Meet the team
Dr. W. Bryan Higgins
Lead Applied Behavioral Scientist
Dr. William Bryan Higgins is a lead behavioral scientist at The MITRE Corporation where he applies his expertise in behavioral science theory and methodology to challenges in the personnel vetting and insider threat arenas. As part of MITRE’s Insider Threat Capability since 2018, he has held technical and leadership roles on a range of insider risk and cybersecurity projects. Recently, Dr. Higgins was the principal investigator for inaugural research to identify and examine the potential for using protective factors in personnel vetting and insider risk programs. Additionally, Dr. Higgins has led and contributed to recent research to improve detection, deterrence, and mitigation of insider risks in higher education in support of the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 supporting the development of research security efforts across the US.
Prior to joining MITRE, Dr. Higgins worked for ICF International and RMC Corporations leading and contributing to projects for federal and state government sponsors. He applied his advanced expertise in survey design, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and statistical analyses to a range of issues including health surveillance, elections, non-profit research activities, transportation issues, disaster preparedness, and educational evaluations. Dr. Higgins holds a Ph.D. in human ecology, specializing in child and family studies, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Tech.