Governor Brown, Watson visit IBM Research - Almaden

In his first appearance in the Silicon Valley, California State Governor Jerry Brown visited IBM Research – Almaden for the 8^th Annual Business Climate Summit, a special event held by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Kicked off with a keynote by Jon Iwata, IBM senior vice president of Marketing and Communications, the event gathered government dignitaries, CEOs and several C-Suite executives from Silicon Valley businesses and corporations to address ways to strengthen the state’s economy, budget and business climate.

In attendance and speaking on a panel about local challenges and regional solutions were San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Oakland Mayor Jean Quan – leaders of the three largest cities in the Silicon Valley. Joining them for the discussion were Andy Ball, CEO, Webcor Builders and Jay Glasscock, President, BD Biosciences.

In the discussion, Mayor Lee said regional cooperation and collaboration are required for the entire valley to succeed. “Our approach to regionalism is alike – we have to do everything better to build our future, which is a global economy. We are now competing against London and Sydney – we’ve got to be on the edge,” said Mayor Lee. Added Mayor Reed, “CEOs, please give us the chance to keep your businesses in the Silicon Valley.”

Jon Iwata provided an outlook on the future of IT while highlighting 100 years of innovation at IBM. “Beginning with clocks, scales and cheese slicers, invention is a part of our history,” Iwata explained. “But there is a difference between introducing obviously superior technology and the additional work of building the trust and confidence of policyholders and stakeholders; we have to take them from the past to the future.”

Jon said IBM's vision of the future is rooted in the swarms of data that we are surrounded with today. “We need analytical tools to make sense of data. We are seeing what’s happening in our companies, in our markets, in our supply chains, our cities and our grids – analytics is the first step to optimization.”

Watson visits California

Watson’s first-ever trip to the west coast made a big splash at the event. In its first demonstration in California, packaged into a brilliant interactive touch screen display, Watson received one-on-one attention from the Governor, the Mayors and several event participants.

IBM Distinguished Engineer Steve Welch and Master Inventor Dan Gruhl demonstrated Watson's capabilities and offered up individual matches to onlookers. The DeepQA system, recognized for its ability to rapidly analyze the meaning and context of human language unlike any computer before it, is now being developed to apply those capabilities in the healthcare industry. In addition, Watson was recently ranked #9 in TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential things in the world. “Technologies like Watson are essential in the area of big data,” Jon said. “It’s the convergence of technological innovation and decision making.”

Governor Brown remarks

In the final panel, “Strengthening California’s Economy, Budget & Business Climate,” moderator Barbara Marshman of the San Jose Mercury News immediately addressed Governor Brown the state budget. When asked how the 300 Silicon Valley executives in this room help develop a stronger economy, Governor Brown replied, “That’s very elusive. How do you do that? I wouldn’t task you with that, I can take care of that.” He continued by saying, “When you talk about California, you have venture capital, innovation, great universities. Finding ways to collaborate is very positive.”

Next to Governor Brown on stage were Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, SunPower CEO Tom Werner and Applied Materials CEO Mike Splinter, who all agreed about the need for K-12 education to prepare children to be gainfully employed in a global economy. Governor Brown commented, “Education is about the presence of teachers and students – that is a relationship. At the end of the day we have to ensure that the kids are inspired. Teachers have to model a certain way of being that we want our students to learn from.”

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group, founded in 1978 by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, represents more than 340 of Silicon Valley's most respected employers on issues, programs and campaigns that affect the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley, including energy, transportation, education, housing, health care, tax policies, economic vitality and the environment. Leadership Group members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit svlg.org

During the event, the SVLG released the CEO Business Climate Survey, which was completed by 175 CEO’s; and Silicon Valley Bank’s Startup Outlook, which was completed by 375 executives from private startup and high growth, U.S.-based technology and life science companies.

Pictures of the event can be viewed here. (Credit: John Day)

Photo captions top to bottom:

Over 250 CEOs and government officials gathered at IBM Research - Almaden for the 8th Annual CEO Business Climate Summit, hosted by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group President Carl Guardino with Jon Iwata, IBM senior vice president, marketing and communications.

CA Governor Jerry Brown talking with IBM Silicon Valley Senior Location Executive Jai Menon during a Watson demonstration.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sundberg with CA Governor Jerry Brown on a panel titled "Strengthening California's Economy, Budget and Business Climate."

Spring Egg Hunt at Almaden

The annual spring egg hunt at Almaden, with Violet - our favorite bunny - was a hit with IBMers and their little ones. The tradition, which was set in motion 8 years ago by Wendy Fedde, is always a big hit! Kids of all ages visit the lab for arts and crafts, snacks, goodies, pictures with Violet and the highly-anticipated egg hunt.

The rest of the pictures from the 2011 Spring Egg Hunt at Almaden can be viewed here.

IBM Fellow Patricia Selinger welcomed to American Academy of Arts & Sciences

The following is an excerpt from the Academy of Art & Science member announcement press release dated Tuesday, April 19, 2011, 1:00 p.m. ET:

Some of the world's most accomplished leaders from academia, business, public affairs, the humanities, and the arts have been elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Among those elected this year is: Dr. Patricia Griffiths Selinger, Retired Vice President; IBM Fellow; Area Strategist, Information and Interaction, IBM Almaden Research Center.


