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Caleb Watney

Caleb Watney

Accelerating progress through innovation, immigration, and metascience policy

calebwatney
Brookland, DC
Joined January 2026
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Summary

Caleb Watney co-founded the Institute for Progress (IFP) to accelerate scientific, technological, and industrial progress in the United States, driven by a belief that policy reforms are crucial to overcome economic stagnation since the 1970s. His work focuses on leveraging federal public policy as a high-leverage tool to impact the rate of progress by reforming sclerotic institutions and improving incentives for breakthrough research. ifp+3
As a lead on metascience at IFP, Caleb investigates and advocates for improving how science is funded, structured, and incentivized, aiming to foster breakthrough research rather than incremental advancements. He has contributed to the "Metascience 101" podcast series and proposed "X-Labs" for flexible research grants, addressing issues like indirect cost recovery and funding delays to make scientific institutions more effective and politically legitimate. ifp+3
Caleb Watney is a strong proponent of high-skilled immigration, viewing it as essential for US innovation and economic growth. He actively researches and advocates for policies like the International Entrepreneur Rule and reforms to the H-1B lottery to proactively recruit and retain top global scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, recognizing their critical role in driving technological advancement and national security. ifp+4
His expertise extends to emerging technology policy, covering areas like artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, drones, robotics, and biosecurity. He has focused on developing policy levers for these technologies, including securing supply chains (e.g., rare earths), understanding their geopolitical implications, and learning from initiatives like Operation Warp Speed for rapid deployment of solutions to global challenges. ifp+4

Work

Education

Writing

But Seriously, How Do We Make an Entrepreneurial State?

November 1, 2022

Outlines practical strategies for rebuilding state capacity to foster entrepreneurship.

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Attracting (and Keeping) the Best and the Brightest

July 1, 2021

Argues for the importance of highly skilled immigrants to US scientific leadership and the need to formalize and strengthen pathways for attracting global talent.

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Long Live the International Entrepreneur Rule: An Opportunity to Boost Jobs and Economic Growth Is Hiding in Plain Sight

February 1, 2021

Advocates for the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) to attract foreign-born entrepreneurs, highlighting their economic contributions and proposing recommendations for IER revitalization.

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The Egghead Gap

December 1, 2020

Examines the historical role of global talent in US scientific and technological dominance and emphasizes the need for a proactive strategy to recruit international talent amidst increasing competition.

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Preparing for Launch

An introduction to "The Launch Sequence," a collection of essays with concrete and ambitious proposals to accelerate AI for science and security, emphasizing the importance of shaping AI progress.

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The Replication Engine

Focuses on how to build automated replication infrastructure for better, faster science within the metascience field.

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How to Implement an Operation Warp Speed for Rare Earths

Proposes a coordinated, whole-of-government effort to secure America’s rare earth supply chain.

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Talent Recruitment Roulette: Replacing the H-1B Lottery

Discusses potential reforms to the H-1B visa program to increase its economic value without changing the number of visas.

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The Talent Scout State

Explores how the U.S. can proactively recruit high-potential immigrants.

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Indirect Cost Recovery in American Innovation Policy: Context and Ideas for Reform

Examines how government coverage of indirect costs affects scientific innovation and suggests reforms.

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Hobbies

Enjoys reading post-apocalyptic science fiction, particularly "A Canticle For Leibowitz" by Walter Miller, which shaped his views on the cyclical nature of progress and the importance of preserving scientific knowledge. politico+1