WASHINGTON D.C.– The Brookings Institution is pleased to announce the appointment of Diana Burley as the Institution’s new senior vice president of research as of Sept. 29, 2025. As senior vice president, Burley will play a crucial role in research quality, scholar culture and success, impact planning, and multi-scholar initiatives.
Burley, a global cybersecurity expert, will join Brookings from American University where she has served as vice provost for research and innovation since 2020, overseeing the university-wide research enterprise. During her tenure in that role, she enabled global partnerships, supported faculty-led scholarship across all disciplines, and developed the university’s research brand. As vice provost, she served as American’s chief research officer and chief innovation officer, as well as executive director of the Khan Institute for Cyber and Economic Security, professor of public administration and policy, and professor of information technology and analytics.
“Diana brings a variety of skills, knowledge, and experience to the role,” said Cecilia Rouse, president of the Brookings Institution. “High-quality, nonpartisan research is the foundation on which Brookings builds its impact. Diana will drive our mission forward with a commitment to excellence, innovation, and collaboration.”
Prior to her time at American, Burley spent 14 years at George Washington University as a professor and administrator where she directed the I3P, a 26-member cybersecurity research consortium, and led a university-wide strategic planning process to establish foundational principles and aspirational priorities for research preeminence. During a stint at the National Science Foundation, she managed a multimillion dollar computer science portfolio. She has authored nearly 100 publications, regularly advises executives on emerging technologies and the future of work, and recently co-chaired the National Academies committee on research and application in team science.
Burley holds a doctorate in organization science and information technology, a master’s degree in organization science, and a master’s degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from The Catholic University of America.
“I am thrilled to join the Brookings Institution as senior vice president of research at this pivotal moment,” said Burley. “Today, the need for independent, rigorous thought leadership that informs public discourse is both urgent and a subject of significant debate. I am eager to work alongside President Rouse and Brookings’ cadre of distinguished scholars to deliver innovative and practical recommendations of the highest quality to inform public policy, strengthen public trust in democracy, and support social and economic prosperity.”
One of the world’s most cited and influential think tanks, Brookings brings together leading experts in government, business, civil society, and academia from all over the world on a full range of public policy issues. With a research agenda rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, Brookings has more than a century of producing the high-quality research and insights that help decisionmakers, news media, and the public understand and tackle important challenges at local, national, and global levels.