Kathleen Kingscott

Vice President, Strategic Partnerships
IBM Research

"Industry Perspective on Science Policy"

Abstract: As he promised during the his campaign, President Trump has brought significant change to public policy, including science policy.  Corporations develop research agendas based on many variables, including technology trends, near and long-term opportunities, client and partnership dialogue, and the business and regulatory climate.  Government priorities significantly affect the business and investment climate.  This talk will provide an example of how a company establishes priorities, develops a research agenda and works with government and other partners to create a positive climate for growth.

Bio: Kathleen Kingscott is responsible for developing collaborative research partnerships between IBM, industry, academia and government. Kingscott is a member of the National Academy of Sciences Innovation Policy Forum, chairs the CTO Work Group of the Semiconductor Industry Association, and is IBM’s alternate member of the SIA Board of Directors.  She also co-chairs the Task Force on American Innovation, a coalition of companies, university associations and professional societies that supports federal investment in scientific research.  Kingscott is a member of the AIP Public Policy Committee and the Executive Committee of the newly formed Electronics Division of the National Defense Industrial Association.

Prior to this, Kingscott held the IBM Industry Chair at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University.  As Visiting Professor, she led classes of senior U.S. military and civilian government executives in science, technology and innovation policy and in studies of the global electronics industry. During her tenure at ICAF, her students won the Antonelli Award for the best industry study and the Commandant’s Award for Outstanding Research in Support of the Director, DOD Research and Engineering.

Earlier roles include Director, Worldwide Innovation Policy for the IBM Corporation, responsible for worldwide public policy matters regarding innovation, science and technology. Kingscott led IBM's participation in the U.S. National Innovation Initiative, co-chaired by IBM's Chairman and CEO, Sam Palmisano. Separately, she led IBM’s policy work in developing the initial Trusted Foundry, a partnership between IBM and the U.S. government to develop specialized semiconductors for defense applications.  Prior positions include a number of public policy, Congressional relations, information technology marketing and marketing management positions in IBM.  Kingscott founded and served as chair of the Coalition for Technology Partnerships and was a founding partner of the long-running Congressional Visits Day program on Capitol Hill. She served as a member of the Secretary of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council 2015-2016.

Kingscott has been a guest professor on technology and innovation policy, industry/government/university relationships, technology partnerships, corporate public policy organization, advocacy strategy and related topics at Thunderbird University and Princeton University.  She has been with IBM for 44 years and holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University.