Bios

Bios:

Thomas Kalil

Big Ideas @ Berkeley is led by Thomas Kalil, the Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Science and Technology at UC Berkeley. He develops major new multi-disciplinary research and education initiatives at the intersection of information technology, nanotechnology, microsystems, and biology. He also develops a broad range of partnerships between 2 of the California Institutes of Science and Innovation (Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society, California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research) and potential stakeholders in industry, government, foundations, and non-profits.

Tom is also a Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress, a member of California's Blue Ribbon Nanotechnology Task Force, and a member of the Technology Convergence Consortium Executive Committee. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Nanomix, and is a member of the Q Network. He has served on several committees of the National Academy of Sciences, including the Committee to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Research.

Previously, Thomas Kalil served as the Deputy Assistant to President Clinton for Technology and Economic Policy, and the Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council. He was the NEC's "point person" on a wide range of technology and telecommunications issues, such as the liberalization of Cold War export controls, the allocation of spectrum for new wireless services, and investments in upgrading America's high-tech workforce. He led a number of White House technology initiatives, such as the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the Next Generation Internet, bridging the digital divide, e-learning, increasing funding for long-term information technology research, making IT more accessible to people with disabilities, and addressing the growing imbalance between support for biomedical research and for the physical sciences and engineering. He was also appointed by President Clinton to serve on the G-8 Digital Opportunity Task Force (dot force).

Prior to joining the White House, Tom was a trade specialist at the Washington offices of Dewey Ballantine, where he represented the Semiconductor Industry Association on U.S.-Japan trade issues and technology policy. He also served as the principal staffer to Gordon Moore in his capacity as Chair of the SIA Technology Committee.

Tom received a B.A. in political science and international economics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and completed graduate work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is the author of articles and op-eds on S&T policy, nanotechnology, nuclear strategy, U.S.-Japan trade negotiations, U.S.-Japan cooperation in science and technology, the National Information Infrastructure, distributed learning, and electronic commerce.

Annie Yeh

Annie Yeh works with Tom Kalil on all aspects of "Big Ideas @ Berkeley". As Program Development Officer, Annie is responsible for planning and managing new initiatives needed to support the ecosystem for student-led projects across the UC Berkeley campus, including the launch of this marketplace and the campus-wide "Bears Breaking Boundaries" competition. Annie mentors and advises students receiving funding from "Big Ideas" and works with campus departments, Cal alumni, industry, donors, and foundations to build a community of support for "Big Ideas."

Annie previously worked in the computer science education and e-learning industries. She holds a Masters degree from the School of Information, UC Berkeley, where she served as President of the Information Management Students Association and worked as a researcher for the Interactive University Project. Additionally, Annie is an accomplished musician/cellist and recently released a debut Jazz album, 'Something New.' She holds a Masters degree in Music (cello performance) from Ohio University and a B.A. in Asian Studies and Pre-Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.