Robert D. Atkinson

Last updated
Robert D. Atkinson
Robert D. Atkinson (cropped).jpg
Robert D. Atkinson in 2013
Born (1954-11-22) November 22, 1954 (age 67)
Nationality Canadian American
Field Innovation economics
Macroeconomics
Development economics
School or
tradition
Innovation economics
Alma mater University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Oregon
Information at IDEAS / RePEc

Robert David Atkinson (born November 22, 1954) is a Canadian-American economist. He is president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., that promotes policies based on innovation economics. [1] [2] He was previously Vice President of the Progressive Policy Institute.

Contents

Early life

Atkinson was born in Calgary, Alberta, on November 22, 1954. He moved to the United States in 1962. [1] He received a B.A. from New College of Florida in 1977, a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon in 1985, and a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989, where he was awarded the Joseph E. Pogue Fellowship. [3]

Career

Robert D. Atkinson at ITIF. Robert D. Atkinson in ITIF office.jpg
Robert D. Atkinson at ITIF.

Atkinson worked as a program director at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 1989 to 1990. [1] In 1990, he joined the now defunct Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, where he produced reports on the impact of information technology on metropolitan areas and the impacts of environmental regulation and defense downsizing on the economy. [3] From 1996 to 1997, he served as the first executive director of the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council. [1] Atkinson became Vice President of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) in 1997, where he directed its Technology and New Economy Project. [4]

In 2006, Atkinson left PPI and founded the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, which Ars Technica has described as "one of the leading, and most prolific, tech policy think tanks." [5] In 2008, Atkinson was appointed by the Bush administration as chair of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission. [6] In 2009, he advised the Obama-Biden transition's NIST agency review and Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform teams, [5] and in 2011 the Obama administration appointed him to the National Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy Advisory Board. [7] Atkinson also serves as a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. [8]

Awards and honors

Books

Related Research Articles

A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental organizations, but some are semi-autonomous agencies within government or are associated with particular political parties, businesses or the military. Think-tank funding often includes a combination of donations from wealthy individuals and personal contributions, with many also accepting government grants.

<i>Ars Technica</i> Technology news website owned by Condé Nast

Ars Technica is a website covering news and opinions in technology, science, politics, and society, created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews, and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games.

Progressive Policy Institute Centrist American think tank

The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that serves as a public policy think tank in the United States. The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) founded it in 1989. The Washington Post has described it as "a centrist Democratic institution."

The Small Business Innovation Research program is an American government program, coordinated by the Small Business Administration, intended to help certain small businesses conduct research and development (R&D). Funding takes the form of contracts or grants. The recipient projects must have the potential for commercialization and must meet specific U.S. government R&D needs.

Michael J. Mandel is an American economist, author, and journalist. He is the Chief Economic Strategist for the Progressive Policy Institute, and president of South Mountain Economies, LLC.

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a libertarian non-profit free-market-oriented research, education, and outreach think tank founded by Koch Industries executives and directed by Tyler Cowen. It works with policy experts, lobbyists, and government officials to connect academic learning and real-world practice. Taking its name from the Latin word for "market", the center advocates free-market approaches to public policy. During the George W. Bush administration's campaign to reduce government regulation, the Wall Street Journal reported, "14 of the 23 rules the White House chose for its 'hit list' to eliminate or modify were Mercatus entries".

Zoltan J. Acs is an American economist. He is Professor of Management at The London School of Economics (LSE), and a professor at George Mason University, where he teaches in the Schar School of Policy and Government and is the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Public Policy. He is also a visiting professor at Imperial College Business School in London and affiliated with the University of Pecs in Hungary. He is co-editor and founder of Small Business Economics, a leading academic journal.

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is a U.S. nonprofit public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., focused on public policy surrounding industry and technology. As of 2019, the University of Pennsylvania ranks ITIF as the most authoritative science and technology policy think tank in the world. In its role in developing industrial and technological policies, ITIF has attracted controversy for its affiliations with various technology companies.

The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) is one of several research centers for Columbia Business School, focusing on strategy, management, and policy issues in telecommunications, computing, and electronic mass media. It aims to address the large and dynamic telecommunications and media industry that has expanded horizontally and vertically drive by technology, entrepreneurship and policy.

<i>The Clean Tech Revolution</i> Book by Ron Pernick

The Clean Tech Revolution: The Next Big Growth and Investment Opportunity is a 2007 book by Ron Pernick and Clint Wilder, who say that commercializing clean technologies is a profitable enterprise that is moving steadily into mainstream business. As the world economy faces challenges from energy price spikes, resource shortages, global environmental problems, and security threats, clean technologies are seen to be the next engine of economic growth.

