Robert Atkinson

Robert David Atkinson is a Canadian-American economist shaping the debate on critical issues at the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. He is founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). He is an internationally recognized scholar, a widely published author, and has worked across several US administrations.

Dr. Atkinson’s research focuses on technology and innovation-related topics ranging from tax policy to advanced manufacturing, productivity, and global competitiveness. His books include Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage (Yale, 2012); Supply-Side Follies: Why Conservative Economics Fails, Liberal Economics Falters, and Innovation Economics is the Answer (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006); The Past and Future of America’s Economy: Long Waves of Innovation That Power Cycles of Growth (Edward Elgar, 2005); Big Is Beautiful: Debunking the Myth of Small Business (MIT Press, 2019); and Technology Fears and Scapegoats:40 Myths About Privacy, Jobs, AI, and Today’s Innovation Economy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).

He holds a PhD in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was awarded the prestigious Joseph E. Pogue Fellowship. He earned his master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Oregon, which named him a distinguished alumnus in 2014.

---