2019 Tillman Scholar
Like many of his generation, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 motivated Stuart to pursue national service. When he learned of the opportunity to attend West Point and be commissioned as an Army Officer, he knew he had found his pathway to serve and have an impact on the nation’s security.
While at West Point, Stuart was selected to join the team analyzing documents captured during the raid on Usama Bin Ladin’s compound in Pakistan, and he co-authored the report that accompanied their public release. Then, just six months after graduating from the United States Military Academy and commissioning as a Military Intelligence Officer, Stuart volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan with a Joint Special Operations Task Force.
After Afghanistan, Stuart led intelligence soldiers providing direct support to the initial operations against the Islamic State, and he later coordinated offensive cyber operations in support of Cyber Command. These unique experiences focused his interest in public policy by exposing him to the most pressing issues in national security. His experience in cyber operations, in particular, led to his interest in the intersections between cyber policy and counterterrorism and motivated him to pursue graduate study.
Stuart is currently pursuing a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University. He hopes to help bridge the gap between the technical and policy aspects of cybersecurity and ensure that our nation successfully navigates the unique challenges of using force in cyberspace.