Strategic Comms & Government Affairs @BETA_aircraft | Formerly @CNASdc | Views are my own
Washington, DC
Joined September 2017
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In my latest @CNASdc report, I take stock of the global competition to build and scale quantum computers, with a particular focus on the U.S.-China dynamic.
cnas.org/publications/report…
Today is my last day @CNASdc.
After nearly four years with CNAS, I'm still convinced it's the best place to work in DC, particularly as a junior staffer.
I owe thanks to many people, but especially to @vivekchil, @paul_scharre, @klkuzminski, and @MartijnRasser for making my time here so valuable.
Next adventure: a move to Vermont to join the team @BETA_aircraft ✈
Sam Howell retweeted
1/ The White House's long-awaited quantum executive orders are here! One covers quantum innovation; the other, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) migration. Executed well, a serious & exciting step toward securing U.S. quantum leadership. 3 things I'm watching: 🧵
Sam Howell retweeted
🚨NEW: "Sovereign AI" is ubiquitous in today's policy debate, but what does it actually look like in practice? To answer that, we've just launched the CNAS Sovereign AI Index, which tracks 130+ sovereign AI projects across 50 countries.
Come work with us @CNASdc!
Sam Howell retweeted
"The discovery of CCP-linked biolabs in Las Vegas and Reedley should serve as a wake-up call for U.S. policymakers."
Read more from @Sam_Howell15 in @lawfare on how the U.S. is unprepared to counter biological hazards, putting Americans’ safety at risk. cnas.org/publications/commen…
Sam Howell retweeted
The discovery of a suspected biolab in Las Vegas is the latest example of suspected CCP-linked biolabs on American soil. @Sam_Howell15 explores how policymakers should improve federal oversight of unauthorized biological research activity to protect Americans.
In my latest with @lawfare, I detail the recent discovery of an unauthorized biolab in Las Vegas. The owner of the lab—Zhu Jia Bei—was arrested and indicted for his involvement with a similar unauthorized biolab in Reedley, California in 2023.
lawfaremedia.org/article/two…
Absent policy change—including comprehensive oversight of private biological research, mandatory reporting requirements for pathogen acquisition, and a deeper understanding of how biological agents might be weaponized—the United States remains vulnerable.
Sam Howell retweeted
1/Very pleased to share my new @CNASdc report on quantum supply chains, coauthored with John Burke. It follows nearly two years of research, roundtables, and dozens of expert interviews across the U.S. quantum ecosystem. Key insights and link below.
New @WarOnTheRocks piece from Michelle Holko, John Wilbanks, and I on the importance of biodata to U.S. tech leadership.
AI-enabled biotech will reshape medicine, supply chains, and military power. Yet the United States still is not organized to compete as China races ahead.
warontherocks.com/2026/03/ai…
Sam Howell retweeted
In this short essay, my @CNASdc colleague @gibbs_mckinley adapts our “global swing states” framework to identify pivotal African countries - and sketch a path for U.S. engagement.
Check it out: cnas.org/publications/commen…
These interventions will help ensure that U.S. biodata is secure, standardized, and strategically governed across health and non-health domains alike.
Read more about our ongoing biotechnology work @CNASdc here: cnas.org/research/technology…
Meanwhile, U.S. adversaries are investing heavily in state-controlled biotechnology ecosystems in which AI and biodata infrastructure co-evolve. The United States now risks a future in which these adversaries control the means to feed, heal, and even defend U.S. citizens.