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Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium (2012)

Chapter: Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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Appendix B

Biographies of Speakers*

NEIL ABERCROMBIE

The Honorable Neil Abercrombie grew up in Williamsville, New York, and attended Union College in New York State. He went to Hawaii in September 1959, the month after statehood, to be a teaching assistant at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he earned a master’s degree in sociology and later a Ph.D. in American studies. To support himself as a graduate student, Mr. Abercrombie worked as a waiter at Chuck’s Steak House in Waikiki, a locker desk clerk at the Central YMCA, a custodian at Mother Rice Preschool, a construction apprentice program director, an elementary school teacher, and a college lecturer. Mr. Abercrombie served in the State House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979 and in the State Senate from 1979 to 1986. He helped elderly depositors regain their life savings when Manoa Finance collapsed. Mr. Abercrombie helped start the award-winning Healthy Start prevention program for at-risk mothers and children. In 1986, Mr. Abercrombie won a special election to Congress to fill the remaining term of Congressman Cec Heftel. Mr. Abercrombie returned home to serve as special assistant to the Superintendent of Education where he helped implement Hawaii’s distance-learning programs. Mr. Abercrombie was elected to serve on the Honolulu City Council from 1988 to 1990.

In 1990, Mr. Abercrombie was elected to return to Congress and represented Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives until 2010. While in Congress, Mr. Abercrombie served as chairman of the Armed

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*As of January 2011. Appendix includes bios distributed at the symposium.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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Forces Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, and as a senior member on the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Abercrombie is married to Dr. Nancie Caraway. They live in Lower Manoa Valley with their dog, Kanoa, and their cat, Che.

DANIEL K. AKAKA

U.S. Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka is America’s first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry, and the only Chinese American member of the United States Senate. Like many of his generation, Senator Akaka’s youth was interrupted by World War II. Upon graduation from high school, he served as a civilian worker then in active duty in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1943 to 1947. Following the war, Senator Akaka returned to school, enrolling in the University of Hawaii. A strong believer in the power of education, he made it his career, as a teacher and principal in the State of Hawaii Department of Education. First elected to the U.S. House in 1976, Congressman Akaka was appointed to the Senate when Senator Spark Matsunaga passed away, subsequently winning election to the office in 1990, and re-election in 1994, 2000, and 2006. Senator Akaka is chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. Senator Akaka also serves on the Armed Services, Indian Affairs and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committees.

Raised in a deeply religious family, Senator Akaka is a member of the historic Kawaiaha’o Church where he served as choir director for 17 years. He and his wife Millie are the parents of four sons and a daughter who have blessed them with 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

CARL BONHAM

Carl Bonham was a founding member of the University of Hawaii Economy Research Organization (UHERO) in 1999, and currently serves as UHERO’s executive director and associate professor of economics. Dr. Bonham’s research interests, include macroeconomics, applied dynamic econometrics, tourism economics, and the Hawaii economy. His current research includes development of dynamic factor models using daily, weekly, and monthly data on Hawaii’s visitor industry to produce high-frequency forecasts of visitor arrivals and spending. Other work in progress includes a study of the effects of airfare on visitor travel decisions, and the impact of important agricultural land designations on Kauai. Recent publications include, “Modeling Tourism: A fully identified VECM approach,” with Byron Gangnes and Ting Zhou in the International Journal of Forecasting. Dr. Bonham serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Travel Research, as a member of the State of Hawaii Council on Revenues, and on the

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

University of Hawaii President’s Advisory Council on Hawaii Innovation and Technology Advancement.

Recent publications include: “Modeling Tourism: A fully identified VECM approach,” with Byron Gangnes and Ting Zhou, International Journal of Forecasting, 25:531-49 (2009); and “Collusive Duopoly: The Effects of the Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines’ Agreement to Reduce Capacity,” with James Mak and Roger Blair, Antitrust Law Journal, 74(2):409-38 (2007).

KEIKI-PUA DANCIL

Keiki-Pua Dancil, Ph.D. is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Science and Technology Council and Institute. Most recently Keiki-Pua was the executive vice president of Synedgen, Inc. (formally Hawaii Chitopure Inc), a diversified medical technology company. She also served as senior scientist and director of research and development for Trex Enterprises and its spin-off biosensor company, Silicon Kinetics. Keiki-Pua received her undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University in chemistry, her Ph.D. from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of California at San Diego, and her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She has several patents and has published in several journals, including Science.

MARY L. GOOD

Dr. Mary L. Good, founding dean and Donaghey Professor at the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is well known for her distinguished career. She has held many high-level positions in academia, industry, and government. The 143,000-member American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) elected Dr. Good to serve as the president, following Dr. Stephen Jay Gould. In 2004, Dr. Good was recipient of the National Science Foundation’s highest honor, the Vannevar Bush Award. She was also the first female winner of the AAAS’s prestigious Philip Hogue Abelson prize for outstanding achievements in education, research and development management, and public service, spanning the academic, industrial, and government sectors. Two of her more than 27 awards include the National Science Foundation Distinguished Service medal and the esteemed American Chemical Society Priestly Medal. She is also the 6th Annual Heinz Award Winner. During the terms of Presidents Carter and Reagan, Dr. Good served on the National Science Board and chaired it from 1988 to 1991. She was the Undersecretary for Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce and Technology during President Clinton’s first term. This agency assists American industry to advance productivity, technology, and innovation in order to make U.S. companies more competitive in the global market.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Dr. Good has received 21 honorary degrees. Her undergraduate degree in chemistry is from the University of Central Arkansas. She earned her doctoral degree in inorganic chemistry from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, at age 24. Dr. Good spent 25 years teaching and researching at Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans before becoming a guiding force in research and development for Allied Signal. Dr. Good was voted one of Arkansas’ Top 100 Women by Arkansas Business.

