Caroline Tirk, from the Global Dynamics and Intelligence Division (GDI), is the winner of the 2024 David S. C. Chu Award for Excellence in Research. The award, named in honor of the former IDA President, is presented annually to a Research Associate who has made one or more outstanding analytic contributions in support of IDA’s mission.

Caroline is an impressive and accomplished technical contributor and leader, earning her the confidence of everyone with whom she works. Her professionalism and ability to engender trust has been critical to the overall success of significant IDA work.

Since joining IDA, Caroline has shown drive and analytic acumen, evolving her academic expertise in China to quickly become a respected analyst in ground military capabilities. She displayed extraordinary range by supporting and leading projects on a variety of topics.

Caroline’s impressive research efforts have been marked by an ability to leverage a complex and otherwise indigestible foreign language data set. She took the initiative to teach herself the geographic information system software ArcGIS, and built a shared product that the sponsor and others now rely on. Caroline also designed and populated a data annex to a study that is widely recognized as a ground-breaking reference for U.S. government agencies.

Caroline reflects the outstanding qualities IDA seeks in its best researchers at all levels. She provides her team with useful analytical guidance and seamlessly pivots from individual contributor to task lead as needed.

Before joining IDA, Caroline worked as an analyst at Leidos. She holds a master’s degree in international studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and government from Georgetown University.