This is a global fight to get the right people in the right place and we’re talking about people with PhDs in engineering, computer science, mathematics.

Moran frames advanced STEM talent as a strategic resource in international competition. By calling it a “global fight,” he suggests that nations and industries are competing to attract and retain highly specialized workers, and that outcomes in innovation, security, and economic growth depend on placing such expertise where it can be most productive. The emphasis on PhDs in engineering, computer science, and mathematics signals that he is not speaking about general workforce shortages but about the top tier of technical capability—people who drive frontier research, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies. Implicitly, the quote points toward policy levers such as education pipelines, research funding, and high-skill immigration as tools for competitiveness.