The Industry Studies Association (ISA) is thrilled to announce its inclusion as one of seven “New Strategic Partnerships” in a groundbreaking initiative launched by the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) within the Department of Commerce. ITA recently hosted an inaugural Supply Chain Summit at the White House bringing together executives, researchers, and policymakers to discuss what has been learned about supply chain resilience since the pandemic and how to be better prepared for future events that disrupt supply chain stocks and flows. 

 In attendance were ISA’s Susan Helper, Liz Reynolds, and Andrew Reamer, shown here with Grant Harris, the assistant secretary for I&A (?).  According to Reamer, “Commerce did a good job of creating a community of stakeholders for the work of the Supply Chain Center, organized a strong set of speakers, showed the SCALE tool [which provides a comprehensive set of indicators to assess structural supply chain risk across the U.S. economy], and repeatedly indicated its interest in working with the breadth of stakeholders, including other federal agencies, industry, and academia.”

 This exciting collaboration opens the door for ISA and its members to engage in research and projects that directly address real-world challenges, particularly in the area of supply chain resilience and innovation, and to contribute expertise to critical issues shaping the future of industry and policy.  Commerce’s ITA is seeking feedback from ISA members on the SCALE tool and other Supply Chain Center activities, as described here.

 This strategic alignment provides a platform for ISA to expand its membership base, inviting academics, policymakers, and industry professionals to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration.  In addition to elevating our presence on a national stage, this partnership creates opportunities for ISA to organize further meetings in Washington, D.C., bringing together thought leaders from academia, industry, and think tanks.  [Heads-up: ISA’s 2026 Annual Conference will be in Washington D.C., hosted by George Washington University.]

 ISA’s leadership looks forward to fostering this exciting new relationship with the Department of Commerce to benefit our members and the industries that are the focus of our research.