Diane M. Zorri, Ph.D.

Dr. Diane Zorri is the Academic Director of the Strategic Studies programs at Norwich University. 

Professor Zorri specializes in strategic security, emerging technology, Middle East politics, American foreign and defense policy, and NATO and defense industry affairs. Her research explores U.S. operations in the Middle East, Israel–Turkey relations, and counterterrorism strategies, bridging academic inquiry with real-world policy implications.

A senior fellow at the Global National Security Institute, she collaborates with military and academic partners, including Norwich faculty, and has held fellowships at West Point’s Modern War Institute and JSOU. She mentors students to ask critical questions, follow evidence rigorously, and produce research that advances knowledge while connecting to contemporary security challenges.

She brings a unique blend of military service, academic scholarship, and defense industry expertise to her work, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing global security and strategic education. She has held academic positions at the National Defense College of the United Arab Emirates, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. Before transitioning to academia, Dr. Zorri served as an officer in the United States Air Force. 

After her military service, she worked for an Italian-U.S. defense conglomerate, managing projects in foreign military sales, integrated communications, and physical security. Dr. Zorri's educational background includes a degree from the United States Air Force Academy, a graduate degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.