Building on its roots as a policy-focused research institution, the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College welcomes John Austin to its Washington, D.C. office as a senior fellow, focusing on the international intersection of economy and democracy.
Austin organized the Transforming Industrial Heartlands Initiative, developing policies, practices, strategies and a network of leaders focused on economic revival in industrial regions of North America and Europe. This work tackles the root cause of economic decline and seeks to blunt anti-democratic, nationalist movements. Effective August 2024, Austin will center this work at the Eisenhower Institute, promoting ideas and network-building to spread economic opportunity and strengthen democracies.
“This is about the most important work any of us can do,” Austin said.
Austin co-created the concept of “allyshoring” in response to COVID-19 disrupted supply chains, and as a potent strategy to meet multiple economic, foreign policy and national security goals. It gained the attention of national media and the federal government. He will continue to expand this concept at the Eisenhower Institute.
“In recent years this work to reduce yawning geographic economic inequalities has taken on more urgency,” Austin said. “With the credibility and prestige of the Eisenhower Institute behind us, I will work to deepen international economic and political engagements among countries with shared values. We will support new international collaborations to help democratic nations maintain leadership in innovation – technological advances that generate new ideas, industries, businesses, and good jobs for collective security.”
As an educational leader, Austin has a deep and abiding interest in working with students. “This mission to prepare and equip the next generation of America’s leaders is a goal I have long attempted to animate in my own work,” Austin said. “I look forward to tapping students from Gettysburg College not only to participate in, but also to shape and learn to lead international policy-steering work.”
Austin is not new to our family of colleagues and experts at EI. He worked closely with the Institute for the past two years to help develop experiential learning programs. He helped design EI’s Transforming Industrial Heartlands student research project in 2022, and welcomed Gettysburg students to present their work at an international convening at the University of Michigan. He featured their findings in the summary report of that learning exchange. Austin helped arrange German State Secretary Mark Speich’s campus visit in 2022. His connections were integral in creating last year’s follow-up experiential learning Europe’s Heartlands program, which led eight students and a faculty member to travel to Germany for eight days to explore industrial transformation in the Ruhr region.
“John is a valued friend and colleague, and his work will be transformative not only for nations around the world, but for our students,” said EI Executive Director Tracie Potts. “The Eisenhower Institute is a training ground and launching pad for the next generation of leaders. Under John’s direction they will shape and learn to lead international policy-steering work.”
By Tracie Potts
Photos by Ally Wein ’24, Cybelle Codish
Posted: 08/13/24