A list of the new Academy members announced today is located at: http://www.amacad.org/news/alphalist2011.pdf.

The 212 new members join one of the nation's most prestigious honorary societies and a leading center for independent policy research. Members contribute to Academy studies of science and technology policy, global security, social policy and American institutions, the humanities, and education.

"It is a privilege to honor these men and women for their extraordinary individual accomplishments," said Leslie Berlowitz, Academy President and William T. Golden Chair. "The knowledge and expertise of our members give the Academy a unique capacity - and responsibility - to provide practical policy solutions to the pressing challenges of the day. We look forward to engaging our new members in this work."

Among the 2011 class of scholars, scientists, writers, artists, civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders are winners of the Nobel, Pulitzer, and Pritzker Prizes; the Turing Award; MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships; and Kennedy Center Honors, Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy awards.

Below, Pat shares some of her career accomplishments and what she envisions for the future.

Earth Week 2011: Almaden Green Team

“To provide a safe and healthful workplace.” Established over 50 years ago as part of IBM’s Corporate Policy, this value is instilled by IBMers worldwide, led by the efforts of environmental engineers who help provide employees an environmentally friendly workplace. At Almaden, our leading expert in leading a green work life is Michelle Mesler. In the following guest blog post, Michelle walks us through the efforts of Almaden's "Green Team."

In August 2008, Almaden’s Green Team was formed as a way for employees to influence and improve the workplace environment. The following mission was established: “We are a volunteer community of energy and environmental advocates striving to create and lead grass-roots efforts to reduce our carbon footprint at work.” Throughout the year the team works on various projects of interest including: energy and water conservation, recycling improvements, greening of the cafeteria, Earth Week events, educational outreach and community service.

One of the team’s initiatives, the Print Smarter Campaign, resulted in a reduction of paper consumption at Almaden by 10.8% in 2010 over 2009, saving 3 trees/month and 16.3% in 2009, saving 4.6 trees/month. Other accomplishments include replacing 8 chemicals used by Almaden's janitorial service contractor with environmentally-friendly green-certified chemicals, reducing the amount of styrofoam used in the cafeteria, and securing a green shuttle service contract for the site that uses a new 22-passenger clean air van fueled by propane.

Each year, the Green Team volunteers plan a variety of activities for employees to engage in , like talks, walks, gardening and trail maintenance. Last year on April 16, approximately 136 people including external visitors from the Audobon Society joined guest speaker Steve Simmons for a talk titled “One Person Can Make a Difference: Impact of Building Thousands of Nest Boxes and Banding Thousands of Birds.” A “Sustainable Landscape” talk was hosted by guest speaker Master Gardener, Deva Luna, who discussed how to plant and maintain a sustainable landscape at home including using native plants, edible plants and reusing gray water. 55 employees participated in a relaxing and informational walk around the building, learning about different ways to be green and collecting cards on a quest to obtain the best poker hand. A Day of Caring off-site at Full Circle Farm brought together 13 volunteers who planted basil, tomatoes and squash in the greenhouse. A second Day of Caring with the Volunteer Management Unit for the City of San Jose provided volunteers the opportunity to clean up a 1.2 mile segment of Calero Creek Trail at the entrance of IBM Research - Almaden.

In addition to the outreach activities that the Green Team implements on-site for the employee population, the team also strives to educate the community on ways they can reduce their impact on the natural environment. For example, during Earth Week last year, six IBMers visited ten classrooms at a local elementary school to present the “Help Kids Go Green" On Demand Community Solution Educational Activity. During the hour-long visit, the volunteers taught children how to go green by reducing, reusing and recycling. A short hands-on project for the students focused on recycling and green power, and they also go to play a "green" themed Jeopardy game.

With every project and idea implemented, Almaden’s Green Team volunteers look for ways that employees can reduce their carbon footprint at work and in their community throughout the year. We all play a role in conserving our natural resources. Together we can build a smarter planet!

To learn more about IBM’s Corporate Environmental Affairs Policy, Global Environmental Management System, volunteer initiatives or to read the annual Environmental Report, click here.

Michelle is an Environmental Engineer with the Real Estate and Site Operations (RESO) Organization. She assures compliance with various environmental regulations and oversees the environmental management system at IBM Almaden Research and Silicon Valley Lab. She strives to provide continual improvement to IBM's environmental and chemical programs and led the initiative to obtain Green Business Certification for IBM Almaden in 2005. In 2008, Michelle created a Green Team for Almaden, a volunteer community of energy and environmental advocates striving to create and lead grass-roots efforts to reduce their carbon footprint at work.

Michelle holds Bachelor degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, as well as, a Masters degree in Environmental Science Management. Prior to joining IBM, Michelle implemented environmental, health and safety programs and systems for NiSource Inc., a public utility holding company.

