Aris Melissaratos is a senior advisor for Enterprise Development at Johns Hopkins University and has an extensive background with Westinghouse and Thermo Electron as a technology executive and CEO.

Those in the manufacturing industry know that America owes a great deal to the manufacturing sector for its prosperity and innovation. Although the United States is still the world’s top exporter of goods, global competition has stiffened while our manufacturing base continues to shift overseas to many parts of Asia. The United States might want to consider how our rivals in Asia have succeeded as they have employed national investment strategies that provide competitive tax policies, increased investment in research and development, and preferential policies for science and technology personnel. Asian governments have improved the quality of their science and further ensured the exploitation of future innovations.    

But if Aris Melissaratos has anything to do with it, American manufacturing will make a comeback. Melissaratos is a senior advisor for Enterprise Development at Johns Hopkins University and has an extensive background with Westinghouse and Thermo Electron as a technology executive and CEO.    

As a national thought leader, Melissaratos has real-world experience in key areas where America needs to excel: science, technology and innovation. This year, he co-authored a book with N.J. Slabbert, titled, “Innovation: The Key to Prosperity That Shows America the Road Back to Prosperity and Technological Leadership.”    

I recently sat down with Melissaratos to get some insights on where he thinks the United States needs to refocus to recapture its technological leadership and ensure we not only create new technologies, but also develop the templates for new product lines.  

Peter Gourlay: What’s it going to take for America to re-emerge as a global technological powerhouse?
Aris Melissaratos: The United States needs to triple the investment in basic R&D to spur technological innovation in areas yet unknown, make major investments to transform and improve our education system, build and rebuild infrastructure new and old and develop clean energy solutions. These areas hold the keys to America’s future, and America’s manufacturing will play a central role. It’s going to take a huge, multitrillion-dollar national investment [and] over 50 to 100 years dedicated to innovation and technology to fuel our future growth. If we want to take it to the next level, we need to upgrade our failing infrastructure now, and while we’re at it, we need to build new infrastructure to support a 21st-century work force so we can regain our global competitive advantage.    

First, we need to properly invest in the education system, which will allow us to continue to innovate and provide the solutions to address the world’s needs. Second, I’m advocating that we rebuild the nation’s old infrastructure, including our roads, bridges, water and sewer systems so that our people rely on the essential transportation and vital resources to for our daily lives. Third, I’m advocating new infrastructure development including smart-grids, a transcontinental magnetically levitating rail system; major oil shale processing; and alternative-energy and nuclear power programs.  

Gourlay: How do you envision America’s technological future?  
Melissaratos: As new technologies em­erge from these investments, we want to be in the forefront of developing the templates for the global product lines. What’s happened over the last 20 years is that the United States has developed the technologies and then other nations have taken the product to market. We can’t let that continue to happen if we hope to be a global economic force. Americans still win large numbers of patents for their inventions, but the percentage is falling as foreigners – especially those from Asia – have become more active.

Gourlay: With the current stimulus deficit and lackluster economy, is there the political will to make such a huge investment?
Melissaratos: Making such an investment will create an American renaissance beyond our dreams and will benefit generations to come. By rebuilding both our old infrastructure, which has lacked new investments for the past 50 years, and the new 21st-century infrastructure, we will reinvigorate our economy and position ourselves as a manufacturing powerhouse, as well.     

Yes, this is a multitrillion-dollar initiative, but if we have a national strategy to go for it, this will create the need and the confidence for capital to be spent in recreating our base manufacturing infrastructure. It’s going to require the political will to educate the American people on what’s at stake. I firmly believe this is the kind of investment Americans will support and appreciate. Our economy is large enough, and we can afford to spend two to three times more on R&D to upgrade our infrastructure and develop new technologies for clean energy and lead the world with new products getting de­signed here in the United States. The huge infrastructure investments will require new factories producing products that can be produced right here in America. I think that is a message that our politicians can champion to get the political support for such investments.

Gourlay: Can you give me a sense of what industries will benefit?
Melissaratos: It will require whole new factories to produce the huge amounts of steel and magnets for the Maglev high-speed rail, major outlays of cement, raw materials, and industrial supplies for the roads, bridges, water and sewer systems; the new smart-grid electricity systems will need an infusion of renewable energy sources and equipment ranging from turbines to photovoltaic technologies and equipment. With this effort, all the basic industries will come back to this country, and we’ll rebuild the kind of heavy manufacturing infrastructure that infrastructure investment makes possible. Now you’re going the full cycle: from building base manufacturing to augmenting high-tech manufacturing to servicing consumer products. And best of all, these investments will be cyclical.

Gourlay: What will this investment achieve for America’s competitiveness?  
Melissaratos: The rebuilding of our old and new infrastructure will enhance the ability of our cities and communities to attract top talent and create a positive investment climate. This American renaissance can position the United States to provide global leadership in clean energy development and the infrastructure to support a new vibrant manufacturing base well into the future.

Peter R. Gourlay is a board member of the Regional Manufacturing Institute and president of the Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .