Sam Plapinger

Sam Plapinger, PhD, is a seasoned Research Scientist at CNA Corporation, where responsibilities include leading research projects that inform executive-level policy decisions and managing project staff and client relationships since July 2018. Previous experience includes serving as a Research Analyst at Yale University, where involvement as a Pre-Doctoral Fellow focused on conflict and violence, and completing a PhD dissertation on insurgent combat effectiveness through extensive field research. Additional roles encompass research positions at the University of Virginia and RAND Corporation, contributing to data collection and analysis in various conflict-related studies. Sam holds a PhD and a Master's in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Government and Economics from Wesleyan University.