Jim Thomason
Assistant Director, IDA/STRD
Institute for Defense Analyses
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Assistant Director, IDA/STRD
Institute for Defense Analyses
Dr. Jim Thomason is an Assistant Director at The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Alexandria, VA. He has degrees from Harvard University (BA) and Northwestern University (PhD) in international relations, political science, and quantitative social science. He has taught at Northwestern and the University of Hawaii. Dr. Thomason served as a senior advisory group member of a four-star level study to develop a new National Security Strategy for the United States (The Hart-Rudman Commission).
Dr. Thomason has more than 30 years of experience leading studies for OSD, the OJCS, and for DLA-Strategic Materials. He has published over 50 professional reports on national security strategies. At IDA, he leads the SF&RD strategy and risk program, with applications in areas including defense posture planning, defense planning scenarios, U.S. critical infrastructure, analytic methods for QDRs and risk assessments and strategic materials. Dr. Thomason led the development and implementation for DOD of the analytic process that the Department now uses to determine National Defense Stockpile requirements for essential defense and civilian purposes. He has testified before the Congress (HASC) concerning how to reconfigure the National Defense Stockpile into a Strategic Materials Security Program (SMSP). He now leads the IDA team providing analytic support to DLA-Strategic Materials, including the design of the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Framework for Strategic Materials (RAMF-SM) for DOD/DLA.
Major Uses: domestic consumption, transportation, building, electrical
Import Dependency for U.S.: 38%
Major Importers: Canada, Russia, China, Mexico
Major Uses: construction, transportation (predominantly automotive), cans and containers
Import Dependency for U.S.: 7%
Major Importers: Canada, European Union, China, Mexico
Major Uses: aircraft gas turbine engines, cemented carbides for cutting, wear-resistant applications
Import Dependency for U.S.: 81%
Major Importers: Norway, Russia, China, Canada
Major Uses: building construction, electric and electronic products, and transportation equipment
Import Dependency for U.S.: 30%
Major Importers: Chile, Canada, Peru, Mexico
Major Uses: catalysts to decrease harmful emissions in light- and heavy-duty vehicles, also used in chemical and petroleum refining sector, and fabrication of laboratory equipment
Import Dependency for U.S.: 94%
Major Importers: South Africa, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada
Major Uses: coins and medals, industrial applications, jewelry and silverware, and photography
Import Dependency for U.S.: 65%
Major Importers: Mexico, Canada, Peru, Chile
Major Uses: automotive electronics, pagers, personal computers, and portable telephones
Import Dependency for U.S.: 100%
Major Importers: Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Germany
Major Uses: petroleum-reforming catalysts, superalloys used in turbine engine components
Import Dependency for U.S.: 86%
Major Importers: Chile, Netherlands
Major Uses: catalysts to decrease harmful emissions in light- and heavy-duty vehicles, also used in chemical and petroleum refining sector, and fabrication of laboratory equipment
Import Dependency for U.S.: 94%
Major Importers: South Africa, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada
Major Uses: Jewelry and arts, electrical and electronics, dental and other
Import Dependency for U.S.: 33%
Major Importers: Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile