Mark Harstad, P.E.

OPERATIONS RESEARCH ANALYST

Mr. Harstad joined the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in March 2004.  He provides analytical, statistical, and academic support to the faculty and staff, especially in the areas of regional economics and resources. 

 Born in Minnesota, he attended high school in Upstate New York and undergraduate schools in Albion, Michigan; Freiburg, West Germany; and Madison, Wisconsin.  After receiving a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Wisconsin, he entered the civil service as an industrial engineer, working six years on manpower and statistical analysis in Washington, D.C. and San Diego, California.  In 1983, he left the federal government to obtain a Master of Science in operations research from University of California, Berkeley.  Simultaneously, he passed the Professional Engineer (P.E.) exam to be licensed as an industrial engineer in the state of California.  In 1984, he re-entered civil service to work on manpower analysis in Hawaii. 

 In 1987, he joined the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, Hawaii, working on war games, strategic computer simulations, and basing studies.  As the key cost analyst during the Philippine basing studies, he identified significant cost savings in manpower and facilities by his innovative use of spreadsheets.  

 Reflecting the military’s growing acknowledgement of the economic instrument in Asia’s security, he co-authored a series of economic reports, The USCINCPAC Asia-Pacific Economic Update.  Besides covering economic statistics, he researched and wrote chapters on transnational issues concerning Asia’s trade, energy, environment, and defense spending.  These reports demonstrated the utility of advocating Asia’s cooperation on transnational issues, thereby supporting the establishment of APCSS in the mid-1990s.  As the command’s deputy economic advisor, he helped write economic trip papers for the four-star commander.  As part of the research and analysis division, he researched and published studies concerning competing interests and cost impacts for the topics of the South China Sea, Burma, Okinawa, and China’s military businesses. 

 As part of the Defense Leadership and Management Program, he moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to attend the Army War College, receiving a Master of Strategic Studies degree with the class of 2001.  Upon return to U.S. Pacific Command, he adapted his war college research paper, Governance of Asia-Pacific Defense Establishments, to the next edition of the Asia-Pacific Economic Update.  During a reduction-in-force in 2003, he was detailed from economic analysis to combat simulations and, subsequently, he moved to APCSS. 

 In 2004, he graduated from the Pacific Leadership Academy and received the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal.  In July 2006, he graduated from DLAMP.  His economics website can be found at: http://home.earthlink.net/~harstadm/econhome1.htm.
 

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Last updated: 11/17/2008