bio & cv
About
Jon Askonas is a political scientist and writer working at the intersection of technology, world order, and American grand strategy. His academic work explores how states adopt new technologies; why militaries forget hard-won lessons of war; and the philosophy of technology (with a focus on early 20th century thinkers). For popular audiences, he writes on the social, political, and cultural impacts of digital civilization and the advent of AI.
He is a member of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, on leave from his academic role as an Assistant Professor of Politics at the Catholic University of America, and a former Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, where he led the Defense Innovation portfolio and co-led the AI and Copyright for National Security project.
He holds an MPhil and DPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford and a B.S.F.S. summa cum laude from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. In 2024, he received Redeemer University’s Emerging Public Intellectual Award for young scholars “working in the Christian academy who excel in both academic and public spheres and whose work impacts the common good.” He lives in Maryland with his wife and six children.
Appointments
- Member, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State (2025–present)
- Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation (2022–2025)
- Assistant Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America (2018–2025)
- Fellow & Director of Programs, Center for the Study of Statesmanship, CUA
Education
- DPhil, Politics (International Relations), University of Oxford, 2019
- MPhil, Politics (International Relations), University of Oxford, 2015
- B.S.F.S., International Politics, Georgetown University, 2013