Daniels: ‘Cradle of Tech Diplomacy’ launched at Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The Purdue Research Foundation, which focuses much of its effort on the advancement of technology, is now also looking at how tech impacts U.S. foreign policy. The foundation has launched the Center for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, which the university says will merge engineering expertise with 21st Century diplomacy.

CTDP says the primary focus of the think tank will be on a broad scope of technologies that are critical to American foreign policy, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, digital currency and cybersecurity.

“Tech diplomacy is a new frontier of foreign policy, as engineering and science drive innovations crucial to national and global policies today,” said Purdue University President Mitch Daniels, who is also chairman of the Purdue Research Foundation. “CTDP will be a ‘cradle of tech diplomacy,’ contributing to U.S. foreign policy debates with technology expertise.”

Daniels says Purdue is uniquely positioned to provide thought leadership, drawing together the best thinking of the Silicon Valley tech sector and policymakers in Washington, D.C.

Founding Director of the CTDP Mung Chiang says the organization intends to provide training of technology knowledge to the foreign policy community.

“There is a growing and bipartisan appreciation for the intertwining of critical technology and foreign policy, as demonstrated through the heightened investment in technology and continuation of tech diplomacy successes we’ve seen recently,” said Chiang.

The Purdue Research Foundation says founding members of the CTDP come from both the public and private sectors. The organization will host an event in September focusing on the global semiconductor supply chain. A worldwide disruption of semiconductors has created significant challenges in various industries, including the U.S. auto industry.