Ash Carter
Ash Carter, Director of the Belfer Center and the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense, passed away on October 24, 2022.
Until the time of his death, Carter was the Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. At Harvard Kennedy School, he led the Technology and Public Purpose project and served as the Belfer Professor of Technology and Global Affairs.
Carter was the 25th United States Secretary of Defense from 2015 to 2017 (when he returned to the Belfer Center to serve as Director), after serving as the number two (“COO”) and number three (“weapons czar”) positions in the Pentagon. For over 35 years inside government under presidents of both political parties as well as in the private sector. He was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Department’s highest civilian honor, on five separate occasions.
