Eric Breckenfeld, Robert Casanova Join SIA Team
WASHINGTON—The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced Eric Breckenfeld has joined SIA as director of technology policy and Robert Casanova has joined the association as director of industry statistics and economic policy. Breckenfeld will direct SIA’s research and development, STEM education, and workforce development policy portfolio. Casanova will lead SIA’s industry statistics, data analysis, and market research work. SIA represents 98 percent of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.
“The strength of the semiconductor industry rests largely in its ability to spur innovation through research and to educate and attract a world-class STEM workforce,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. “With a strong background in science and technology policy, Eric Breckenfeld will be a tremendous asset as he leads our work in these areas. We’re excited to welcome him to the SIA team and look forward to his contributions on behalf of our industry.”
Prior to joining SIA, Breckenfeld was a lead scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he served as a consultant for predominantly U.S. defense clients—including DARPA and the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command—in the areas of electronic materials and device physics, robotics and autonomy, and hardware/supply chain security. Before joining Booz Allen Hamilton, Eric was an AAAS science and technology policy fellow with the White House’s National Nanotechnology Initiative, where he led the Sustainable Nanomanufacturing and Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond initiatives. Breckenfeld received his B.S. degree in physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Casanova previously served as an industry analyst and commodities expert at the U.S. International Trade Commission, where he was responsible for research and market analysis of the semiconductor, robotics, and AI industries. He also worked on the staff of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), where he handled the Senator’s international trade, small business, and Indian affairs legislative portfolio. Casanova is an American Indian Graduate Center Fellow (2017) and International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) Fellow (2019). He received a M.A. in international economics from Johns Hopkins University, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
“Amid the ongoing global chip shortage and an active and expanding semiconductor market, there’s never been a greater need for accurate, transparent semiconductor industry data and analysis,” Neuffer said. “With extensive knowledge and experience at the intersection of industry statistics, global trade, and government policy, Robert Casanova is an ideal director of SIA’s statistics and economic policy portfolio, and we’re pleased to welcome him as an SIA staff member.”
