Christopher Kedzie

Christopher Kedzie (1960-2003) died on August 12, 2003, in Los Angeles, California, after a six-month battle with cancer.


 * "Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Chris was reared in Massachusetts and Michigan before graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. He received a Master's Degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Aeronautics and Astronautics and was a fighter jet pilot in training when diagnosed with metastatic osteosarcoma. Following numerous surgeries, the loss of one leg, and multiple experimental chemotherapy programs, he eventually defeated the disease and went on to earn a Master's degree from Harvard University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees from RAND Graduate School, all in the area of public policy. He taught at the United States Air Force Academy and at the International Management Institute in Kiev, Ukraine. He received numerous awards, grants and fellowships; traveled and worked in 30 countries; and directed international programs for Harvard, the Ford Foundation and the US Government."

"Christopher Kedzie [was] a doctoral candidate at the RAND Graduate School in Public Policy Analysis. Kedzie's doctoral thesis analyzes the effects of information revolution technologies on international affairs, in particular, on global democratization. Before coming to RAND in 1993, Kedzie acquired substantial first-hand experience overseas in the use of information and communication technologies contributing to societal change. He was a Founder and Director of organizations in Ukraine and in Uzbekistan to encourage, facilitate and support technical assistance efforts to the republics of the former Soviet Union.

"Kedzie has earned graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (S.M., Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1984) where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow and Harvard University (Master of Public Policy, 1992) where he was a Patricia Roberts Harris Public Service Fellow. His bachelors degree (Aeronautical Engineering, 1982) is from the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he was a Distinguished Graduate. Kedzie also taught Aeronautical Engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1986 to 1988 and Economics in 1990 at the International Management Institute in Kiev, Ukraine. To date, he is published in three languages: English, Russian and Ukrainian on topics that range from information technology to aeronautics to economic reform." Cal Tech Bio.