Irene S. Wu is currently Consumer Research Advisor in the Consumer and Governmental Bureau of the Federal Communications. She is a member of the White House Task Force on Smart Disclosure (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/for-agencies/informing-consumers-through-smart-disclosure.pdf)

Formerly, she was Chief Data Officer (acting) and Director of Research in the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she guided studies on international trends in regulatory policy on telecommunications, Internet, and media. Also, she was the FCC’s principal staff representative for international trade discussions and to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Dr. Wu has been an adjunct professor in CCT since 2007. In 2007-2008, she was the first Yahoo! Fellow in Residence at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where her research focused on change in global values and information technology in Brazil, Russia, India and China. She is author of the book From Iron First to Invisible Hand: the Uneven Path of Telecommunications Policy Reform in China published by Stanford University Press and several articles.

Dr. Wu’s current research examines the effect of new communications technology on the distribution of power among countries and draws on lessons from technology history. Also, she is studying the use of applications such as blogs and wikis for international collective action.

Dr. Wu received her B.A. from Harvard University and Ph.D. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), with additional studies undertaken at the National Taiwan Normal University, University of Puerto Rico, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, China.

Publications
From Iron Fist to Invisible Hand: the Uneven Path of Telecommunications Policy Reform in China. Stanford University Press, 2009.

“Who regulates phones, television and the Internet? What makes a communications regulator independent and why it matters.” In Perspectives on Politics. American Political Science Association. December 2008.

“Popularity contest: the political attraction of commercially successful communications service technologies.” In Information Technology in Developing Countries, Center for Electronic Governance, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, June 2008.

“The triumphant consumer? VOIP, ‘Little Smart,” and telecom services reform in China.” in Information Technology and International Development Vol. 3, No. 4 (Summer 2006), 53-66.

"Canada, South Korea, Netherlands and Sweden: Regulatory Implications of the Convergence of Telecommunications, Broadcasting, and Internet Services." Telecommunications Policy 28(2004): 79-96.

"Traits of an Independent Regulator: a Search for Indicators." Federal Communications Commission, International Bureau Working Paper Series, No. 1. June 2004.

"Broadband Internet Access in OECD Countries: a Comparative Analysis." With Sherille Ismail. Staff report, Federal Communications Commission. October 2003.