Jeffrey D. Bean
Fellow, Technology Policy & Editor
Jeffrey bean
Jeffrey D. Bean is a Fellow for Technology Policy and Editor at ORF America. He manages research on critical and emerging technologies, particularly semiconductors and AI, implements the activities of the Global Cyber Policy Dialogues, and leads engagement on U.S.-India tech policy issues in Washington. Concurrently, as editor, he reviews all long-form research reports ahead of publication for the organization.
In 2026, he was awarded the inaugural Motwani Jadeja Fellowship from the University of California San Diego’s 21st Century India Center to research India’s policy efforts to move up the critical mineral and semiconductor value chains.
Prior to joining ORF America, he was a Visiting Fellow at East-West Center and Tama University, where he conducted research on U.S.-Japan relations and emerging technology supply chain disruption with a focus on semiconductors.
Previously, Mr. Bean was editor of the Asia Policy Blog, CogitAsia, for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he oversaw publications and produced podcasts for the CSIS Asia Programs. In this role, Mr. Bean was responsible for tracking political, trade, technology, and security developments throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Bean worked as a research assistant with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, where he managed projects that focused on Asian regional cooperation and U.S.-China relations. He is the author of over two dozen articles and reports as well as the producer of nearly one hundred CSIS podcasts on policy issues in Asia.
Mr. Bean holds an M.A. in security policy studies from George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs where he was a highest honors fellow and a B.A. in international affairs and political science from James Madison University.
Publications
By Sujai Shivakumar, Hideki Tomoshige, and Jeffrey D. Bean
India is positioning itself as an increasingly important node in the global semiconductor ecosystem, building on its established strengths in chip design and deep pool of STEM talent. These efforts come at a time when global semiconductor supply chains remain highly concentrated, creating opportunities for India to contribute to diversification and resilience.
Special Report
Produced by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and ORF America
Western Balkans Report: Countering Cybercrime
By Jeffrey D. Bean and Bruce W. McConnell
Background Paper No. 32
By Abhisri Nath & Jeffrey D. Bean
This volume of short working papers is a product of ORF America’s U.S.-India Emerging Climate Leaders as they attempt to develop ideas around climate collaboration and communication for the United States and India.
Special Report
By Abigail Doerr, Amol Kapoor, Bhagyashri Kulkarni, Dhruva Jaishankar, Jonika Rathi, Karan Sinha, Lindsay Maizland, Medha Prasanna, Meenakshi Venkatraman, Miaoru Guan, Mridu Jhangiani, Pankaj Mahalle, Patrick Soltis, Paul Gordon, Perrin Krisko, Sabareesh Suresh, Tanya Kak, Vandita Sariya, Vanshica Kant, and Vedant Patil
Editors: Caroline Arkalji, Jeffrey D. Bean, and Medha Prasanna
Background Paper No. 26
By Jeffrey D. Bean and Andreas Kuehn
Contribution from the Cyberspace Cooperation Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation America in the context of the seventh substantive session of the Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025 (March 2024).
By Jeffrey D. Bean and Stephen Ezell
The United States has taken several key steps that we advocated. Foremost was passing the CHIPS and Science Act with bipartisan Congressional support in August 2022, which included appropriations of $52.7 billion for the CHIPS Act.
Comments
By Jeffrey D. Bean
If the U.S. government can facilitate practical, targeted bilateral engagements for mining and processing under the banner of Pax Silica and FORGE, these could support derisking semiconductor, AI, and critical mineral supply chains provided key Global South actors are engaged effectively and equitably.
By Jeffrey D. Bean
The AI Impact Summit underscored India’s commitment to be seen as a leader for technology deployment to the Global South. In this way, India is attempting to serve as a bridge between the leading technology manufacturing countries and the societies where applied technology may have the biggest impact on quality of life, in areas like healthcare, education, and agriculture
By Jeffrey D. Bean
The success of Pax Silica as a tangible platform for the United States and U.S. allies and partners to secure supply chains and retain or regain advantages in technology will be a massive diplomatic and commercial undertaking. Sustained political will seems uncertain.
By Jeffrey D. Bean
While largely domestically orientated, Trump’s AI Action Plan has significant implications for U.S. allies and partners, both in terms of commercial engagement and national security considerations.
By Jeffrey D. Bean
Given the deep disagreements on responsible state behavior in cyberspace among different states, the 2021-2025 UN OEWG achieving consensus represents a significant breakthrough. That said, the agreement reflected at least five positive developments in global cyber governance.
By Elsa Debargue and Jeffrey D. Bean
The Pall Mall Process is a work in progress, and only time will tell if it proves durable and successful. However, it does hint at a potential turning point in current cyber governance efforts by adapting to the realities of a decentralized, privatized, and often invisible marketplace of digital intrusion.
By Jeffrey D. Bean
All in all, the United States’ oscillating policy on AI diffusion reflects an ongoing struggle in how best to simultaneously retain U.S. leadership in semiconductors and advance compute for AI at both a market level and in national defense applications, while blocking adversaries’ access to advanced AI chips and the capability to manufacture them.
By Jeffrey D. Bean and Andreas Kuehn
Looking ahead, as the Department of Defense strives to incorporate and utilize more AI chips, it will need to secure access to leading nodes for edge chips and the confidence in pathways to use greater allocations of secure cloud services for advanced computing.
By Jeffrey D. Bean
The United States must sustain its own domestic and international policy effort to ensure critical mineral supply, which will be vital for its defense, energy, and technological future.
By Andreas Kuehn and Jeffrey D. Bean
What costs and risks need to be taken into account when geopolitics are causing shifts in global supply chains for semiconductors?
By Jeffrey D. Bean
While the CHIPS & Science Act of 2022 has boosted the United States' leadership in semiconductor technology, it has considerably lagged in doing so for STEM research. The reason? A lack of appropriated money, meaning the money is there but it has not been allocated yet.
recent events
Media appearances
Jeffrey D. Bean on global critical mineral supply chains and risks to defense applications.
Jeffrey D. Bean on AI infrastructure challenges.
Lindsey Ford and Jeffrey D. Bean discuss U.S.-India strategic technology cooperation and TRUST at Hudson Institute as panelists.
Jeffrey D. Bean as a panelist at the EU Delegation to the United Nations.
Jeffrey D. Bean quoted by Medill News Service.
Jeffrey D. Bean, as a panelist at U.S.-Taiwan Business Council & Project 2049 Institute.
Jeffrey D. Bean, appeared on Global Eye of CNBC-TV18.
Jeffrey D. Bean, as a panelist at George Washington University.