Charles Wessner

Senior Adviser (Non-resident), Renewing American Innovation
Charles Wessner

Charles Wessner is currently a research professor at Georgetown University, where he teaches global innovation policy. He is active as a speaker, researcher, and writer with a global lens on innovation policy and frequently advises technology agencies, universities, and governments on effective innovation policies. He served for two decades in the National Academy of Sciences, where he achieved the distinguished position of a National Academies scholar. He founded and directed the National Academies Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Program and its Innovation Forum and directed research addressing the importance of semiconductor research and production to innovation and national security. In collaboration with Gordon Moore of Intel and Sematech CEO William Spencer, he produced a series of influential reports including Securing the Future: Regional and National Programs to Support the Semiconductor Industry and Innovative Flanders: Innovation Policies for the 21st Century, which reviewed the role of IMEC. His most recent publication, Regional Renaissance: How New York’s Capital Region Became a Nanotechnology Powerhouse (Springer, 2020) documents how state and private sector investments in universities, institutions, and infrastructure created a vibrant semiconductor cluster that drove regional growth. He is also a leading U.S. expert on Sematech, the U.S. semiconductor consortium; the Manufacturing Extension Partnership; and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which provides awards to promising small businesses and start-ups. Reflecting his commitment to transatlantic cooperation, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the president of France. Reflecting his expertise in global innovation policy, he closely cooperates with the director of CSIS's Renewing American Innovation (RAI).

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Growing the Mountain West Quantum Ecosystem

Discussions will explore the region’s assets and capabilities, the challenges and opportunities for small (and large) firms, as well as the need for improved cooperation across the emerging ecosystem. 

Event — April 17, 2025

Audio Briefs

The Limits of Chip Export Controls in Meeting the China Challenge

An audio version of “The Limits of Chip Export Controls in Meeting the China Challenge,” a new commentary by CSIS's Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — April 15, 2025

Audio Briefs

The Limits of Chip Export Controls in Meeting the China Challenge

Export controls alone cannot substitute for comprehensive industrial and research policy measures necessary to ensure U.S. leadership in semiconductor design, production, and infrastructure.

Commentary by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — April 14, 2025

Quick Take: Quantum Technology Global Competition

A comparison of public funding across countries highlights the intense international competition in quantum technology and the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing technological capabilities.

Blog Post by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Andreas Schumacher — February 3, 2025