The Center hosts a variety of visitors throughout the academic year to stimulate discussion on regional, national, and international affairs. In the 2008-09 academic year the Center was able to assemble an impressive array of speakers, including Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Flickr; the New York Times reporter David Leonhardt; and Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. See a complete list of our 2008-2009 public programs. Read about this years prior public programs on our News Briefs page.
DR. DAVID S. C. CHU, President and CEO, Institute for Defense Analyses, former Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense
"The Challenge of Managing Defense"
Tuesday, November 10
4:30 PM • 3 Rockefeller Hall
THE BROOKS FAMILY LECTURE
The American military budget approaches the Gross Domestic Product of Australia. It is the largest single employer in the US. Yet it is managed almost entirely by a "command and control" system.
While it is led by the President as commander-in-chief, it is overseen by the 535 Members of Congress, and its actions (both triumphs and failures) are the subject of daily front-page news coverage, particularly in time of war.
The American public expects the military to meet the highest standards of performance, and properly so. How does one manage a public enterprise of this sort? Can it meet these high expectations? Does it?
Dr. Chu is President of the Institute for Defense Analyses. IDA's mission is to assist the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Commands, and the Defense Agencies, in addressing important national security issues, particularly those requiring scientific and technical expertise.
Dr. Chu served in the Department of Defense as Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness (2001-09), and earlier as Assistant Secretary and Director for Program Analysis and Evaluation (1978-93). From 1978 to 1981 he was the Assistant Director of the Congressional Budget Office for National Security and International Affairs.
Dr. Chu served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. He was an economist with RAND from 1970 to 1978, Director of RAND's Washington Office (1994-98), and Vice President for its Army Research Division (1998-2001).
Dr. Chu received his BA in Economics and Mathematics, and his Ph.D. in economics, from Yale University. He is the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service with Gold Palm, the Department of Veterans Affairs Meritorious Service Award, the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, and the National Public Service Award of the National Academy of Public Administration, of which he is a Fellow.
