Lena Andrews

Lena Andrews is an associate research professor in the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and an affiliate of the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM). Before joining SPP, Andrews was a military analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, and previously worked at the RAND Corporation and United States Institute of Peace.

Andrews is the author of the bestselling book, Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II, which tells the story of the hundreds of thousands of American women who served in uniform during WWII, providing critical support to frontline forces. Her research focuses on military effectiveness in conventional, large-scale, conflict, as well as issues at the intersection of identity and national security. Andrews received her PhD in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in international relations and security studies. Andrews’ work has been featured on MSNBC, PBS, CNN, The Today Show, People, and TIME, among other outlets.