CSIS Names Philip A. Luck as Scholl Chair in International Business and Director of Economics Program

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WASHINGTON, DC – January 13, 2025 – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today announced Philip A. Luck has been named Scholl Chair in International Business and director of the CSIS Economics Program. Dr. Luck brings to CSIS world-class expertise on the economics of international trade, global supply chains, and migration, having served most recently as deputy chief economist at the U.S. Department of State.
“A top priority for CSIS is to bring world-class economic policy analysis to bear on issues of U.S. technology innovation, competitiveness, and economic security. I’m delighted that Phil is joining our department to lead our economics program at a critical moment for our country and our allies. As Phil builds the program, he will be standing on the shoulders of our esteemed outgoing Scholl Chair, Bill Reinsch. We are fortunate that Bill will continue to focus on his research and world-renowned CSIS podcast,” said Navin Girishankar, president of the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department.
As the incoming Scholl Chair, Dr. Luck will be focused on strengthening the economic research and analytical capabilities of the newly established CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department, in order to address the most pressing issues at the intersection of economics and national security planning. Key research priorities for the economics program under Dr. Luck will be to identify the key drivers of U.S. technology competitiveness; assess the economic security of the United States and its allies, including supply chain resilience; and identify effective strategies and policies that will ensure broad-based growth, security of markets, and economic resilience to global threats.
Dr. Luck’s career spans academia and government with a strong research focus on trade, productivity, and technology issues. As deputy chief economist at the Department of State, he led analytical efforts to combat sanctions and export controls evasion, increase global supply chain resilience, combat economic coercion, and improve migration policy design and implementation.
Prior to joining the Department of State, Dr. Luck was an assistant professor of economics at the University of Colorado, Denver. His research focuses on the international organization of production—specifically, how international trade and migration impact the structure of firms, supply chains, demand for skills, labor market dynamics, and aggregate welfare. A devoted teacher, he has also taught at Drexel University and Claremont McKenna College.
“It is a profound honor to join the Center for Strategic and International Studies as Director of the Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business,” said Dr. Luck. “I am eager to contribute to the outstanding work of the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department. Building on the leadership of my predecessors, the Economics Program will deliver rigorous, applied economic analysis to shape U.S. strategic and economic policy. In the face of global technological and economic competition, this work is more critical than ever.”
Visit here to learn more about the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department. For media inquiries, please contact Andrew Schwartz (aschwartz@csis.org) and Sam Cestari (scestari@csis.org).
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.