Innovation economics is new and growing field of economic theory and applied and experimental economics that emphasizes innovation and entrepreneurship. It comprises both the application of any type of innovations, especially technological, but not only, into economic use, in classical economics this is the application of customer new technology into economic use; but also it could refer to the field of innovation and experimental economics that refers the new economic science developments that may be considered innovative. In his 1942 book Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, economist Joseph Schumpeter introduced the notion of an innovation economy. He argued that evolving institutions, entrepreneurs and technological changes were at the heart of economic growth. However, it is only in recent years that "innovation economy," grounded in Schumpeter's ideas, has become a mainstream concept".

Science Policy Research Unit Public school in Brighton, United Kingdom

Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) is a research centre based at University of Sussex in Falmer, near Brighton, UK. It focuses on long term transformative change, science policy and innovation across different sectors, societies and structures. It was one of the first interdisciplinary research centres in the field of science and technology policy and at the forefront of the development of innovation as an academic discipline. Alongside internationally renowned research, SPRU also offers a range of MSc courses, as well as PhD research degrees.

Techdirt American Internet blog

Techdirt is an American Internet blog that reports on technology's legal challenges and related business and economic policy issues, in context of the digital revolution. It focuses on intellectual property, patent, information privacy and copyright reform in particular.

International Innovation Index Global index measuring the level of innovation of a country

The International Innovation Index is a global index measuring the level of innovation of a country, produced jointly by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and The Manufacturing Institute (MI), the NAM's nonpartisan research affiliate. NAM describes it as the "largest and most comprehensive global index of its kind".

Post-war displacement of Keynesianism

The post-war displacement of Keynesianism was a series of events which from mostly unobserved beginnings in the late 1940s, had by the early 1980s led to the replacement of Keynesian economics as the leading theoretical influence on economic life in the developed world. Similarly, the allied discipline known as development economics was largely displaced as the guiding influence on economic policies adopted by developing nations.

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents companies from the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. As an advocacy organization, ITI works to influence policy issues aimed at encouraging innovation and promoting global competitiveness.

HBGary is a subsidiary company of ManTech International, focused on technology security. In the past, two distinct but affiliated firms had carried the HBGary name: HBGary Federal, which sold its products to the US Federal Government, and HBGary, Inc. Its other clients included information assurance companies, computer emergency response teams, and computer forensic investigators. On 29 February 2012, HBGary, Inc. announced it had been acquired by IT services firm ManTech International. At the same time, HBGary Federal was reported to be closed.

Mariana Mazzucato Italian-American economist and professor

Mariana Francesca Mazzucato is an economist with dual Italian–US citizenship. She is a professor at University College London in Economics of Innovation and Public Value and she is the founder and director of their Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP). Her research focuses on the relationships between technological, economic and social changes. She is Chair of the World Health Organization's Council on the Economics of Health for All, a member of the Scottish Government's Council of Economic Advisers, South Africa's Economic Advisory Council and the United Nation's High-Level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs.

Nathon Gunn

Nathon Gunn is a Toronto-based Canadian serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Bitcasters Inc., Social Game Universe, LightningPlatform and most recently x-Pollinate. His work includes helping founders with strategy and growth. He is a mentor, writer, speaker and advises in the support of start-ups, scale-ups, democratic development, civic engagement, democratization of technology and entrepreneurship at forums like the Government of Canada, C100 and conferences such as Personal Democracy Forum and Politics Online, part of OpenCongress and Sunlight Foundation and in books such as "Searching for the New Liberalism" His most recent contribution to the Canadian political landscape was in the form of senior innovation advisor to Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains where they developed Canada's Innovation Agenda, a primary focus of the 2017 Canadian federal budget. One of the major aspects was the Strategic Innovation Fund, a novel programme which was slated to run for five years and provide $1.26 billion over its life.

Sangeet Paul Choudary Business scholar, entrepreneur, advisor and author

Sangeet Paul Choudary is a business scholar, entrepreneur, advisor and author. He is best known for his work on platform economics and network effects. He is the co-author of the international best-selling book Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets Are Transforming the Economy and How to Make Them Work for You.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Robert David Atkinson". Marquis Biographies Online. Marquis Who's Who . Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  2. Janet Rae-Dupree: Innovation Should Mean More Jobs, Not Less New York Times, January 3, 2009
  3. 1 2 3 Atkinson, Robert D. "Professional Experience".
  4. "Robert Atkinson". Progressive Policy Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-05-03.
  5. 1 2 3 Anderson, Nate (February 2009). "Ars Technica's Tech Policy "People to Watch" 2009". Ars Technica.
  6. "Commissioner Dr. Robert D. Atkinson". National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission.
  7. "U.S. Commerce Department Announces Members of New Innovation Advisory Board" (Press release). U.S. Department of Commerce. May 4, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  8. "Robert Atkinson". Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 2012-01-27.
  9. "Robert D. Atkinson, Ph.D." Huffington Post.
  10. "Government Technology's 2002 GT Top 25". Government Technology. April 16, 2002.
  11. Risen, Clay (February 1, 2006). "Best Friends In D.C.: Thinkers". Inc.
  12. Graff, Garrett M. (April 22, 2011). "2011 Tech Titans".