Since our founding, the Center for Security, Innovation & New Technology has been dedicated to understanding how emerging and disruptive technologies shape the future of security, democracy, and society. As technology has evolved—and with it, the geopolitical and societal challenges we face—so too has our focus and approach. We continue to adapt our research, teaching, and policy engagement to meet the urgent demands of a rapidly changing world.

Today, our research and engagement span four interconnected areas where technological change is transforming the global landscape. We study state-backed cyber operations, examining how and why states employ cyber capabilities, including the use of hackers as proxies, and the dynamics of interstate cyber conflict. Through our Democracy Innovation Lab, we explore how technology both strengthens and threatens democratic institutions, identifying strategies to safeguard democratic processes. Our work on technology, firms and economic risk investigates the evolving relationships between governments and technology companies, and how these shape the security, adoption, and governance of digital tools. Finally, our work on governing frontier technologies analyzes the political, security and governance challenges around quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology, linking emerging scientific breakthroughs to their broader global impact.

State-Backed Cyber Operations

Our Theory of Change

Our focused work in each of our research areas is guided by a simple but powerful belief: technology’s impact on security, democracy, and society is not preordained—it is shaped by the choices we make today. We believe that meaningful progress will only come through deliberate, inclusive, and sustained efforts to improve governance and policy in an era of rapid technological change.

We know that real change will not happen by accident, but through strategic, evidence‑based action and collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and borders. For this reason, we pursue strategies in each of our four research areas that:

• Look to the frontier. We identify and explore issues that are often overlooked—emerging threats, disruptive trends, and opportunities for proactive governance before they escalate.

• Ground our work in rigorous research. We draw on established academic methodologies, interdisciplinary scholarship, and empirical evidnece to ensure our insights and recommendations are credible, reliable and impactful.

• Build bridges between worlds. We create spaces for dialogue among policymakers, researchers, industry, and civil society—fostering trust, common understanding, and coordinated action.

• Provide unique value in addressing global technology challenges. We focus our time and resources where our expertise, networks, and interdisciplinary approach can have the greatest impact.

• Stay agile. As an interdisciplinary research center, we have the flexibility to adapt quickly when new challenges or opportunities arise, ensuring our work remains relevant and impactful.

• Engage with context. We design solutions that are grounded in the realities of the communities and systems they are meant to serve.