Dr. William J. Perry
Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
19th Secretary of Defense for the United States
Contact:
Website: http://cisac.stanford.edu/people/williamjperry/
Experience
William J. Perry is the Michael and Barbara Berberian Professor at Stanford University, with a joint appointment in the School of Engineering and the Institute for International Studies. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Co-director of the Preventive Defense Project, a research collaboration of Stanford and Harvard Universities. His previous academic experience includes Professor (half-time) at Stanford from 1988 until 1993, during which time he was the Co-director of the Center for International Security and Arms Control. He also served as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Santa Clara University from 1971 to 1977.
Dr. Perry was the 19th Secretary of Defense for the United States, serving from February 1994 to January 1997. His previous government experience was as Deputy Secretary of Defense (1993-1994) and as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (1977-1981).
Dr. Perry's business experience includes serving as a laboratory director for General Telephone and Electronics (1954-1964); founding and serving as the president of ESL, Inc. (1964-1977); Executive Vice-President of Hambrecht & Quist, Inc. (1981-1985); and founding and serving as the Chairman of Technology Strategies & Alliances (1985-1993). He serves on the board of directors of several emerging high-tech companies and is Chairman of Global Technology Partners.
Dr. Perry was born Oct. 11, 1927, in Vandergrift, PA. He attended grade school and high school in Butler, PA. He received his B.S. and M.S. from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from Penn State, all in mathematics. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. From 1946 until 1947, Dr. Perry was an enlisted man in the Army Corps of Engineers, and served in the Army of Occupation in Japan. He joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1948 and was a second lieutenant in the Army Reserves from 1950 until 1955.
Dr. Perry has received a number of awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1997), the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal (1980 and again in 1981), and Outstanding Civilian Service Medals from the Army (1962 and 1997), the Air Force (1997), the Navy (1997), the Defense Intelligence Agency (1977 and 1997), NASA (1981) and the Coast Guard (1997). He received the American Electronic Association's Medal of Achievement (1980), the Eisenhower Award (1996), the Marshall Award (1997), the Forrestal Medal (1994), and the Henry Stimson Medal (1994). The National Academy of Engineering selected him for the Arthur Bueche Medal in 1996. He has been honored by awards from the enlisted personnel of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. Dr. Perry has received decorations from the governments of Germany, England, France, Korea, Albania, Poland, Ukraine, Bahrain, Slovenia and Hungary.
Jan/Feb/Mar 2008
No Torture. No Exceptions.
Journal Article, The Washington Monthly, issue 1-3, volume 40
By Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
PDP Co-Director Perry contributes to this collection of essays on the subject of torture.
January 15, 2008
"Toward a Nuclear-Free World"
Op-Ed, Wall Street Journal
By Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, George P. Shultz, Henry A. Kissinger and Senator Sam Nunn
George P. Shultz, William J. Perry, Henry A. Kissinger and Sam Nunn authored an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, identifying a series of steps needed to pull the world "back from the nuclear precipice." Belfer Center Director Graham Allison, Co-Director of the Preventive Defense Project Ashton P. Carter, and Managing the Atom Senior Research Associate Matthew Bunn attended the conference at Stanford University's Hoover Institution that developed these steps, and endorsed the Op-Ed.
October 19, 2007
Reducing Nuclear Threats and Preventing Nuclear Terrorism
Report
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities, Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Graham Allison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government; Faculty Chair, Dubai Initiative, Joseph Cirincione, Thomas E. Donilon, Robert Einhorn, Michele A. Flournoy, Former Fellow, International Security Program, Leon Fuerth, Amb. Robert Gallucci, Ernest Moniz, George Perkovich and Amb. Wendy R. Sherman
This National Security Advisory Group report provides a new comprehensive strategy for reducing nuclear threats and preventing nuclear terrorism.
Autumn 2007
The Day After: Action Following a Nuclear Blast in a U.S. City
Journal Article, The Washington Quarterly, issue 4, volume 30
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities, Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project and Dr. Michael M. May
Failure to develop a comprehensive contingency plan, such as the one proposed here, and inform the American public, where appropriate, about its particulars will only serve to amplify the devastating impact of any nuclear attack on a U.S. city
June 12, 2007
After the Bomb
Op-Ed, The New York Times
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities, Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project and Dr. Michael M. May
Ashton B. Carter, William J. Perry, and Michael May call on the United States government to formulate contingency plans that may save thousands of lives and billions of dollars, prevent panic and promote recovery should a nuclear weapon go off in an American city.
May 31, 2007
The Day After: Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City
Report
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities, Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project and Dr. Michael M. May
The Preventive Defense Project convened a workshop of leading federal government civilian and military officials, scientists, policy experts, and journalists in Washington, D.C. to address "The Day After: Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City."
March / April 2007
China on the March
Magazine or Newspaper Article, The National Interest, issue 88
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities and Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
China's announcement of a major increase in military spending has raised many questions about the future of Washington's relations with Beijing. In the March/April 2007 issue of The National Interest, Ashton B. Carter and William J. Perry provide answers.
2007
China's Rise in American Military Strategy
Book Chapter
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities and Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
The U.S. has no choice but to adopt a two-pronged strategy towards China: one prong of engagement to encourage China to be a "responsible stakeholder" and another prong of hedging against the prospect of a downturn in relations.
January 25, 2007
Situation in Iraq and the Administration's Strategy
Testimony
By Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
Dr. William J. Perry's testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on the situation in Iraq and the administration's strategy.
December 6, 2006
The Iraq Study Group Report
Report
By Dr. William J. Perry, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
There is no magic formula to solve the problems of Iraq. However, there are actions that can be taken to improve the situation and protect American interests.
