Major Austen Boroff is a PhD candidate at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs (Security Studies), where she is a General Wayne A. Downing Scholar and an active-duty Army officer. She previously served as the inaugural commander of the U.S. military’s hypersonic weapons unit. This experimental unit spearheaded the research, development, and integration of long-range hypersonic capabilities, playing a critical role in strengthening deterrence in the Pacific Theater. In this role, Austen collaborated closely with the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, an expedited acquisition headquarters, and key defense industry partners to advance cutting-edge capabilities. Her operational experience spans deployments in Iraq and assignments across the Pacific Theater.
Austen’s research focuses on inefficiencies in U.S. military modernization, the impact of emerging technologies on international security, and the dynamics of modern geopolitical competition. She also serves as a consultant for the National Academies, contributing to NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program reviews. Austen holds a Master of Science in Marketing with a concentration in Marketing Analytics from the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in International History (Honors) from the United States Military Academy.