Publications: Meghan Ostertag
January 12, 2026
Fact of the Week: Construction Industry Facing a 439,000-Worker Shortage Driven by the Growth of Data Centers
As of November 2025, with over 400 data centers currently under development, the construction industry is facing a shortage of roughly 439,000 workers.
January 5, 2026
Fact of the Week: Commuting Areas Far From AI Hotspots Experienced 17 Percent Lower Growth in AI Jobs
A report finds that firms that are 125 miles from the closest AI hotspot, defined as an area with over 1000 AI publications or patents, experienced 17 percent lower AI job growth between 2007 and 2019.
December 22, 2025
Fact of the Week: The Chinese Yuan Is 25 Percent Undervalued
The International Monetary Fund found that the Chinese yuan is significantly undervalued, with Goldman Sachs estimating that the value of the currency is 25 percent below what is expected.
December 19, 2025
Venture Capital and Advanced Technologies Drive US Employment
New research from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that venture capital investment and advanced technology adoption are closely linked to higher employment and productivity. VC-backed, technology-adopting firms account for a disproportionately large share of U.S. jobs, even as venture investment has declined since 2021.
December 18, 2025
AI’s Job Impact: Gains Outpace Losses
AI isn’t destroying jobs; it’s creating them. At least in 2024, the surge in AI activity and data center construction generated more jobs than AI displaced.
December 18, 2025
Comments to OSTP Regarding Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise
The science community must move beyond the linear model of scientific research developed and encouraged by Vannevar Bush, and realign scientific exploration with national interests, especially in the face of the growing technological and economic threat posed by China.
December 15, 2025
Fact of the Week: China’s Trade Surplus in Goods Surpassed $1 Trillion in the First 11 Months of 2025
China’s trade surplus has grown from $993 billion in 2024 to $1.08 trillion in the first 11 months of 2025, making it the first country in recorded history to reach the $1 trillion milestone.
December 8, 2025
Fact of the Week: Public R&D Investment in Brazil Increased National Agricultural Productivity by 110 Percent
From 1970 to the present, agricultural research conducted by a public research foundation in Brazil has increased Brazilian agricultural productivity by 110 percent.
December 3, 2025
Reducing Trade Friction Can Strengthen the U.S.–India Technology Partnership
Lowering tariffs with India would reinforce one of America’s most important emerging technology partnerships. Completing negotiations and sustaining investment would strengthen supply chains and enhance U.S. economic and strategic competitiveness.
December 1, 2025
Fact of the Week: GDPR Reduced EU Venture Capital Investment in Technology by 26 Percent Relative to the United States
Between 2015 and 2024, the cumulative VC investment gap came to $1.21 trillion.