M.R.C. GREENWOOD

An internationally known researcher and nationally recognized leader in higher education, M.R.C. Greenwood became the 14th president of the University of Hawaii (UH) in August 2009. She unites strong belief in the exceptional caliber of the UH system with determination to develop the university’s voice as a national leader in higher education and research. The first woman to serve as UH’s chief executive officer, Greenwood brings experience as both a campus and university system leader. She served as provost and senior vice president-academic affairs for the University of California (UC) system, focusing on long-range planning, graduate and professional education, a new science and math initiative, and more transparent admissions procedures. She previously served as chancellor of UC Santa Cruz during a period of great growth in academics programs, research initiatives, faculty hiring, and facilities development.

A national leader on science and technology policy and an expert on higher education policy issues, Greenwood served as associate director and consultant to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and chair of the National Academies Policy and Global Affairs Division. As a member of state and national committees and councils, she has dealt with issues from writing in America’s schools and biomedical careers for women to national security and ethics of the information society. She is past-president and fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, fellow of the American Academies of Arts and Sciences, member of the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences, and former member of the National Science Board. Greenwood has published extensively on education, obesity, diabetes, and women’s health. The recipient of numerous scientific awards, she has been president of the Obesity Society and the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, chair of the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, and fellow of the American Society for Nutrition.

She graduated summa cum laude from Vassar College and received her Ph.D. from The Rockefeller University. A self-described voracious and eclectic reader, she also enjoys volunteer work, hiking, sailing and being a “soccer grandma.”

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

DANIEL S. GOLDIN

The Honorable Daniel S. Goldin is the founder, chairman, and CEO of The Intellisis Corporation, which develops neurobiologically inspired computational engines. Previously, as NASA’s longest serving administrator from 1992 to 2001, he directly served three U.S. Presidents: George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush. Prior to NASA, he was the vice president and general manager of TRW Space and Technology Group where he oversaw a broad range of technology developments and programs for both government and industry. He began his career at NASA’s Glenn Research Center working on electric propulsion systems for interplanetary travel. Mr. Goldin serves on the Board of Directors of AOptix Technologies and the Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Institutes of Health Scientific Management Review Board, Science and Technology in Society forum, International Academy of Astronautics, and Scripps Institute of Oceanography Advisory Council. He is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Competitiveness and a fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Astronautical Society. He graduated from the City College of New York in 1962 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering.

COLLEEN HANABUSA

Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa proudly represents Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District. Congresswoman Hanabusa grew up in Waianae and graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she received a bachelor of arts in economics and sociology, a master of arts in sociology, and a law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law. She was elected into public office in 1998 to represent the people of the 21st District as their state senator. In the following years, she was elected vice-president of the State Senate and chaired several important committees. In 2006, she was elected Senate president, the first woman to lead either house of the Hawaii Legislature.

Along with her legislative work, Congresswoman Hanabusa is also an attorney with more than three decades of experience. She has been recognized by Honolulu Magazine’s as “One of Hawaii’s A+ Attorneys,” received the prestigious AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, and was presented with the Spirit of Excellence Award by the American Bar Association Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Congresswoman Hanabusa is married to Honolulu businessman John Souza. They have a 7-year-old Border Collie named Little, who enjoys a farm fresh egg every morning for breakfast, specially prepared by John.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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WILLIAM C. HARRIS

William Harris has more than 25 years of diverse, progressively advanced international experience building and leading major government and university institutions, strategically developing research and educational enterprises to benefit society, managing large budgets for maximum results, and hiring entrepreneurial personnel and teacher-scholars.

•  President & CEO of Science Foundation Arizona (2006 to present). Responsible for initiation of a new public-private $235 million partnership to help the state of Arizona transform its focus on research and education.

•  Director general, Science Foundation Ireland (2001-2006). Responsible for overall leadership of the new national science foundation and management of €635 million grants program. Built partnerships with numerous Irish government agencies to create dynamic academic-industry research centers, and recruited multinational corporate investment in these centers. Initiated the formation of effective national policies on technology transfer and intellectual property.

•  Vice president for research and professor of chemistry, University of South Carolina, (2000-2001). Responsible for leading research activities totaling $125 million annually throughout the eight campuses and diverse interdisciplinary centers of the state’s most comprehensive public university. Initiated a focus on interdisciplinary work by young faculty from the arts, humanities and social sciences. Established processes enabling students to earn support from incubator. Served on the Governor’s Task Force, focused on building a more diverse, knowledge-based economy.

•  Assistant director of the Columbia University Earth Institute (1996-2000) and president of the Biosphere 2 Center, the western campus of Columbia which focused on earth systems science and climate model testing. Developed an undergraduate semester system for students from about 30 colleges/universities. Led construction of a new campus complex.

•  Assistant director for mathematical and physical sciences at the National Science Foundation (1992-1996). Responsible for the establishment of a major focus on interdisciplinary research by establishing the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. Successfully introduced new materials focused group grants. Guided the successful establishment of a new magnet lab, the Gemini telescopes, and LIGO project.

JERRIS HEDGES

Dr. Jerris Hedges, dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine since March 2008, is known around the country as co-author of one of the leading texts in patient care, Roberts and Hedges’ Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine, now in its fifth edition.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Trained as an emergency physician, Dr. Hedges has spent the past 30 years contributing to the medical field through his work in clinical care, university teaching, research, and administration. At the internationally respected Oregon Health and Science University’s (OHSU) School of Medicine, Dr. Hedges served as professor and department chair in emergency medicine and was named vice dean at OHSU in 2005. Dr. Hedges’ leadership helped OHSU earn recognition as one of the “top 10” National Institutes of Health-funded academic emergency medicine research departments in the nation.

Dr. Hedges has also served as president of both the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine. In October 2000, Dr. Hedges was elected to the prestigious National Academies’ Institute of Medicine.

