UT Professor Lynne Parker was one of two people named deputy US chief technology officer on Wednesday, joining Winter Casey in that honor.
“I am very excited and humbled by my selection for this position,” Parker said. “It’s an exciting time for emerging technology and innovation, and I look forward to helping our country in any way that I can.”
The US chief technology officer is a position within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), where Parker has been serving as assistant director for artificial intelligence since August 2018.
In this new role, she’ll help guide policies and efforts related to the industries of the future, which include quantum information science, advanced communications, advanced manufacturing, and the bio-economy, in addition to continuing a strong focus on artificial intelligence.
US Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios announced the news on Twitter.
“I am thrilled to name Winter Casey and Dr. Lynne Parker as Deputy U.S. CTOs,” Kratsios posted. “Given their expertise and impressive track record, I know they will do an exceptional job driving American leadership in technology.”
While serving in her government roles, Parker has maintained her connection to UT, where she has served on the faculty for 17 years, including a stint as interim dean of the Tickle College of Engineering.
“We’re very happy for Dr. Parker and honored by her selection for this position, both as a faculty member and as an alumna of our college,” said Janis Terpenny, the college’s Wayne T. Davis Endowed Dean. “Her research speaks for itself, and we know she will be wonderful in this new role.”
At OSTP, Parker’s notable accomplishments include leading the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative—established by a presidential executive order in February 2019—and the Select Committee on AI, which coordinates and leads AI activities across federal agencies.
She has led the White House’s work in promoting the nation’s leadership in AI, including coordinating and prioritizing AI research and development, addressing barriers to the innovative adoption of AI, and building up a skilled workforce for AI.
Parker earned her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Tech University in 1983, her master’s from UT in 1988, and her doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994, all in computer science.
She is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery, a senior member of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education. She has served as a National Science Foundation division director for information and intelligent systems, and as a distinguished research and development staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
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CONTACT :
David Goddard (865-974-0683, david.goddard@utk.edu)