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Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
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Appendix B
Panelists’ Biographies

ALI VELSHI is chief business correspondent for CNN; host of Your Money, a weekend business roundtable; a regular contributor and anchor for Issue#1; and host of The Ali Velshi Show, a weekly call-in radio program on CNN Radio and CNN.com Live. In addition, “The Ali V Podcast” is available at www.CNN.com/podcasting and on iTunes.

A veteran of financial news, Velshi recently hosted The Turnaround, a show to promote small business, and was an anchor at CNNfn. Before joining CNNfn in 2001, he hosted The Business News, Canada’s only prime-time business news hour. Earlier in his career, Velshi was business anchor for Cable Pulse 24 and its sister station, CITY TV and a reporter for CFTO-TV. In 1996, he was awarded a fellowship to the U.S. Congress by the American Political Sciences Association; during his fellowship he worked with U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.).

Born in Kenya and raised in Toronto, Velshi graduated from Queens University in Canada with a degree in religion. His first book, Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis, was released in January 2009.


JEAN-LOU CHAMEAU, former provost of Georgia Institute of Technology, became the eighth president of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2006. Committed to carrying on the institute’s tradition of excellence in science and technology, Chameau has promoted a multidisciplinary approach to research and education, encouraging the development of programs in energy, medical

Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
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science, and the environment. His focus has been on ensuring that students have meaningful and stimulating educational experiences, increasing diversity in the Caltech community, and increasing entrepreneurial opportunities for faculty and students. Chameau was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2009.


PETER DIAMANDIS is chairman and CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation (www.xprize.org), a nonprofit organization that offers large-incentive prizes to support radical breakthroughs in science and technology that will benefit humanity. Best known for the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE for private space flight, the foundation is launching prizes in four categories (energy and the environment, exploration, education and global development, and the life sciences) and has three active prizes—the $10 million Archon XPRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE.

An international leader in the commercial space arena, Dr. Diamandis is cofounder and managing director of Space Adventures (www.spaceadventures.com), a company that has brokered the travel of private citizens to the International Space Station; co-founder and CEO of Zero Gravity Corporation (www.gozerog.com), a company that develops private, FAA-certified parabolic flight of a Boeing 727-200 aircraft; and chairman and co-founder of the Rocket Racing League (www.rocketracingleague.com).

In 2008, Dr. Diamandis cofounded Singularity University (www.singularityU.org), of which he is vice chancellor and chairman. In 1987, he co-founded and was the first managing director of the International Space University (www.isunet.edu). Prior to that, Diamandis was chairman of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS), an organization he founded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1980.

Diamandis has received many honors and awards, going back to the eighth grade, when he won first place in a rocket design contest. His recent honors include: the 2007 Arthur C. Clarke Award for Innovation; 2006 (inaugural) Heinlein Award; 2006 Lindbergh Award; 2006 Wired RAVE Award; 2006 Neil Armstrong Award for Aerospace Achievement and Leadership; the Konstantine Tsiolkovsky Award; the Aviation & Space Technology Laurel (twice); and the 2003 World Technology Award for Space. His personal motto is: “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself!”

Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×

Dr. Diamandis received his undergraduate degree in molecular genetics and his graduate degree in aerospace engineering from MIT. He then attended Harvard Medical School where he earned his M.D. In 2005, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the International Space University.


JUDY ESTRIN is CEO of JLABS LLC (formerly Packet Design Management Company LLC) and author of Closing the Innovation Gap (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Beginning in 1981, Estrin co-founded three successful technology companies: Bridge Communications, Network Computing Devices, and Precept Software. In 1998, Cisco Systems acquired Precept, and she became Cisco’s chief technology officer, a position she held until April 2000.

Ms. Estrin has been named three times to the Fortune Magazine list of the 50 most powerful women in American business. She is also a member of the boards of directors of The Walt Disney Company, FedEx Corporation, Packet Design Inc., and Arch Rock. She is also on the advisory councils of the Stanford School of Engineering and the Stanford Bio-X Initiative. Ms. Estrin has a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from UCLA and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.


CHAD HOLLIDAY has been chairman of the board of DuPont since January 1, 1999, and was chief executive officer of DuPont from February 1, 1998, until his retirement on January 31, 2009. Only the 18th executive to lead the company, which has been in business for more than 200 years, Holliday introduced a new mission for the company—to increase shareholder and societal value while decreasing the company’s environmental footprint and achieving sustainable growth.

A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Holliday is past chairman of the Business Roundtable Task Force for Environment, Technology and Economy; the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); The Business Council; and the Society of Chemical Industry-American Section. He is also on the board of directors of Deere & Co. and CH2M HILL and is Chair Emeritus of the board of directors of Catalyst, chairman of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, and a founding member of the International Business Council. He is co-author (with Stephan

Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×

Schmidheiny and Philip Watts) of Walking the Talk: The Business Case for Sustainable Development (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2002), a book that presents the business case for sustainable development and corporate responsibility.