Dr. Hedges earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics, his master’s degree in chemical engineering, and his medical degree at the University of Washington. He completed his residency at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and served on the faculty of the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine before joining OHSU. Dr. Hedges also holds a master of medical management from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Susan, have two grown children.

VIRGINIA S. HINSHAW

Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw serves as the chief executive officer responsible for providing both administrative and academic leadership to the flagship campus of the University of Hawaii System.

Dr. Hinshaw is a renowned scientist with expertise in microbiology whose work over the past 25 years has contributed to the understanding of the influenza virus and new approaches to vaccines.

Prior to joining the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2007, Dr. Hinshaw served as the provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California, Davis, and also served as the dean of the Graduate School and vice chancellor for research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

MAZIE K. HIRONO

Elected to Congress in 2006, Mazie K. Hirono is now serving her second term representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hirono’s district includes rural Oahu, the seven Neighbor Islands, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. She serves on two key U.S. House committees: the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She is an executive board member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and a member of the House Democracy Assistance Commission.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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Hirono’s legislative priorities include education, transportation, renewable energy, and the environment. The Congresswoman has been recognized for her leadership in advancing quality early education for America’s children. Pre-K Now, a national preschool advocacy organization, named Hirono its 2008 “Pre-K Champion” for her work and determination in passing the PRE-K Act (H.R. 3289) out of the Committee on Education and Labor on June 25, 2008.

Born in Fukushima, Japan, on November 3, 1947, Hirono became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1959, the year Hawaii became a state. She is the first immigrant woman of Asian ancestry to be sworn into congressional office. Educated in Hawaii’s public school system, Hirono graduated with honors from Kaimuki High School and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC, where she focused on public interest law.

After graduation, she returned to Hawaii where she served as a deputy attorney general before entering private practice. In 1980, she was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives. In 1994, Hirono was elected and served two four-year terms as Hawaii’s 9 th lieutenant governor. Congresswoman Hirono is married to Leighton Kim Oshima.

PETER S. HO

Peter S. Ho is chairman, president, and chief executive officer of the Bank of Hawaii. Mr. Ho was named chairman and CEO on July 30, 2010. He has served as president since April 2008 and has been a member of the bank’s board since December 2005. He was appointed to the parent company’s board, Bank of Hawaii Corporation, in April 2009.

Mr. Ho joined the bank in 1993 as an assistant vice president in the National Banking Division. He was promoted to senior vice president in charge of corporate banking in 1999. In 2001, he was promoted to executive vice president responsible for corporate banking and commercial real estate lending. In 2003, Mr. Ho was promoted to group executive vice president in charge of the bank’s Hawaii Commercial Banking Group and was made a member of the company’s Managing Committee. In 2004, Mr. Ho was promoted to vice chairman responsible for the bank’s Investment Services Group. In 2006, Mr. Ho was promoted to chief banking officer, responsible for both the commercial and investment services areas of the bank. In 2007, Mr. Ho was given the added responsibility for the organization’s retail banking businesses. He was appointed president in April 2008.

Mr. Ho began his banking career in New York City in 1987. He holds a B.S. in business administration and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California, where he was the 1992 First Interstate Bank Fellow. In 2008, Mr. Ho successfully attended and completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

A native of Honolulu, Mr. Ho is the chairman of the APEC 2011 Hawaii Host Committee, the public-private entity created to support Hawaii’s hosting of APEC Leaders Week in November 2011. He also serves on the boards of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Red Cross and University of Hawaii-Ahahui Koa Anuenue and on the board of trustees of McInerny Foundation and Strong Foundation. Mr. Ho was a 1998 Pacific Century Fellow and was named 2003 Pacific Business News Young Business Person of the Year. Mr. Ho is married (Michelle) and has two children.

DANIEL K. INOUYE

Daniel K. Inouye, the most senior member of the U.S. Senate and the president pro-tempore, is known for his distinguished record as a legislative leader, and as a World War II combat veteran with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who earned the nation’s highest award for military valor, the Medal of Honor. Although he was thrust into the limelight in the 1970s as a member of the Watergate Committee and in 1987 as chairman of the Iran-Contra Committee, he has also made his mark as a respected legislator able to work in a bipartisan fashion to enact meaningful legislation.

As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Inouye has been able to focus on defense matters that strengthen national security and enhance the quality of life for military personnel and their families. This reflects his hope for a more secure world and his desire to provide the best possible assistance to the men and women who put their lives at risk to protect the United States.

In addition, he is the ranking Democrat on the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee and sits on the Rules Committee. He helped establish the Inter-parliamentary Exchange Program between the U.S. Senate and Japan’s legislature, and in 2000 the Government of Japan presented him with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. Early in his tenure in the Senate, Senator Inouye delivered the keynote address at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and was under consideration to become Hubert Humphrey’s vice-presidential running mate that same year. He became the first chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 1976 and served as the third-ranking leader among Senate Democrats as secretary of the Democratic Conference from January 1979 through 1988. He chaired the Senate Democratic Central America Study Group to assess U.S. policy and served as senior counselor to the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America (also known as the Kissinger Commission).

Senator Inouye has championed the interest of Hawaii’s people throughout his career. With his support, Hawaii’s infrastructure has been strengthened, its economy diversified, and its natural resources protected and restored. For local residents, particularly Native Hawaiians, whose history and welcoming culture

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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give the state its defining characteristics, Senator Inouye has increased job training and employment opportunities, provided more community health care, and provided support services and research to help small businesses and diverse sectors, from agriculture to high technology.

His imprint is seen on all of the state’s islands through initiatives such as Honolulu and Neighbor Island bus service, steady construction jobs in support of military infrastructure, the diversification of agriculture, the birth of the Kauai High Technology Center and the rise of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, the launch of the Maui supercomputer, the expansion of national parks and wildlife refuges in Hawaii, and the protection of Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, the alala (Hawaiian crow), the nene goose, and coral reefs.

