Brenda Shaffer’s most recent book examines the intersection of military operations and energy supply — a field she helped define. Drawing on her decades of experience advising governments and defense institutions, this work offers a rigorous framework for understanding how energy shapes operational capacity and national security strategy.
Biography
About
Professor Shaffer
About
Analyst. Advisor.
Professor. Author.
Brenda Shaffer is a seasoned analyst who specializes in global energy trends, markets, and policy. Informed by a combination of real-world experience and extensive academic research, she analyzes Caspian, Iranian, and European energy security, including critical energy infrastructure protection, as well as Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus, and ethnic politics in Iran.
Professor Shaffer is a faculty member at the US Naval Postgraduate School’s Energy Academic Group and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center. She has served as a visiting researcher at Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES), Research Director for Harvard University’s Caspian Studies Program, an academic advisor to multiple graduate programs in energy studies, and the founding academic advisor to the Baku Summer Energy School. Her academic appointments include the University of Haifa, Bifrost University, and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy.
Professor Shaffer frequently advises businesses, international organizations, and policymakers, and has authored seven books, most recently Operational Energy (2024) and Iran is More Than Persia: Ethnic Politics in Iran (2022).
Academic & Policy Role
- Faculty, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School – Energy Academic Group
- Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center
- Testified before the U.S. Congress and international political bodies
- Regular commentator on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, BBC, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal
- Formerly, Research Director, Harvard University’s Caspian Studies Program
- Formerly, Visiting Researcher, Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies
Commentary & Testimony
An Independent Voice
Brenda Shaffer has testified before the U.S. Congress and other national and international political bodies. She frequently provides commentary for media outlets worldwide, including CNBC, Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, CNN, NPR, BBC, the Financial Times, and USA Today.
Her opinion columns have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, and the International Herald Tribune.
Publications
Books
A controversial but needed discussion of ethnicity inside Iran. When the people of the Iranian plateau — the Persians — and Persian expatriates bristle so easily at the discussion of non-Persian ethnic pride in Iran, outsiders should take note.
— Reuel Marc Gerecht, FDD
…a timely, provocative, and pioneering exploration of an increasingly important topic.
— Graham Allison, Harvard University
…foursquarely addresses the question of what resources can do—or not do—for a country…a truly refreshing volume.
— Svante Cornell, Johns Hopkins University
…Shaffer’s book is a major contribution to the history of both Iranian and Soviet nationality policies.
— Ronald Grigor Suny, University of Chicago
…an invaluable book for anyone trying to understand developments…from the Middle East to the Caspian region and South Asia.
— Fiona Hill, The Brookings Institution
…presents a comprehensive overview of Russia and Iran’s cooperative relationship…
— The Washington Institute for Near East Policy