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Economy and Workforce

A strong economy depends on innovation, opportunity, and a skilled workforce. The National Academies provide evidence-based insights on economic growth, labor trends, and workforce development. Explore research that supports economic progress and prepares a skilled and robust workforce for the future of work.

What's happening

Eight Winners Selected for the 2026 TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Graduate Research Awards

News Release

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program announced eight recipients of this year’s ACRP Graduate Research Awards. The prestigious award — established to stimulate thought, discussion, and research by graduate students who will become part of the future airport industry workforce — focuses on applied research of airport and related aviation system issues to help improve the quality, reliability, safety, and security of the U.S. civil aviation system.

Aug 27, 2026

Inaugural Cohort of Biotechnology Regulatory Fellows Present Capstone Projects

Feature Story

The 10 inaugural fellows of the National Academies’ Biotechnology Regulatory Fellowship Program recently completed their six-month residency in Washington, D.C. The fellowship was developed to help early-career professionals build an understanding of the evidence base needed to meet potential regulatory challenges presented by novel products of biotechnology.

Aug 19, 2026

Inaugural Biotechnology Regulatory Fellowship capstone project event 2026

U.S. Should Substantially Boost Support for Manufacturing USA Program, Issue National Industrial Manufacturing Strategy, Says New Report

News Release

To better compete globally and drive national progress in manufacturing, the U.S. should develop a comprehensive industrial strategy to align resources for manufacturing and maximize the economic and national security impacts of the Manufacturing USA program — a network of 17 institutes that specialize in different types of advanced manufacturing.

May 14, 2026

Aerial Car Factory 3D Concept: Automated Robot Arm Assembly Line Manufacturing Advanced High-Tech Green Energy Electric Vehicles. Construction, Building, Welding Industrial Production Conveyor

Featured Publications

AI Infrastructure to Accelerate AI Convergence and Catalyze U.S. Scientific Innovation: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

Proceedings

2026

Private Health Sector Investment in NEMT: Volume 2: Developing a Guide

2026

Private Health Sector Investment in NEMT: Volume 1: Practitioner's Guide

2026

Evaluation of ARPA-E's Mission and Goals

Consensus Study Report

2026

Developing Strategies to Foster Implementation of Knowledge Management

2026

Fostering Implementation of Knowledge Management

2026

Evaluation of the Planning and Environment Linkages Program

2026

A Vision for the Manufacturing USA Program in 2030 and 2035

Consensus Study Report

2026

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Education and Workforce Trajectories in Tech: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

Proceedings

2026

Ramp Safety Practices: Update

2026

Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at NASA

Consensus Study Report

2026

DOT and FAA Airport Legal Determination and Opinion Letter Abstracts of 2024

2026

Preparing the Transportation Workforce for Emerging Technologies: A Guide

2026

Addressing Liability Issues of Proactive Safety Improvements

2026

Buy America Requirements for Federally Obligated Airports

2026

The Business Case for Knowledge Management: A Guide

2026

Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense

Consensus Study Report

2026

Impacts of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit on Child Poverty: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

Proceedings

2025

Macroeconomic Implications for Decarbonization Policies and Actions: Proceedings of a Workshop

Proceedings

2025

Women's Empowerment, Population Dynamics, and Socioeconomic Development

Consensus Study Report

2025

In Progress

Partial solar eclipse above the curvature of the Earth in the foreground.

Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Energy

Consensus/Advisory Activity

In Progress

Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable Webinars

Educational/Outreach Activity

In Progress

Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space 2028-2037 (ESAS 2028)

Consensus/Advisory Activity

In Formation

Careers that Care: Strengthening the Future of Animal Research Professions

Educational/Outreach Activity

Consensus/Advisory Activity

Completed

Subtopics

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Business Partnerships

Commercialization

Economic Development

Economic Policy

Labor Economics

Organizational Leadership

Professional Development

Workforce Development

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Featured Publications

Featured work

External Review of Environmental, Biosafety, and Biosecurity Considerations for Synthetic Cell Research and Development

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Defense

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at NASA

Working Group 1: On Leading A Lab, Guidance for Lab Leaders

Handling Missing Data on the Consumer Expenditure Surveys and Implications for the Consumer Price Index: A Meeting of Experts

NextGen Oil Spill Research Community of Practice and Webinar Series

Improving Command Climate, Unit Cohesion, and Warfighter Readiness

Roadmap for Transformative Action to Achieve Health for All at Net-Zero Emissions

A Data Infrastructure for Measuring the Care Economy

Space Science Week

Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Energy

Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable Webinars

Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space 2028-2037 (ESAS 2028)

Careers that Care: Strengthening the Future of Animal Research Professions

Developing and Sustaining Effective Interprofessional Primary Care Teams

Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions

NASA Mission Critical Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology

International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment

Review of EPA’s Use of Title 42 Special Hiring Authority

Women’s Empowerment, Population Dynamics, and Socioeconomic Development

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Defense

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at NASA

Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Energy

Careers that Care: Strengthening the Future of Animal Research Professions

Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Advancing Commercialization from the Federal Laboratories

A Patent System for the 21st Century

Strategic Long-Term Participation by DOD in its Manufacturing Innovation Institutes

University-Industry Demonstration Partnership

Capitalizing on Science, Technology, and Innovation: An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program

Careers that Care: Strengthening the Future of Animal Research Professions

Developing and Sustaining Effective Interprofessional Primary Care Teams

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads

The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited

The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM

Closing the Equity Gap: Securing our STEM Education and Workforce Readiness Infrastructure in the Nation's Minority-Serving Institutions

Supporting English Learners in STEM Subjects

The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education

Improving Higher Education’s Responsiveness to STEM Workforce Needs: Identifying Analytical Tools and Regional Best Practices

Workplace Barriers, Solutions, and Policies for STEM and STEM Education Professionals and Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

Working Group 1: On Leading A Lab, Guidance for Lab Leaders

Improving Command Climate, Unit Cohesion, and Warfighter Readiness

Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions

NASA Mission Critical Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology

Assessment of NASA Aeronautics University Leadership Initiative

Investigating the Potential Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine

The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM

External Review of Environmental, Biosafety, and Biosecurity Considerations for Synthetic Cell Research and Development

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Defense

Review of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at NASA

Roadmap for Transformative Action to Achieve Health for All at Net-Zero Emissions

Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs at the Department of Energy

Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable Webinars

Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Women’s Empowerment, Population Dynamics, and Socioeconomic Development

Safeguarding the Bioeconomy: Finding Strategies for Understanding, Evaluating, and Protecting the Bioeconomy while Sustaining Innovation and Growth

Workplace Barriers, Solutions, and Policies for STEM and STEM Education Professionals and Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

NextGen Oil Spill Research Community of Practice and Webinar Series

Investigating the Potential Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Future Research Goals and Directions for Foundational Science in Cybersecurity

Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space 2028-2037 (ESAS 2028)

Careers that Care: Strengthening the Future of Animal Research Professions

Depicting Innovation in Information Technology

Consideration of Generational Issues in Workforce Management and Employment Practices

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads

The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM

Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

Understanding the Engineering Education--Workforce Continuum

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Workforce Needs for the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Defense Industrial Base

Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering and Mathematics Faculty

Measuring the Transformation of Retail Trade and Related Activities

Depicting Innovation in Information Technology

Advancing Commercialization from the Federal Laboratories