NORTHWEST WISCONSIN— In the first opinion column published since the launch of Northwoods Policy Network (NPN), Executive Director Paul Schecklman raises concerns about what he describes as increasing foreign exploitation of American -- and Wisconsin -- research institutions.
In Our Talent Is Our Treasure, Schecklman argues that the United States is engaged in a modern technological Cold War, one focused on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, bioengineering, energy production, and national defense. He warns that adversarial foreign governments, particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), have leveraged access to U.S. universities and national laboratories to accelerate their own technological and military capabilities.
The column highlights documented cases of Chinese espionage targeting American research institutions and emphasizes that Wisconsin’s universities are not immune. Schecklman specifically points to the importance of protecting research conducted within the University of Wisconsin System, noting that much of it is taxpayer-funded and tied to technologies critical to national security and economic competitiveness.
Read the full column on Northwoods Policy Network here.
Last Update: Dec 15, 2025 10:26 am CST