Senator Inouye got his start in politics in 1954 when he was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives; soon after his election, his Democratic colleagues, well aware of Inouye’s leadership abilities, selected him as their majority leader. In 1958 he was elected to the Territorial Senate. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he was elected the first Congressman from the new state, and was re-elected to a full term in 1960. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962 and is now serving his eighth consecutive term.

On May 24, 2008, Senator Inouye married Irene Hirano, who is President of the U.S.-Japan Council. He was married for nearly 57 years to Margaret Awamura Inouye, a former instructor at the University of Hawaii, who passed away on March 13, 2006. He has a son, Ken, who is married to Jessica Carroll from Rochester, New York, and a granddaughter Mary Margaret “Maggie” Inouye.

MAURICE KAYA

Maurice Kaya joined Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture in 2008; as project director he is responsible for the strategic direction and overall execution of the project. Mr. Kaya has over 35 years of experience in energy and environmental engineering in Hawaii’s public and private sectors.

Mr. Kaya served as the director of the State of Hawaii’s energy program (1988-2008) and was also appointed chief technology officer (CTO) for the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) (2003-2008). As energy program director and CTO, he was responsible for the planning and execution of state energy policy and projects.

Mr. Kaya also developed a comprehensive energy policy strategy for the State of Hawaii, which was implemented first through Energy for Tomorrow and is now part of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between the state and the U.S. Department of Energy that he helped conceive and launch. He has served on numerous boards dealing with energy and high-technology development. He currently serves as a board member of Energy Industries and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee, as well as co-chair of the Hawaii EPSCoR Statewide Committee.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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Previously, he served as the chairman of the State Energy Advisory Board to the Secretary of Energy, U.S. DoE, and on the boards of the National Association of State Energy Officials, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, and the High Technology Development Corporation. He also served as the chairman of the Emerging Energy Technologies technical committee, EnergyDivision, American Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Kaya’s prior positions include vice president and chief engineer of a major civil engineering firm in Honolulu, the deputy director and chief engineer for the City and County of Honolulu, and the director of Facilities Planning and Engineering, U.S. Navy Public Works Center, Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Kaya received his B.S. in civil engineering and M.S. in environmental engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

ROGER D. KILMER

Roger Kilmer is the director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Mr. Kilmer has been with the MEP program since 1993 and with NIST since 1974. Previously, Mr. Kilmer was the MEP deputy director, serving as the chief operating officer and chief financial officer responsible for internal operations, programmatic coordination, and policy review of all activities. From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Kilmer was the deputy division chief of Robot Systems in the NIST Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory. In this position, he was responsible for establishing and managing research programs involving real-time sensor-based control of intelligent machines. Mr. Kilmer was also group leader of Robot Systems Integration, managing research and development programs with manufacturing and military applications including robotic deburring, automated lay up of thermoplastic composites, robotic safety systems, robotic handling of munitions, and unmanned land vehicle operations.

Mr. Kilmer received the Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for the CommerceConnect initiative, the Silver Medal Award for leadership as the NIST MEP liaison to the interagency Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) initiative, and the Bronze Medal Award for superior leadership of NIST’s unmanned ground vehicle robotics program.

Mr. Kilmer holds a M.S. and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

BARRY E. A. JOHNSON

Barry Johnson serves as senior advisor and director of strategic initiatives for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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With over 20 years of business experience as an entrepreneur and corporate executive with a focus on public-private partnerships, Barry leads EDA’s strategic partnership programs, collaborating with the White House, other federal agencies, and regional leaders to implement innovative regional solutions to improve competiveness and foster economic growth throughout the nation.

Prior to this role, he was founder and managing principal at Acresh Development, a public-private real estate development and advisory firm. Barry also has an extensive background in starting innovative new businesses within media giants such as the Walt Disney Company and Sony Music Corporation. He was formerly founding president of MSBET, a joint venture between Microsoft Corporation and BET Holdings. Committed to giving back through volunteerism, Barry is an active mentor and motivational speaker on college campuses nationally.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Barry earned an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School after receiving B.S. degrees in economics and political science from Yale College.

KATHERINE KU

Katharine Ku is director of the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) at Stanford University. OTL is responsible for the licensing of various state-of-the-art university technologies and industry sponsored research agreements and collaborations. In fiscal year 2003-2004, OTL received $49.5 million from the licensing of over 435 different technologies. From 1994 to 1998, in addition to her OTL responsibilities, Ku was responsible for Stanford’s Sponsored Projects Office, which handled $500 million in research contracts and grants. Ku was vice president, business development, at Protein Design Labs, Inc. in Mountain View, California from 1990 to 1991. Prior to PDL, Ku spent 12 years at Stanford in various positions, was a researcher at Monsanto and Sigma Chemical, administered a dialysis clinical trial at University of California, and taught chemistry and basic engineering courses.

Ku has been active in the Licensing Executive Society (LES), serving as vice president (Western Region), trustee, and various committee chairs. She also has served as president of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) from 1988 to 1990. She received the AUTM 2001 Bayh-Dole Award for her efforts in university licensing.

Ku has a B.S. in chemical engineering (Cornell University) and an M.S. in chemical engineering (Washington University) and is a registered patent agent.

JERRY S. H. LEE

Dr. Lee serves as the deputy director for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives (CSSI). He provides scientific input and expertise to the planning, coordination, development, and deployment

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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of the innovation center’s strategic scientific initiatives. Dr. Lee serves and leads various trans-NCI working groups and also represents CSSI at various NIH, Health and Human Services (HHS), and external committees and other activities to develop effective partnerships across federal agencies, and to build collaborations with key external stakeholders.

