Dr. Zack Cooper

About Zack Cooper

Zack Cooper is senior fellow for Asian security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Cooper worked as a research fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

He previously served on the White House staff as assistant to the deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism. He also worked as a civil servant in the Pentagon, first as a foreign affairs specialist and then as a special assistant to the principal deputy under Secretary of Defense for policy. Dr. Cooper has authored numerous studies at CSIS, including Countering Coercion in Maritime Asia: The Theory and Practice of Gray Zone Deterrence; Asia-Pacific Rebalance 2025: Capabilities, Presence, and Partnerships; Strategic Japan; and Postwar Japan. His research has also appeared in International Security, Security Studies, The Washington Quarterly, and The National Interest, and he works closely with the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

He received a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.P.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Princeton University.