Dr. Diana Burley

Diana L. Burley, Ph.D., is the senior vice president of research at the Brookings Institution, where she plays a crucial role in research quality, scholar culture and success, impact planning, and cross-program initiatives. A global cybersecurity expert, she joins Brookings from American University where she served as vice provost for research and innovation since 2020, overseeing the university-wide research enterprise as both chief research officer and chief innovation officer. At AU, she also served as a tenured full professor and led two research institutes, a Cyber & Economic Security Institute and the Translating Research into Action Center (TRAC). An active researcher, Diana has authored nearly 100 publications. She regularly advises executives on emerging technologies and the future of work and is a passionate advocate for building a diverse and inclusive global tech community, dedicated to empowering and supporting individuals from all walks of life to thrive and contribute to the innovation landscape.

Prior to American University, Diana spent 14 years at George Washington University as a professor, administrator, and executive director of the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P)—a 26-member cybersecurity research consortium. She serves on the board of directors for Cyber Future Foundation and has been honored by the Executive Women's Forum, SC Magazine, the Federal CIO Council, and others for her leadership in building the global cybersecurity