Leaders in STEM
Dr. MARK E. DEAN
Dr. Mark E. Dean is vice president Technical Strategy and WW Operations for IBM Research. In this role, he is responsible for setting the direction of IBM’s overall Research Strategy across eight worldwide labs and leading the global operations and information systems teams. An engineer by training, Dr. Dean has over 29 years with IBM, and is an IBM Fellow. He has been central to the design of a wide range of IBM products.
Dr. Dean has held various positions in several different cities and IBM divisions. Prior to his current role, he was vice president of the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California and senior location executive for Silicon Valley, overseeing more than 400 scientists and engineers doing exploratory and applied research in various hardware, software and services areas including: nanotechnology, materials science for storage systems, data management, web technologies, workplaces practices and user interfaces.
During his career, Dr. Dean has held several engineering positions at IBM in the area of computer system hardware architecture and design in Boca Raton, Florida, Austin, Texas and Yorktown Heights, New York. He has developed all types of computer systems, from embedded systems to supercomputers, including testing of the first gigahertz CMOS microprocessor, and establishing the team that developed the Blue Gene supercomputer. He was also chief engineer for the development of the IBM PC/AT, ISA systems bus, PS/2 Model 70 & 80, the Color Graphics Adapter in the original IBM PC, and holds three of the nine patents for the original IBM PC. One invention — the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) “bus,” which permitted add-on devices like the keyboard, disk drives and printers to be connected to the motherboard — would earn election to the National Inventors Hall of Fame for Dean and colleague Dennis Moeller.
Dr. Dean received a BSEE degree from the University of Tennessee in 1979, an MSEE degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1982, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1992.
Dr. Dean’s most recent awards include: National Institute of Science Outstanding Scientist Award, member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and National Academy of Engineering, IEEE Fellow, the CCG Black Engineer of the Year, the NSBE Distinguished Engineer award, the University of Tennessee COE Dougherty Award, member of the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Ronald H. Brown American Innovators Award. Dr. Dean was appointed to IBM Fellow in 1995, IBM’s highest technical honor. He is a member of the IBM Academy of Technology. He has received several academic and IBM awards, including thirteen Invention Achievement Awards and six Corporate Awards. Dr. Dean has more than 40 patents or patents pending.
LINDA GOODEN
At a time when women are disproportionately underrepresented among top business executives in the technology sector, Lockheed Martin’s Linda Gooden shows us the possibilities.
Gooden is Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services (IS&GS) business area and an officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. IS&GS, which employs approximately 52,000 people worldwide and generated $8.4 billion in equivalent sales for Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin is the largest provider of federal technology services in the world.
Under her leadership IS&GS provides its federal customers with information technology solutions, mission services, logistics services, energy and homeland security support, business process services, and global peacekeeping and nation-building services.
Gooden actively supports professional, academic, and civic organizations, serving on numerous executive boards including Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International; Information Technology Association of America (ITAA); University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering and Robert H. Smith School of Business’ Center for Electronic Markets & Enterprises; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; and Prince George’s Community College Foundation; Maryland Business Roundtable for Education; and the Executive Leadership Council.
Gooden was selected as 2006 Black Engineer of the Year by U.S Black Engineer and IT Magazine, was featured as one of Black Enterprise Magazine’s Women of Power in Business for 2006, and was named a 2006 Aiming High honoree by Legal Momentum. She was named winner of the 2002 Federal 100 “Eagle” Award by Federal Computer Week and received the 2002 Corporate Leadership Award by Women in Technology.
She was voted one of Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” in 2004. Ms. Gooden also holds Dollars & Sense Magazine’s 1997 Salute to America’s Best and Brightest; and the Annual Peat Marwick High Tech Entrepreneur Award in 1994.
Gooden assumed her current position in January 2007.
She served previously as President of Lockheed Martin Information Technology, a business unit she grew over 10 years to become a multibillion dollar business. She was Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Software Support Services unit from 1994 and earlier held other positions of increasing responsibility within the corporation’s Data Systems and Information Systems companies. Prior to joining the corporation in 1980, Gooden was employed as a software engineer for General Dynamics of San Diego in support of engineering systems.