Dr. Lee is responsible for providing day-to-day administrative and programmatic management for CSSI’s offices including: (1) The Cancer Genome Program Office (TCGA PO); (2) Office of Cancer Nanotechnology Research; (3) Office of Biorespositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR); (4) Office of Cancer Genomics (OCG); (5) Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research (OCCPR); and (6) Office of Physical SciencesOncology (OPSO). He serves as acting director for the Office of Physical Sciences-Oncology, responsible for initiatives at the interface of physical and life sciences including the NCI’s Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OCs) program, and also as acting director for the TCGA Program Office.

Dr. Lee’s efforts facilitate the execution of cross-disciplinary strategies and synergies in key areas of research and training to support these emerging fields. His past experience at NIH includes serving as a program manager for the NCI’s Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program and the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer program, where he was program director of fellowships to support multidisciplinary training in cancer nanotechnology. Dr. Lee’s previous research experiences in coordinating collaborations among the Naval Research Laboratory, NCI-Frederick Laboratory, JHU Medical Oncology Division, and the Institute for NanoBioTechnology also contribute to carrying out his current efforts.

Scientifically, Dr. Lee has extensive research experience in using engineering-based approaches to examine mechanisms of age-related diseases and cancer progression focused on combining cell biology, molecular biology, and engineering to understand various cellular reactions to external stimuli. Specifically, Dr. Lee’s research has emphasized increasing the understanding of RhoGTPase-mediated nuclear and cellular mechanical responses to fluid flow, 3D culture, and contributions to laminopathies such as progeria. He has coauthored numerous papers, two book chapters, and one book, and has spoken at various cell biological and biomedical conferences.

Dr. Lee currently serves as adjunct assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and Ph.D. degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering.

GINGER LEW

Ginger Lew is senior counselor to the White House National Economic Council and the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator. She provides economic policy advice on a broad range of matters that impact small businesses.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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In addition, she co-chairs the White House Interagency Group on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Ms. Lew was the managing partner of a communications venture capital fund, and a venture advisor to a Web 2.0 venture fund.

Under the Clinton Administration, Ms. Lew was the deputy administrator and chief operating officer of the Small Business Administration where she provided day-to-day management and operational oversight of a $42 billion loan portfolio. Before joining SBA, Ms. Lew was the general counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce where she specialized in international trade issues. Ms. Lew was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate for both positions.

For the past 10 years, Ms. Lew was chairman and board member of an investment fund based in Europe. She has served on the boards of publicly traded companies, private companies, and nonprofit organizations.

ROBERT MCLAREN

Bob McLaren grew up in the small town of Watford, in southwestern Ontario (Canada). He studied physics at the University of Toronto, obtaining a Ph.D. in the field of laser spectroscopy in 1973. He then spent two years at the University of California at Berkeley as a NATO postdoctoral fellow. During this period, he reoriented his research interests from laboratory physics to infrared astronomy. In 1975 he returned to Toronto to take up a faculty position in the Department of Astronomy. From 1982 to 1990, he held a series of positions at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, culminating in service as its executive director.

In 1990, Dr. McLaren joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy. His main work has been the implementation of the university’s plan for the astronomical development and utilization of Mauna Kea. This involves the characterization and preservation of the superb qualities of the Mauna Kea site, liaison with existing and proposed new telescope facilities, and the planning and execution of infrastructure improvements. Dr. McLaren served as interim director of the institute from July 1997 through September 2000. Since then, he has held the position of associate director. He continues his work related to the Mauna Kea Observatories and teaches introductory astronomy.

Dr. McLaren is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union. He currently serves on the boards of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation and the Gemini Observatory.

DANIEL T. OLIVER

Daniel T. Oliver was commissioned in the Navy in 1966 and spent his operational career as a P-3 aviator, rising to command a squadron and a patrol wing. He has served on the staffs of two Chiefs of Naval Operations, and was a White House fellow. As a Flag Officer, President Oliver has served as Commander,

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Fleet Air Forces Mediterranean, various tours in the Pentagon in resourcing, planning and budgeting, and finished his very successful 34-year career as the Chief of Naval Personnel and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower and Personnel.

After retiring from active duty in February 2000, he was active in the private sector as a senior executive and board member of a number of companies and civic organizations. In April 2007, he accepted an offer from the Secretary of the Navy to lead the Naval Postgraduate School.

LUIS M. PROENZA

Luis M. Proenza is president of The University of Akron and an experienced leader in national science and technology policy matters. Prior to his appointment at Akron, he was then vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at Purdue University and previously vice chancellor for research and dean of the Graduate School and then vice president for academic affairs and research at the University of Alaska. Dr. Proenza served on the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (U.S. Presidential appointment); Advisory Board of the U.S. Secretary of Energy, chairing the Science and Mathematics Education Task Force; NAS-NRC Committee on Vision; National Biotechnology Policy Board; and as advisor for science and technology policy to Alaska’s governor. In 2001, the President of the United States appointed Proenza to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the nation’s highest-level policy-advisory group for science and technology. His PCAST panel work included U.S. research and development investments, technology transfer, energy efficiency and advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology, alternative energy, and information technology. Proenza is on the executive committee and the National Innovation Initiative Leadership Council of the Council on Competitiveness, co-chairs its Regional Leadership Institute Steering Committee, and serves on the Steering Committee for the Energy Security, Innovation and Sustainability Initiative.

He also is on the Council on Foreign Relations, The National Academies’ Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable, the Technology Innovation Program Advisory Board for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the board of the States Science and Technology Institute, and he is Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities co-chair of the APLU/AAU Patent Reform Committee.

