The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Liza Reed, the Niskanen Center’s research manager for low carbon technology policy, is an expert in High Voltage Direct Current, electricity transmission, and technology innovation. At Niskanen she plans and conducts policy analysis for U.S. decarbonization, focusing on the intersections of electricity transmission, domestic manufacturing, electrification, and infrastructure deployment. In this role, Reed also leverages her strong relationships with coalitions to identify policy opportunities and promote results though governing networks.
Before joining the Niskanen Center, she worked on energy funding at the Great Lakes Energy Institute at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). She represented CWRU in the White House Office of Science Technology Policy Metro Lab Network, working closely with Cuyahoga County Office of Sustainability on local research partnerships.
Reed has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and published extensive and widely-cited research on electricity transmission. She is the recipient of several awards and honors–including her designation as SAFE Energy Security Fellow 2021-2022–and is a seasoned public speaker.
Reed holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in Engineering and Public Policy and a master’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University.