Sujai Shivakumar

Director and Senior Fellow, Renewing American Innovation
Sujai Shivakumar

Sujai Shivakumar directs Renewing American Innovation (RAI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he also serves as a senior fellow. Dr. Shivakumar brings over two decades of experience in policy studies related to U.S. competitiveness and innovation. Previously, he directed the Innovation Policy Forum at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and led major studies of U.S. policies supporting advanced manufacturing, small business growth, workforce development, and entrepreneurship. He was also a lead contributor to a seminal National Academies study of strategies adopted by U.S. states and regions to foster entrepreneurship, drive technology transfer, and encourage regional high-tech ecosystems. He also helped prepare National Academy of Public Administration studies on laboratory technology transfer and the management of space situational awareness. Reflecting his expertise in innovation policy, Dr. Shivakumar has testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and has been quoted in leading publications such as the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. His academic background includes a doctorate in economics from George Mason University and service as an Earhart Foundation scholar at the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Bloomington, where he authored The Constitution of Development (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005) and coauthored with Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom The Samaritan’s Dilemma: The Political Economy of Development Aid (Oxford University Press, 2005). During his tenure at the National Academies, he contributed to over 50 assessments of U.S. and foreign innovation programs.

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Audio Briefs

The NSF Is a Key National Security Pillar—Now Is Not the Time to Disarm

An audio version of “⁠⁠The NSF Is a Key National Security Pillar—Now Is Not the Time to Disarm⁠⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS's Sujai Shivakumar and Julie Heng. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Sujai Shivakumar and Julie Heng — May 1, 2025

Audio Briefs

The NSF Is a Key National Security Pillar—Now Is Not the Time to Disarm

Abandoning what is unquestionably the main battlefield of the twenty-first century would be a strategic mistake of historic proportions. Now is the time to strengthen—not weaken—U.S. national innovation capabilities and technological competitiveness, and the NSF is key.

Commentary by Sujai Shivakumar and Julie Heng — May 1, 2025

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