After earning a B.A. from Emory University (1965), M.A. from The Ohio State University (1966), and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota (1971), Dr. Proenza joined the faculty of the University of Georgia. There his research was continuously supported by grants from the National Eye Institute, including a Research Career Development Award, and he served as assistant to the president and university liaison for science and technology policy.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

RICHARD M. ROSENBLUM

Dick Rosenblum was named president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO) effective January 1, 2009, and on February 23, 2009, he was appointed a director of the HECO Board. He had retired on May 1, 2008, as senior vice president of generation and chief nuclear officer for Southern California Edison (SCE), responsible for all power generating facilities, including nuclear and related fuel supplies. He was appointed to this position in November 2005.

Previously, Mr. Rosenblum was senior vice president of SCE’s transmission and distribution business unit which is responsible for the high-voltage bulk transmission and retail distribution of electricity in SCE’s 50,000 square mile service territory. He held that position since February 1998. Prior to that, he was vice president of the distribution business unit, responsible for providing electric service to SCE’s 4.6 million customers.

Mr. Rosenblum began his career at SCE in 1976 as an engineer working at the company’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. He held various positions in the company’s Nuclear Department and was named vice president of engineering and technical services in 1993. In that role he was responsible for engineering construction, safety oversight, and other engineering support activities. Mr. Rosenblum is on the boards of the High Technology Development Corporation, the Hawaii Employers Council, the Aloha Council, and Boy Scouts of America, and he is a member of the Hawaii Business Roundtable. In addition, he was the 2010 corporate recruitment chair for the American Diabetes Association’s annual Step Out to Fight Diabetes Walk. Mr. Rosenblum earned a B.S. and M.S. in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic University. He and his wife, Michele, have two grown children and two grandchildren.

BRIAN SCHATZ

Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz was raised in Hawaii and has devoted his life to public service. He is known for his energy, compassion, and problem-solving skills. Brian was a member of the State House of Representatives for four terms. During this time, he served as the House majority whip and chair of the Economic Development Committee. Brian served for eight years as the chief executive officer of a major human services agency, Helping Hands Hawaii.

Working with a dedicated staff and using a determined and collaborative leadership style, Brian successfully led the agency through a difficult financial period. Today it serves many of Hawaii’s most needy people. Brian put his values into action by starting the Hawaii Draft Obama campaign in 2006, helping to elect the first President of the United States born in Hawaii. He also served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. During this period, membership in the Democratic Party more than doubled.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Brian is married to Linda Kwok Schatz and they have two children. He is a devoted husband, father, and public servant. Brian is committed to working with Governor Abercrombie to bring positive change to the State of Hawaii.

DONALD O. STRANEY

Donald O. Straney took up the position of University of Hawaii at Hilo chancellor on July 1, 2010. Previously, Dr. Straney served as dean of science at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where he was also professor of biological sciences. He had joined Cal Poly Pomona in 2002 after spending 23 years at Michigan State University, where he served as chair of the Department of Zoology from 1986 to 1995 and as assistant to the provost for faculty development from 1995 to 2002.

Dr. Straney is on the National Advisory Board of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported Center for the Integration of Teaching, Research and Learning at the University of Wisconsin. He has been a principal investigator for three large grants at Cal Poly Pomona: a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant to enhance undergraduate instruction in biology, an NSF ADVANCE grant to support the professional development of science and engineering faculty, and a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Enhancement grant to prepare the next generation of teachers. He also led the university’s efforts to establish a twinning program in biotechnology, computer science, business, and mechanical engineering with Technology Park Malaysia College, a new institution in Kuala Lumpur, and with Al Akhwayn University in Morocco.

Within the California State University system, he served on the board of directors of both the Desert Studies Center and the Ocean Studies Institute as well as on the Strategic Planning Council of CSUPERB, the California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology. An evolutionary biologist by training, Dr. Straney has studied patterns of change in a variety of organisms, most recently focusing on ants. He received a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of California, Berkeley, and both his M.S. and B.S. degrees are from Michigan State University in zoology.

BRIAN TAYLOR

Dr. Brian Taylor is dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. SOEST is a $140 million/year operation with about 850 employees, including 230 Ph.D.s, 440 staff, and 180 graduate assistants. The school is an international leader in such diverse fields as alternative energy, tropical meteorology, coral reef ecosystems, volcanology, microbial oceanography, seafloor processes, hyperspectral remote sensing, cosmochemistry, coastal processes, and climate modeling—and that is just the top 10.

With a B.Sc. Hons.(1st) from the University of Sydney and a Ph.D. from

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Columbia University in marine geology and geophysics, Brian’s background is in plate tectonics and seafloor volcanism, deformation, and sedimentation. A former Fulbright Fellow and JOI Distinguished Lecturer, he is the treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, and chairman of the Board of Governors of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program—Management International.

TYRONE C. TAYLOR

Tyrone C. Taylor is the founder and president of Capitol Advisors on Technology, LLC, located in Washington, DC. He is a former member of the Senior Executive Service at NASA where he worked on a variety of programs including Space Science and Space Station, and served as the agency’s lead on technology transfer issues. As an executive on loan he served as the Washington, DC, Representative for the Federal Laboratory Consortium, a congressionally chartered organization, representing the nation’s defense and non-defense laboratories in the area of technology transfer. While working in the private sector, Mr. Taylor has provided technology and management support to a variety of federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Defense and private-sector firms such as General Electric on a broad spectrum of technology issues including homeland security, innovation management and commercialization of space as examples. He is the former chair, Small Business Committee, National Defense Industrial Association, and has served on numerous advisory committees.

ART USHIJIMA

Art Ushijima is the president and CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems and president of The Queen’s Medical Center, Hawaii’s largest adult tertiary care teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine. He been at Queen’s for the past 22 years; prior to Queen’s, he has served in senior management roles in four other community and teaching hospitals in Arizona, Nebraska, Missouri and Ohio. He earned his M.A. in hospital and health care administration from the University of Iowa.