She received her degree in Computer Technology from Youngstown State University and completed post-baccalaureate studies at San Diego State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, University College. In 2005, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from the University of Maryland University College in recognition of her service to the community and to higher education.
DR. NILS J. DIAZ
Dr. Nils J. Diaz, former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and internationally recognized scientist, has been named the Museum of Science & Industry’s (MOSI) 2009 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year. Cuban-born, Dr. Nils J. Diaz is internationally recognized for his broad expertise and contributions to nuclear sciences, reactor systems and fuels, to the regulation of nuclear facilities and radioactive materials, and to nuclear policy analysis and development.
Diaz presently serves as a commissioner of the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. He has received many national and international awards, including the Henry DeWolf Smyth 2008 Nuclear Statesman Award, awarded by the Nuclear Energy Institute, representing the nuclear industry, and by the American Nuclear Society.
Dr. Diaz was designated chairman of the NRC by President Bush on April 1, 2003 and he served as such until his retirement from government service on June 30, 2006. He was first nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate as a Commissioner with the NRC in August 1996, nominated and confirmed again in 2001, and exercised the responsibilities of the position until he assumed the Chairmanship of the Commission.
During his 40-year research career, Diaz has served as director of the Innovative Nuclear Space Power Institute (INSPI) for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), Department of Defense, and a professor of Nuclear Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida. From 1969 to 1996, Dr. Diaz held senior positions at universities, Boards and industry, and consulted for the US Government and other governments on civilian nuclear energy development.
For eight years, MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) has recognized nationally distinguished Hispanic science and engineering professionals to serve as role models and mentors for Tampa Bay’s Hispanic youth. Past honorees include a former US Surgeon General, a Nobel Laureate of Chemistry, a NASA astronaut, a marine biologist, a Harvard professor of pathology and former chief of immunogenetics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a seismologist and former director of the Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE), Washington, D.C., an industrial engineer and the first Hispanic to serve as acting head of the Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF), and most recently, a molecular biologist and founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).
This year MOSI will present the National Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award to Dr. Nils J. Diaz during a gala award ceremony on Saturday, October 10, 2009.
The mission of the MOSI National Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award is to recognize outstanding Hispanic scientists who promote a greater public understanding of science and motivate Hispanic youths’ interest in science.
Proceeds from the event help fund more than 1,200 students from underserved communities and low-income schools an exciting day of mentoring and access to over 450 MOSI hands-on exhibits including lunch during Meet the Scientist Day. Event proceeds also help to fund MOSI’s YES! Team, an educational enrichment and vocational training program designed to help at-risk youth develop and progress in a supportive peer-group environment.
RODNEY ADKINS
Growing up, Rodney Adkins spent a lot of his free time taking things apart – TV, radio, even the vacuum cleaner. But he always put them back together.
Rod Adkins leads all of IBM’s global server and storage systems hardware and software development. He also leads the microelectronics business which includes semiconductor process technology development and semiconductor manufacturing operations for microprocessors and application specific integrated circuits used by IBM and its OEM clients.
Adkins has held a number of product development, business operations and general management positions since joining IBM in 1981. He has experience in Printers, Personal Computers, Servers, Storage and Software. Mr. Adkins has served as General Manager for Desktop Systems in Personal Systems Group; for UNIX systems in Server Group; and for Pervasive Computing in Software Group.
As a member of IBM’s Performance and Technology Teams and the Board of Governors for the IBM Academy of Technology, Mr. Adkins helps drive IBM’s corporate and technical direction. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). He is also a member of the board of directors for the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), the Smithsonian Institution and Pitney Bowes, Inc.
Adkins has been recognized as a leader in information technology – the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year, National Academy of Engineering election in 2005, Top Blacks in Technology since 2004, and Professional Achievement in Industry in 1996. In 2002, Fortune magazine named Mr. Adkins one of the 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in America. He also earned the Golden Torch Award for Lifetime Achievement in Industry from NSBE in 2001.
Adkins earned a B.A. degree with emphasis in Physics from Rollins College as well as B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
*Stay tuned for more role models in STEM!