Founded in 2010 and led by director Nicol Turner Lee, the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at Brookings focuses on delivering research that affects public debate and policymaking in the arena of U.S. and global technology innovation. Our research centers on identifying and analyzing key developments to increase innovation; developing and publicizing best practices to relevant stakeholders; briefing policymakers about actions needed to improve innovation; and enhancing the public and media’s understanding of technology innovation.

CTI is home to TechTank, a Brookings blog that highlights new data and ideas, and provides commentary on science and technology trends.

CENTER GOAL

  • Better understand how the fruits of innovation will shape public policy in the 21st century and beyond

AREAS OF FOCUS

Our scholarship specifically centers on these various technology policy areas:

Digital infrastructure

  • Broadband investment and adoption
  • Cloud computing

The mobile economy

  • Impact on entrepreneurship and economic development
  • Mobile communications
  • M-health and m-learning

E-governance

  • Public sector innovation
  • Technology and government efficiency

Digital media, news, and entertainment

  • Telecommunications
  • News aggregation
  • Social and new media

Technology transfer

  • Patent policy
  • University contributions to the economy
  • Campus entrepreneurship

Research and development

  • Science funding: Management trade-offs and outcomes
  • Federal Agencies: Management of R&D portfolios
  • Linking R&D to national goals

Responsible innovation

  • Regulation of emerging technologies
  • New business innovation models: profitable and sustainable
  • Government reform: technologies for democracy

Digital medicine

  • Health information technology
  • Telemedicine
  • Patient privacy

Financial inclusion

  • Digital financial services: regulation and innovation
  • Mobile technologies for the financial sector: infrastructure and adoption

Connected learning

  • Distance learning
  • Electronic textbooks
  • Personalized education