STARNES WALKER

Dr. Starnes Walker is the chief engineering and technical director at the University of Hawaii. Until his hire by the University of Hawaii in December 2010, Dr. Walker served as the director of research in the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Washington, DC, where he oversaw the Office of National Laboratories, the Office of University Programs for the DHS Centers of Excellence, and the Academic Fellowship and Scholarship Program Office. Dr. Walker joined the S&T

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

Directorate in January 2007 from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), where he was technical director/chief scientist for the Naval S&T program. He also served as the technical director and chief scientist reporting directly to the Chief of Naval Research (CNR). Working with the CNR, Dr. Walker was responsible for structuring and leading an S&T organization that ensures technological superiority for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

Dr. Walker’s budget authority was annually $2.2 billion, plus an additional average congressional increase of $700 million, and Dr. Walker supervised a workforce of 5,500 civilian and military personnel for ONR and the Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Walker’s leadership spanned the university community, the government laboratory structure, industry, and international government defense organizations to bring their resources and technical capabilities into the Naval S&T program, thereby ensuring strategic Naval capabilities to the future and avoiding technological surprise for the nation. Dr. Walker’s previous position was as the acting associate laboratory director for national security, serving as the national security coordinator at Argonne National Laboratory. Most recently, Dr. Walker served on the DoD’s Defense Science Board in the Summer Study to define Future Strategic Strike Systems with STRATCOM as the COCOM sponsor. Dr. Walker is a former member of the Senior Executive Service and served as the senior advisor for science and technology at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency from 2000 to 2003.

Dr. Walker was a standing member of the Defense Science and Technology Advisory Group for DDR&E in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He started his career at the Naval Weapons Center-Corona Laboratories in 1968 as a research physicist. In 1970 he joined the Naval Weapons Center-China Lake. In 1973, Dr. Walker joined Phillips Petroleum as a research physicist. Advancing to a senior scientist position, he founded and directed programs in physics, technology, nuclear weapons support, energy, and bioengineering, as well as an ending assignment serving as the environmental director for operations. From 1992 to 1998, he served as vice president for technology for Morrison Knudsen Corporation with responsibility for developing new technology and engineering partnerships with the DoD, state, and national laboratories. From 1998 to 1999, Dr. Walker led a team with British Nuclear Fuels Limited that successfully developed a new process from an R&D platform through pilot plant demonstration for the chemical separation of transuranics. Dr. Walker has B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the University of California.

He has an honorary degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. Dr. Walker is chairman of the Joint Laboratory Board of the Joint Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), previously known as the JIEDD Task Force. He also serves as chairman of the Engineering Development Board of the University of Missouri-Rolla and as a guest scientist to Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Previously, Dr. Walker served as science advisor to Lawrence Livermore

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

National Laboratory and led a tritium production R&D program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. As a distinguished member and senior advisor for S&T, Dr. Walker was awarded in 2002 the DTRA Exceptional Civilian Service Medal. He received the R&D 100 Award in 1980, and he has served on the Air Force Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences Committees, and Institute of Chemical Waste Management Steering Committee. His team, for their leadership in Project Sapphire, received a Presidential Citation from the White House. Dr. Walker has widely published in the fields of physics, chemistry, and optics, with numerous patents issued. He was a Navy fellow and recipient of three consecutive Naval Weapons Fellowship awards. Dr. Walker is a member of the American Physical Society and American Nuclear Society.

MARY WALSHOK

Mary Lindenstein Walshok, Ph.D., a sociologist, is associate vice chancellor and dean of the Extension Division at the University of California, San Diego. Over three decades, she has been a catalyst in building regional collaborations focused on high-tech cluster development (UCSD CONNECT) and cross-border synergies (the San Diego Dialogue) based on San Diego’s proximity to Mexico. She is the author of four books: Blue Collar Women, Knowledge Without Boundaries, Closing America’s Job Gap, and Invention and Reinvention: The Evolution of San Diego’s Innovation Economy, forthcoming in Stanford University Press. She has also authored more than 100 reports and articles on the regional competencies and social dynamics essential to building knowledge-based clusters and high-wage jobs. Walshok’s current research activities include serving as the principal investigator for the evaluation of 13 Generation I WIRED regions funded by the U.S. Department of Labor; a two-year NSF-funded project comparing the distinctive social dynamics of three innovation regions—Philadelphia, St. Louis, and San Diego; an NIH-funded comparative study of research outcomes in Central Florida, the DC/Baltimore corridor, and San Diego; and a Lilly Foundation-funded assessment of efforts to sustain and grow the robust orthopedic device industry in Warsaw, Indiana.

Walshok is the recipient of numerous awards including the distinguished Kellogg Foundation’s Leadership Fellowship and, most recently, induction into Sweden’s Royal Order of the Polar Star. Active on boards of a number of arts and philanthropic organizations, Walshok chaired the boards of the San Diego Community Foundation from 2002 to 2004 and the International Community Foundation from 2007 to 2009. She is currently serving on the boards of the San Diego CONNECT, the La Jolla Playhouse, the United States-Mexico Foundation for Science, International Community Foundation, and the Girard Foundation.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

BARRY WEINMAN

Barry Weinman has been a venture capitalist since 1980. He is founder of Allegis Capital, a Palo Alto-based venture fund with over $700 million under management and a Red Herring Venture 100 Firm (#28) out of 1,800 global venture firms. Mr. Weinman has led and participated in investments resulting in over $35 billion in market value, including: Palm (NASDAQ), Cypress Semiconductor (NYSE), and Columbia/HCA (NYSE). Mr. Weinman has a B.S. from Clarkson College of Technology and an M.A. from the University of Southern California (USC)/London School of Economics.

