My research focuses on the economics of the semiconductor industry, global supply chains, and US-China technology competition. This research aims to help policymakers design and implement strategies to increase advanced technology manufacturing and innovation in the United States.
Semiconductor Industry Economics and Innovation: Specific work has examined regulatory reforms to accelerate fab construction timelines, opportunities for CHIPS Act investments to increase upstream and downstream semiconductor supply chain resilience in the United States, and the history of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography. Earlier research explored chokepoints in the artificial intelligence hardware supply chain and Chinese semiconductor industrial policy. I also coauthored a consensus report on behalf of a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine committee that studied Department of Defense challenges and opportunities to enable assured access to semiconductors in light of the CHIPS Act.
Supply Chain Security and Advanced Technology Manufacturing: this line of work maps technology supply chains, chokepoints, and opportunities for the U.S. to increase supply chain resilience. Recent research has used international trade data and econometrics to quantify U.S. trade with countries in the Asia-Pacific in critical technologies, and tracked China’s export controls on critical minerals. Related research used bibliometric data to identify emerging technologies and map their supply chains, which built on a testimony I delivered on U.S.-China Competition in Global Supply Chains before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. I’ve also conducted industry-specific studies examining global electronics value chains and chemical supply chain chokepoints.
My most recent report was published in February 2026 by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University: Physical AI – A Primer for Policymakers on AI-Robotics Convergence.
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Journal Articles and Reports
- “Charting China’s Export Controls: Predicting Impacts on Critical U.S. Supply Chains.” The National Bureau of Asian Research, January 2025.
- “Strategies to Enable Assured Access to Semiconductors for the Department of Defense: Consensus Report.” National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. August 2024.
- “Tracing the Emergence of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography: Lessons for Identifying, Protecting, and Promoting the Next Emerging Technology” Center for Security and Emerging Technology, July 2024.
- “Critical Technology Supply Chains in the Asia-Pacific: Options for the United States to De-risk and Diversify.” The National Bureau of Asian Research, November 2023.
- “Through a Glass, Darkly: Mapping Emerging Technologies and Their Supply Chains – Using CSET’s Map of Science and Supply Chain Explorer,” Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, August 2023.
- “Betting the House: Leveraging the CHIPS and Science Act to Increase U.S. Microelectronics Supply Chain Resilience,” Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, January 2023.
- “Re-Shoring Advanced Semiconductor Packaging: Innovation, Supply Chain Security, and U.S. Leadership in the Semiconductor Industry,” Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, June 2022.
- “The Other Artificial Intelligence Hardware Problem.” IEEE-Computer, January 2022.
- “No Permits, No Fabs: The Importance of Regulatory Reform for Semiconductor Manufacturing.” Center for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, October 2021.
- “Chinese Semiconductor Industrial Policy: Prospects for Future Success,” Journal of International Commerce and Economics, August 2019.
- “Chinese Semiconductor Industrial Policy – Past and Present.” Journal of International Commerce and Economics. June 2019.
- with Mihir Torsekar, “Assessing the East Asia Pacific’s Participation in the Global Electronics Value Chain.” Journal of International Commerce and Economics. March 2019.
Testimony
- “Hearing: U.S.-China Competition in Global Supply Chains,” U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, June 2022.
- U.S. Government Efforts to Review and Manage Critical Technology Supply Chains (Written Testimony, PDF)
Working Papers
- with David Coffin and Sarah Oliver, “Building Vehicle Autonomy: Sensors, Semiconductors, Software and U.S. Firm Competitiveness,” USITC Working Paper, November 2019.
- with Dr. Dan Kim and Dr. Samuel Goodman, “The South Korea-Japan Trade Dispute: Semiconductor Manufacturing, Chemicals, and Concentrated Supply Chains,” USITC Working Paper, October 2019.
- with Dr. Dan Kim, “The Potential Impacts of the Made in China 2025 Roadmap on the Integrated Circuit Industries in the U.S., EU and Japan,” USITC Working Paper, August 2019.
- “The Health and Competitiveness of the U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Industry,” USITC Working Paper, July 2019.
Government Reports
- “Shifts in US Merchandise Trade: Electronic Products, 2018,” U.S. International Trade Commission, December 2019.
- with Amanda Lawrence, “The Automotive Semiconductor Market: Key Determinants of U.S. Firm Competitiveness (PDF),” U.S. International Trade Commission, May 2019.
- “What’s Causing U.S. Semiconductor Equipment Production and Exports to Grow? (PDF),” U.S. International Trade Commission, January 2019.
- “Shifts in US Merchandise Trade in Electronic Products, 2017.” U.S. International Trade Commission. October 2018.
- “Global Value Chains: Explaining U.S. Bilateral Trade Deficits in Semiconductors.” U.S. International Trade Commission. March 2018.
Media and Blog Posts
- “What the UK Can Learn from Bombardier for its Post-Brexit Trade Remedies,” UK Trade Forum, December 2017.
- “Book Review: Hall of Mirrors: The Great Depression, The Great Recession, and the Uses – and Misuses – of History,” LSE Review of Books, July 2015.
- “WTO Rare Earth Ruling Bodes Well for US LNG,” Australian Financial Review, April 2014.
- “Trans Pacific Partnership in the Balance,” The Diplomat, March 2014.
- “What Baucus’ Departure Means for the US Trade Agenda,” East Asia Forum, February 2014.
- “Showtime for the TPP,” The Diplomat, January 2014.
- “Crunch Time for the Trans Pacific Partnership,” The Diplomat, November 2013.
- “TPP Talks Move to DC,” The Diplomat, September 2013.
- “Japan Faces Hurdles in Next Round of TPP Talks,” The Diplomat, August 2013.
The views and opinions expressed in these publications are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Battelle, PNNL, the U.S. government, or any agency thereof.
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