Mr. Holliday received a B.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Tennessee and is a licensed Professional Engineer.


STEVEN E. KOONIN, U.S. Under Secretary of Energy for Science, was chief scientist for BP p.l.c., where he was responsible for carrying out the company’s long-range technology strategy, particularly for alternative and renewable energy. Koonin joined BP in 2004 after a 29-year career as professor of theoretical physics and provost at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Dr. Koonin has served on numerous advisory bodies for the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. His research interests include theoretical and computational physics, as well as global environmental science.

Dr. Koonin did his undergraduate work at Caltech and has a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.


RAY LANE, managing partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), focuses on helping entrepreneurs with technological and market insight, organizational development, team building, selling, and managing growth. Since joining KPCB, he has sponsored investments in companies that work on enterprise and consumer technology, as well as clean and alternative energy.

Before joining KPCB, Lane was president and chief operating officer of Oracle Corporation, the second-largest software company in the world and the leading enterprise software and services company. During his eight-year tenure, Oracle underwent phenomenal growth in revenue (from approximately $1 billion in 1992 to more than $10 billion in 2000). Under his leadership, the company expanded its business beyond database technology into enterprise applications and professional services.

Before joining Oracle, Lane was a senior partner with Booz-Allen & Hamilton, where he pioneered and led the Information Systems Group, a worldwide consulting practice that helps senior management achieve better results from information technology. He also served

Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×

on the company’s board of directors and executive management committee. Prior to that, he was division vice president at Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS). In addition, he spent 10 years with IBM in various product-management, sales, and marketing positions.

Lane received a B.S. in mathematics and an honorary Ph.D. in science from West Virginia University (WVU) and was elected to the Academy of Distinguished Graduates of WVU, was a director of the WVU Foundation Board, and is currently on the WVU Board of Governors. The Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering is named in his honor. Also a member (and current chair) of the board of trustees of Carnegie Mellon University, Lane has actively campaigned for the establishment of a Silicon Valley campus; he is also co-creator of a High Dependability Computing Consortium between Carnegie Mellon and NASA.

Lane is vice chairman of Special Olympics International and has served on the International Board of Special Olympics for several years. He also holds an honorary Ph.D. from Golden Gate University.


TONY TAN KENG YAM is chairman of the National Research Foundation (of Singapore), executive director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, and former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Tan was appointed minister for education in June 1980 and was concurrently vice-chancellor of the National University of Singapore. A year later, he was appointed minister for trade and industry. From October 1983 to January 1985, Dr. Tan was minister for finance and concurrently minister for trade and industry. From January 1985 to December 1991, he was the minister for education.

In December 1991, Dr. Tan returned to the private sector as chairman and chief executive officer of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation. He rejoined the government in August 1995 when he was appointed deputy prime minister and minister for defence. In August 2003, he was appointed deputy prime minister and coordinating minister for security and defence.

In September 2005, Dr. Tan left the Cabinet to become deputy chairman and executive director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Private Limited, chairman of the National Research Foundation, deputy chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council, and chairman of Singapore Press Holdings Limited.

Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×

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Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
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Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
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Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
Page 31
Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
Page 32
Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
Page 33
Suggested Citation:"B Panelists' Biographies." National Academy of Engineering. 2010. Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12851.
×
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Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation: Summary of a Forum Get This Book
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The financial crisis that began in 2008 is a stark demonstration that we as a nation take great risks when we build too much of our economy on a base that does not create real value. Relying on vaporous transactions to generate wealth is no substitute for making real products and providing real services. In the 21st century, the United States and the rest of the world will face some of the greatest challenges of the modern age: feeding a growing population, generating adequate energy without destroying the environment, countering chronic and emerging infectious diseases. The first decade of the new century has shown that technological innovation is essential for the United States and other countries to meet these challenges.

At the 2009 Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Engineering in Irvine, California, a public forum entitled 'Rebuilding a Real Economy: Unleashing Engineering Innovation' brought together seven prominent leaders of the innovation system to discuss the challenges facing America. The insights of the panel members cut to the heart of what this nation needs to do to remain a global leader in the turbulent world of the 21st century.

This summary captures the main points made by the forum participants with the aim of encouraging further reflection and discussion. As the panelists pointed out, no single action can reenergize our innovation system. A portfolio of interconnected and interdependent initiatives must be undertaken to generate new knowledge and technology and move that new knowledge successfully into a competitive world marketplace. But the panelists clarified the goal toward which we must strive and some of the most important steps we need to take to achieve that goal.

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