Rachel Tecott is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at MIT, a member of MIT’s Security Studies Program, and a 2020-2021 Predoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies at George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs. Rachel's current book project examines U.S. efforts to build militaries in partner states. More broadly, Rachel studies alliance politics, decision-making in conflict, and military operations and strategy. Before MIT, Rachel worked in political risk consulting and studied nuclear proliferation. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.​​ Rachel co-founded the Future Strategy Forum with Sara Plana in Fall 2017.