The PRC government’s ambitious program to catapult China into the ranks of the world’s leading innovation driven nations has led to the development of policies that conflict with China’s obligations under the WTO. To address these issues, the US and China have organized a bilateral “innovation dialogue” composed of experts from both countries.  In his talk, Dr. Denis Simon, who is a member of the US team of experts, will discuss the progress of the dialogue, the different perspectives about the focus and intent of this dialogue, and the potential benefits to be gained for both countries from smoothing over their differences and finding common ground regarding how to promote more effective and sustained innovation performance.

About The Speaker

Dr. Denis Fred Simon is Vice-Provost for International Strategic Initiatives at Arizona State University.  He also is Foundation Professor of Politics and Global Studies.  Dr. Simon is responsible for the global engagement and positioning of the university and for extending the overall global footprint of ASU.  Prior to his arrival at ASU, Dr. Simon served as the Vice-Provost for International Affairs at the University of Oregon   In that role, he served as the chief academic officer responsible for the international strategy and global activities of the overall university.  He also was a tenured Full Professor of International Studies.  In addition, he also was a member of the Advisory Board of the Confucius Institute at the University. 

Dr. Simon’s distinctive competence is that he is one of a select number of global management experts with dual knowledge of both international business strategy & technology management and Asian business systems and innovation processes.  Having first visited Asia in 1976 and the China mainland in 1981, Dr. Simon has developed an extensive network of professional relationships throughout business, government, and academia in the region.  He has written and lectured widely regarding innovation, high technology development, foreign investment and corporate strategy in the PacRim and is frequently quoted in the Western and Asian business press regarding commercial and technology trends in China, HK and the Asia-Pacific region. 

Among his key publications are:  Global R&D in China [edited with Yifei Sun and Max Von Zedtwitz] (Routledge, 2008) and China’s Emerging Technological Edge: Assessing the Role of High-End Talent (with Cong Cao) (Cambridge University Press, 2009).  He also is working on a new book entitled, China and the Global Innovation System: An Analysis of the PRC’s International S&T Relations (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming).

Throughout his professional career, Dr. Simon has been an innovator in intellectual thought and program development.  He is well-known in many circles for his academic as well as corporate “entrepreneurship.”  In recognition of his extensive work in China, Dr. Simon was selected among only 20 foreign experts to receive the Liaoning Province Friendship Award in Shenyang in September 2006.  In October 2006, he was awarded China’s highest medal given by the Chinese government to a “foreign expert”—the China National Friendship Award—by Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.  In June 2008, he developed and implemented the SUNY China 150 Program—an innovative initiative supported by China’s State Council--designed to bring 150 Chinese undergraduate students from the earthquake damaged area in Sichuan to the US on scholarship for one academic year.  In October 2008, he was made “an honorary citizen” (rongyu gongmin) of Dalian by Mayor Xia Deren in a ceremony attended by senior officials from government, business and academia.  And, in March 2011, Dr. Simon was invited as a member of the American Experts Group as part of the US-China Innovation Dialogue under the auspices of the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House.

Dr. Simon holds an MA in Asian Studies and a PhD in Political Science from UC Berkeley.  He received his BA in Asian Studies and Political Science from SUNY New Paltz.