997
William & Mary
Bachelor of Science (BS), Chemistry
January 1, 1987 – January 1, 1991
CNA Corporation
Research Director
March 1, 2022 – Present
Arlington, Virginia, United States
CNA
Director, Center for Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence
October 1, 2017 – March 1, 2022
Arlington, VA
CNA
Principal Research Scientist
May 1, 2017 – October 1, 2017
Arlington, VA
Department of State
Senior Advisor
August 1, 2015 – May 1, 2017
Washington D.C. Metro Area
CNA
CNA Representative to Joint Staff J7
August 1, 2011 – August 1, 2015
Suffolk, VA
US Joint Forces Command
Research Analyst
January 1, 2004 – August 1, 2011
Center for Naval Analyses
Research Analyst
August 1, 1997 – September 1, 2004
NASA
Summer Faculty Fellow
May 1, 1997 – August 1, 1997
Cultural Fit Analysis
The candidate has a long history within government and defense-related research organizations (CNA, Department of State, US Joint Forces Command, NASA). This background suggests a cultural fit for structured, mission-driven environments. The focus on autonomy and AI, combined with policy advisory roles, indicates an ability to bridge technical research with strategic implications, which is valuable for a Director - Research role. However, the lack of diverse industry experience or projects outside of defense/government might limit adaptability to different organizational cultures or commercial research priorities.
Soft Skills & Operational Fit
The candidate's career trajectory indicates strong leadership, strategic thinking, and advisory skills. Their long tenure in research and defense suggests a methodical and analytical approach to problem-solving. The roles involving policy advice and center directorship imply strong communication and collaboration skills, essential for operational fit in a senior research role.