Appendix B

Panelists’ Biographies

LAURIE LOCASCIO previously served as vice president for research at the University of Maryland College Park and University of Maryland Baltimore, and served as a professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the A. James Clark School of Engineering, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine.

Before joining the university, Locascio worked at NIST for 31 years, rising from a research biomedical engineer to acting associate director for laboratory programs, the No. 2 position at NIST, providing direction and operational guidance for NIST’s lab research programs. Dr. Locascio has published 115 scientific papers and received 12 patents in advanced technologies. She is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, American Chemical Society, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2023, she was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering.

DARÍO GIL is IBM senior vice president and director of research. Gil is responsible for IBM Research, one of the world’s largest and most influential corporate research labs. He directs innovation strategies in hybrid cloud, AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and exploratory science. He heads the technical community of IBM and is responsible for the company’s intellectual property strategy and business. Gil is also the chair of the National Science Board (NSB), which oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF). An advocate of collaborative research models, he co-chairs the MIT--

IBM Watson AI Lab, which advances fundamental AI research to the benefit of industry and society. He also co-chairs the executive board of the International Science Reserve, a global network of open scientific communities that provides specialized resources to prepare for and help mitigate urgent, complex global challenges.

Gil has served on the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and is a member of the President’s Research Council of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), the MIT School of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council, and the Aspen Global Cybersecurity Group. He serves on the boards of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the New York Academy of Sciences, the New York Hall of Science, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

Gil is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and received his PhD in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT.

STEVEN H. WALKER is vice president and chief technology officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation where he is responsible for technology strategy, internal research and development investments, and laboratories. As primary liaison to the global science and technology community, he manages strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia to support the development of cutting-edge technologies. Previously, Walker was director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and oversaw the development of breakthrough technologies and capabilities for national security. Throughout his 30+ years in government, he served in several leadership positions as DARPA’s deputy director and as deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology, and Engineering. Walker is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; a recipient of the AIAA Hap Arnold Award for Excellence in Aeronautical Management and the AIAA Hypersonics Systems and Technology Award; he was awarded the Presidential Rank Award, the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service medal, and the DoD Exceptional, Meritorious, and Distinguished Civilian Service medals. In 2020, he was

inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. He holds a PhD and BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MS from the University of Dayton.

TAIYIN YANG is the former executive vice president of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing at Gilead Sciences Inc., responsible for all the company’s small molecules, biologics, and antibody-drug conjugates of investigational compounds and marketed products. Under her leadership, Gilead developed the world’s first HIV single-tablet regimen and advanced more than 25 compounds from early-stage development to market. Yang joined Gilead in 1993, became the senior vice president of PDM in 2005, and was appointed to the most recent role in 2015, which she held until July 2022. Previously, she worked at Syntex Corporation from 1980 to 1993, having contributed to the development and commercialization of more than 10 medicines. Yang served as the executive sponsor for Gilead Asian Interest Network, an employee resource group, to promote, support, and encourage inclusion and diversity. She served as a member of the expert scientific advisory committee of Medicines for Malaria Venture. Yang is a member of the scientific advisory board of Sionna Therapeutics. Yang serves on the board of directors of Kodiak Sciences Inc., Kronos Bio Inc., and Brii Biosciences. Yang received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from National Taiwan University and her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Southern California. She was inducted a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2021 and was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2022.

RUSSELL ALLGOR is the chief scientist for Amazon.com, where he leads a team of mathematical modeling experts. Allgor has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in practice, management, and research of OR/MS at Amazon. He is one of the most influential scientists in the field of logistics and fulfillment systems for e-commerce. He and his team focus on using data analysis, modeling, simulation, and optimization methods to improve the efficiency of Amazon’s operations. He has focused on problems including network design and facility location, inventory plan-

ning, order assignment, equipment and process design, vehicle routing, and process control within and across facilities. Ideas and algorithms developed by Allgor and his team have returned billions of dollars to Amazon’s bottom line. Prior to joining Amazon.com, Allgor worked in applied R&D for Bayer AG in Leverkusen, Germany. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT and a Bachelor of Science from Princeton University. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and an INFORMS Fellow.

DEANNE BELL is an engineer, television host, and entrepreneur. Her television hosting credits include PBS, ESPN, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, DIY Network, and CNBC’s Make Me a Millionaire Inventor. She is also the founder and CEO of Future Engineers, an education technology company that engages students in online contests and challenges. Current Future Engineers competitions include the NASA TechRise Student Challenge, which gets students hands-on with developing experiments for NASA-sponsored test flights. Previous Future Engineers competitions have produced historic achievements, including naming NASA’s Perseverance Rover and manufacturing the first student-designed 3D print in space. Her company has received multiple SBIR awards from the US Department of Education. She earned her BS in mechanical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and is the 2019 Young Alumni Award recipient from its McKelvey School of Engineering. She is also the featured interviewee in the fall 2019 issue of The Bridge.