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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A World of Chips Acts: The Future of U.S.-EU Semiconductor Collaboration

With the enactment of the U.S. and EU Chips Acts, the question is how collaborative activities can be deepened, broadened, and leveraged by direct engagement to address the vulnerabilities faced by both ecosystems.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — August 20, 2024

Investing in Science and Technology

This report highlights the serious challenge posed by China’s rapid advancements in AI, QIS, and semiconductors, emphasizing the need for policymakers to act decisively to secure the United States’ future in the global technology race.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — June 18, 2024

The Albany NanoTech Complex: A National Asset

Join CSIS Renewing American Innovation for a discussion on the establishment of the National Semiconductor Technology Center called for under the CHIPS Act and how it can leverage the world-leading semiconductor research and development facilities at the Albany NanoTech Complex.

Event — March 12, 2024

Balancing the Ledger: Export Controls on U.S. Chip Technology to China

An initial assessment of recent attempts by the United States to limit or delay China’s ability to acquire and produce advanced semiconductor technologies reveals a mixed picture in a complex and rapidly evolving industry.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — February 21, 2024

The French Model for Cooperative Semiconductor Research: Lessons from CEA-Leti

The role of cooperative research centers in the global semiconductor network offers important lessons for the establishment of the NSTC called for in the CHIPS and Science Act. This article reviews the Grenoble-based microelectronics research center known as CEA-Leti.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — February 16, 2024

CHIPS Meets Chips: Transatlantic Cooperation in Semiconductor Research

The United States and the European Union have embarked on substantial initiatives to bolster their semiconductor industries. This event aims to clarify the goals and challenges of these programs while exploring how these ambitious initiatives can complement one another. 

Event — December 12, 2023