Reports & Papers

118 Items

A lighthouse, battered by waves, sits at the center of this dark and stormy seascape.

AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Democracy and the Liberal World Order Amid the Rise of Authoritarianism

| Aug. 14, 2023

The entanglement and feedback loops among the domestic and the geopolitical cycles of distrust have resulted in a cohesive threat to democracy: a downward political spiral that is pulling societies towards enmity. This spiral feeds on and generates destructive human emotions at massive scale, such as outrage and hatred, that lead to violence, war, and autocracy, so it can be better understood as a dangerous global maelstrom of distrust, which could sink democracy worldwide. As showcased by historical evidence, domestic and international forces do not act in isolation from each other. Democratic backsliding, the rise of authoritarianism and totalitarianism, and the politics of aggression generated feedback loops in the 1930s, that resulted in WWII. Similar forces are again working in the 2020s. If massive distrust can wreck democracy worldwide, it follows that the regeneration of trust is the path to democratic revitalization.

ATE student learning to measure output power from a laser

Photo from ATE Impacts 2020-2021

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Lab-to-Market Translation at NSF’s Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate

| June 2023

One major effort through which CHIPS and Science seeks to achieve this is the creation of the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF). The TIP Directorate’s mission is to advance use-inspired research at NSF, particularly in areas of technology critical to strategic competition. 

Technicians in clean room learn to make semiconductors

Photo from ATE Impacts 2022-2023

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Community Colleges and the Semiconductor Workforce

| June 2023

Over the last several decades, the U.S.’s domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity has declined. The CHIPS Act aims to reverse this trend by investing over $50 billion in direct funding and loan subsidies to expand semiconductor research and development and manufacturing in the U.S. This primer focuses on the workforce challenges that will be spurred by this microelectronics industry expansion and proposes how community colleges can play a critical role in addressing these challenges. 

Someone holds a silicon wafer with chips etched into it as Vice President Kamala Harris tours a site where Applied Materials plans to build a $4 billion research facility on Monday, May 22, 2023, in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Jim Wilson/The New York Times via AP, Pool

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Standard Setting: Process, Politics, and the CHIPS Program

    Authors:
  • Sreya Vaidyanathan
  • Arya Thapa
  • Andrew Trzcinski
| June 2023

The CHIPS & Science Act of 2022 outlines an expansive national strategy to preserve and bolster the United States’ national security by ensuring a pathway for a resilient supply chain for semiconductors and other critical and emerging technologies. Targeted provisions in the CHIPS and Science Act aim to address U.S. leadership in domestic and international standards-setting processes. For federal agencies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), contending with implementation of standards-related mandates within the CHIPS program presents a delicate balancing act between supporting emerging national priorities but preserving the existing industry-driven model for setting standards. 

drawing of math problems

N. Hanacek/NIST

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Technology Primer: Post-Quantum Cryptography

    Editors:
  • Boaz Barak
  • Lily Chen
  • Jack Hidary
  • Vinod Vaikuntanathan
| June 23, 2023

Quantum computers pose a threat to conventional cryptography, putting our information and communication systems at risk. In an effort to sustain the privacy and integrity of our data ecosystems, researchers are turning to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). This publication describes how PQC works, and the governance, application, and public purpose considerations for implementing PQC. 

An orange and blue background with an isometric illustration of digital buildings and people

Helena Rong

Report

From Community Currency to Crypto City Tokens: Potentials, Shortfalls, and Future Outlooks of New Old Ideas

| June 15, 2023

Tailored to specific geographic areas, local community currencies are alternative monetary systems designed to empower local businesses and foster engagement while promoting a greater sense of unity of a place. Although these community currencies have never become mainstream practice throughout history, they have repeatedly risen in popularity during times of economic crisis or instability. In the wake of the pandemic, a resurgent interest in community currencies—now powered by blockchain and Web3 technologies—is reshaping the way cities approach local financing and engagement of their constituents. Over the last two years, mayors from major U.S. cities such as New York City, Jackson, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Austin made headlines by openly endorsing cryptocurrencies and embracing the idea of city-branded tokens in hopes of unlocking alternative ways of fundraising and boosting local economic growth during the crypto market’s heyday. With a rich history rooted in times of economic turmoil, community currencies offer both inspiring success stories and cautionary tales of the challenges that lie ahead as cities navigate the evolving financial landscape. As we consider the possibilities of community currencies powered by crypto, we ask: Are they just a temporary fad that poses potential risks and little value, or do they hold the potential to truly offer a synergistic solution to the problems facing cities today? Could they digitally revolutionize the age-old practice of local community currency and elevate public purpose value and social impact? 

A burnt dark grey with background with an isometric illustration of digital grey and black scene with wording.

Image Courtesy: CityDAO.io/

Report

Deep-Dive Into CityDAO: An Experiment in Collective Land Ownership and Decentralized Governance

| June 14, 2023

In October 2021, CityDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), raised over $8 million from over 5,000 members globally to purchase 40 acres of land in Wyoming, aiming to build a city based on the Ethereum blockchain, a first for a DAO. This case study provides an insightful examination of the potential of DAOs for collective land ownership and community governance, offering valuable lessons for future best practices.

 

A blue background with an isometric illustration of an orange colored lit freeway  during evening hours.

Helena Rong

Report

Connected Digital Society: Paving Ways for Country-Scale Digital Interoperability in Estonia

| June 14, 2023

Estonia, after a series of severe cyberattacks in 2007, integrated blockchain technology into its e-governance system, bolstering its cybersecurity infrastructure and becoming a global model of digital society innovation. Today, Estonia is one of the world's most digitally integrated countries, with 99% of its public services digitized, reportedly saving over 1,400 years of working time and about 2% of its GDP annually. This case study provides a comprehensive analysis of Estonia's digital transformation, evaluating the endeavor from multiple perspectives, encompassing technology, governance, regulatory frameworks, stakeholder involvement, and the underlying values driving the transformation. It aims to derive lessons for other countries considering their own digital transformations.

Steam rises from a coal-fired power plant.

AP Photo/Michael Probst

Report - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Technology Primer: Direct Air Capture

    Editors:
  • Howard Herzog
  • Peter Psarras
| June 09, 2023

Direct air capture (DAC) is a type of technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the air. As the negative impacts of climate change become ever more apparent, governments and private industries have funneled increasing support toward DAC as a critical pathway toward achieving a net-zero future. Although a promising technology, wide-scale deployment of DAC faces several significant challenges.