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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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

Back & Forth: Intel and the Semiconductor Industry

A new issue of Back & Forth explores the risks and opportunities of Intel’s centrality in U.S. semiconductor strategy. Christina Alfonso caveats the argument presented by CSIS’s Sujai Shivakumar and Charles Wessner for sustained federal funding for Intel Corporation.

Commentary by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Christina Alfonso — January 13, 2025

Too Good to Lose: America’s Stake in Intel

When it comes to the future of American semiconductor manufacturing and the success of the CHIPS Act, Intel is not too big to fail, but it is too good to lose.  

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — November 12, 2024

Imec: A World-Leading Cooperative Research Center for Microelectronics

Imec holds major lessons for the United States. Its ability to attract and retain leading companies to cooperatively develop cutting-edge semiconductor technologies in a fiercely competitive industry represents an outstanding model for international cooperative research.

Report by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, and Thomas Howell — October 8, 2024

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