As a U.S. Navy officer he was a speech writer and briefing officer for Admiral John McCain, the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and David Bruce, U.S. Ambassador to London. From 1989 to 1995, he was a lecturer on entrepreneurship at the USC Business School. He is chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Hawaii Foundation (Endowment) and was the chair of the University of Hawaii Centennial Campaign, which raised $336 million against a goal of $250 million.

CHARLES W. WESSNER

Charles Wessner is a National Academy Scholar and director of the Program on Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise on innovation policy, including public-private partnerships, entrepreneurship, early-stage financing for new firms, and the special needs and benefits of high-technology industry. He testifies to the U.S. Congress and major national commissions, advises agencies of the U.S. government and international organizations, and lectures at major universities in the United States and abroad. Reflecting the strong global interest in innovation, he is frequently asked to address issues of shared policy interest with foreign governments, universities, research institutes, and international organizations, often briefing government ministers and senior officials. He has a strong commitment to international cooperation, reflected in his work with a wide variety of countries around the world.

Dr. Wessner’s work addresses the linkages between science-based economic growth, entrepreneurship, new technology development, university-industry clusters, regional development, small-firm finance, and public-private partnerships. His program at the National Academies also addresses policy issues associated with international technology cooperation, investment, and trade in high-technology industries.

Currently, he directs a series of studies centered on government measures to encourage entrepreneurship and support the development of new technologies and the cooperation between industry, universities, laboratories, and government to capitalize on a nation’s investment in research. Foremost among these

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

is a congressionally mandated study of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, reviewing the operation and achievements of this $2.3 billion award program for small companies and start-ups. He is also directing a major study on best practice in global innovation programs, titled Comparative National Innovation Policies: Best Practice for the 21st Century. Today’s meeting “E Kamakani Noi’i” forms part of a complementary analysis entitled Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives. The overarching goal of Dr. Wessner’s work is to develop a better understanding of how we can bring new technologies forward to address global challenges in health, climate, energy, water, infrastructure, and security.

HANK C. K. WUH

An orthopedic surgeon, inventor, and entrepreneur, Dr. Hank C. K. Wuh has led the development of over twenty biomedical and consumer health care products from concept to global commercialization.

Dr. Wuh is founder and CEO of Skai Ventures, a hybrid of venture capital and technology accelerator focused on developing successful companies by transforming novel, ingenious ideas from scientists at leading universities into disruptive innovations. He is also founder and CEO of Cellular Bioengineering, Inc., developing the world’s most advanced, bioengineered cornea for transplantation to restore vision for the 10 million people around the world with corneal blindness (www.cellularbioengineering.com). Dr. Wuh recently founded World Children’s Vision, a charity with a mission to bring blind children from around the world to Hawaii for the gift of sight.

Skai Ventures’ portfolio companies include DeconGel® (www.decongel.com), a polymeric material for radiological, nuclear, and hazardous chemical remediation; TruTags (www.TruTags.com), an edible optical security platform targeting the $75 billion annual problem of pharmaceutical counterfeiting; International Center of Excellence for Vision, delivering leading-edge technology to restore sight for visually impaired patients from around the world; and StemPure, optimizing the safety of stem cell transplantation.

Dr. Wuh received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins, M.P.H. from Harvard, and M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Wuh was resident and chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the Stanford Medical Center. He was elected class marshal at Harvard and was twice winner of the Vernon P. Thompson Prize for outstanding research in orthopedic surgery at Stanford. Dr. Wuh was named the 2008 Invention Entrepreneur of the Year by the Hawaii Venture Capital Association and was nominated in 2010 for The National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

At the University of Hawaii, Dr. Wuh is a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Innovation and Technology Advancement and the Dean’s Council at the School of Engineering, and he is associate clinical professor of

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
×

surgery at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. Dr. Wuh is board director of the Hawaii Science and Technology Council (HSTC) and the Hawaii Business and Entrepreneur Acceleration Mentors (HiBEAM).

SYLVIA YUEN

Dr. Yuen is the interim dean and director of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at the University of Hawaii (UH), the first woman to lead the college. She previously served as the director of the Center on the Family, CTAHR’s associate dean for academic affairs, UH Manoa director of Equal Employment Opportunity, and UH’s employee relations administrator. Her graduate work was conducted at the University of Illinois and the University of Hawaii, and she received additional training at the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, and Harvard University.

Dr. Yuen serves as the PI of the Agricultural Development in the American Pacific (ADAP) program, a consortium of land-grant institutions in the Western Pacific. Her publications have targeted both professional and community audiences, and she and her colleagues have won awards for a data-based Web site, a videotape on families, and other work. She is the recipient of both CTAHR’s and Maryknoll High School’s Outstanding Alumnus Awards, three Excellence in Teaching awards, more than $22 million in grants and contracts, and commendations from the Hawaii State Legislature for distinguished service to the state.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Biographies of Speakers." National Research Council. 2012. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13267.
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Responding to the challenges of fostering regional growth and employment in an increasingly competitive global economy, many U.S. states and regions have developed programs to attract and grow companies as well as attract the talent and resources necessary to develop innovation clusters. These state and regionally based initiatives have a broad range of goals and increasingly include significant resources, often with a sectoral focus and often in partnership with foundations and universities. These are being joined by recent initiatives to coordinate and concentrate investments from a variety of federal agencies that provide significant resources to develop regional centers of innovation, business incubators, and other strategies to encourage entrepreneurship and high-tech development.

Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy: Summary of a Symposium explains the study of selected state and regional programs in order to identify best practices with regard to their goals, structures, instruments, modes of operation, synergies across private and public programs, funding mechanisms and levels, and evaluation efforts. This report reviews selected state and regional efforts to capitalize on federal and state investments in areas of critical national needs. Building Hawaii's Innovation Economy also reviews efforts to strengthen existing industries as well as specific new technology focus areas such as nanotechnology, stem cells, and energy in order to better understand program goals, challenges, and accomplishments.

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