Farewell, commute woes

IBM's Smarter Transportation portfolio covers myriad solutions, ranging from baggage management at airports to customer loyalty analytics. That said, we all know from experience that most travel and transport systems have tremendous room for improvement. Commutes can be a daily source of frustration for many, and with more and more cars on the roads, figuring out the best way to get to and from work each day can be quite the science. And in fact, we're learning it is a science indeed.

That's why IBM Research is collaborating with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) at UC Berkeley. Combining street sensor data from Caltrans with the road smarts of ITS, IBM predictive analytics can play a key part in delivering traffic information to everyday commuters. IBM's Traffic Prediction Tool delivers commuters traffic information about their specific routes 30 - 40 minutes before they even get into their cars. You can learn all about it in this video, featuring lead IBM researcher on the project, John Day.



Predictive analytics machine at your fingertips

IBM's predictive analytics technologies used in the Smarter Traveler tool have historically been used by big data companies such as VISA for real-time fraud monitoring and transaction alerts; the Memphis Police Department even engages similarly to predict crime. With Smarter Traveler, anyone with a mobile phone can take advantage of these advanced analytics to help relieve their commute frustrations.

IBM Press Kit

World Health Day: Improving healthcare data quality

Yesterday, the World Health Organization launched World Health Day 2011. This year's campaign focuses on "Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread," which coincidentally ties in with the recent announcement out of IBM Research - Almaden on nanoparticles designed to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But researchers at Almaden have been working on healthcare extensively in areas ranging from data management and analytics to services. IBM Distinguished Engineer and Healthcare Informatics expert Steve Welch explains the motivations of IBM Research to improve healthcare from an information management perspective.

As healthcare data is undergoing substantial growth worldwide, a significant portion of healthcare information remains an untapped resource, primarily due to the fact that it is unstructured in nature. This information is comprised of text, imaging, video and is spread across disparate heterogeneous systems. At IBM Research - Almaden, we are in the pursuit of improving data quality to support clinicians and clinical researchers alike. This includes uncovering and linking all of the available unstructured and semi-structured medical evidence to provide coherent, consistent, and standardized patient clinical data for upstream analytics envisioned by modern health standards but not yet realized in real world systems.

Our goal is to exploit our extensive experience in Information Management and Big Data analysis to improve healthcare data quality with smart domain tooling and data integration platforms that enable secondary use analytics such as disease progression, predictive outcomes, adverse drug events, and comparative effectiveness of treatment regimes.

IBM100: Impressions from San Jose Research 1956 – 1984

A tin roofed former cannery building housed IBM’s Research Lab on Julian Street, downtown San Jose in 1956 when I first came to work: An oven in the summer and leaking here and there during the rainy season.

Based on the success of the just announced 5MB RAMAC, we were going to build a photo memory, with a million times the RAMAC capacity! The concept and proposed implementation had little merit, but we were young, enthusiastic and a bit naïve. Today, it is difficult to realize that in 1956, most graduating engineering and science majors had no idea of what a computer was let alone the function of storage. The “system” competence, which made the RAMAC such a game changing success, had moved to the Development Lab. And it would take some time for the research organization to fully understand its role in IBM.

But then, there was serendipity. The first organic chemists came to SJ Research to address the problems posed by the photo memory project. These same chemists subsequently advanced photolithography which contributed to IBM’s leadership in integrated circuit technology. And along with physical chemists and physicists, they made major contributions to magnetic recording technology. They helped transform “paint” poured from a paper cup onto a spinning disc into the thin film technology, which is the basis for today’s storage media.

I have looked back and wondered what made San Jose Research such a success. It seems that hiring the most promising graduates from the best universities must be the answer. One of my responsibilities at IBM was the “Post-Doc Program.” This program brought promising young scientists and engineers to the lab from many countries where IBM had a major presence. To the lab, this was a welcome augmentation of junior staff; to the post docs an opportunity to work in a leading research lab with some of the best in their respective field. The most significant thing the foreign post docs took with them was the notion that there is another way of doing things -- the essence of creativity.

Maybe another contributor to the labs accomplishment was the less heralded role of outstanding management. Project R, the basis for Relational Database technology, would not have come about without the leadership of Leonard Liu, who succeeded in bringing together the efforts of an exceptionally talented group of individuals and recognized a window of opportunity.

I also recall the time when the entire storage products line was threatened by unexplained disk crashes. Every relevant resource in research and development company-wide was enlisted to address this problem. Major organizations and governments worldwide had stored their vital information on disk-based storage products. It is one thing to encounter a problem, another not to understand its cause.

The solution to the problem was not one arrived at by reverse engineering. Heinrich Hunziger, a physical chemist in the San Jose Research Lab had spent his time at IBM perfecting an analytical method of detecting and analyzing microscopic quantities of organic matter on surfaces - nothing to do with magnetic recording technology. When he learned of the disk crash problem he felt his technique might help shed some light. He was able to identify an unsuspected organic material which had contaminated the surface, speculate upon and confirm its source, as well as provide the basis for a system preventing this impurity from reaching disk surfaces. Basic research comes to the aid of the current product line!

Upon retiring in 1984, all that I had learned in IBM Research in the course of 28 years helped me to establish ICSI, the International Computer Science Institute, at UC Berkeley, still going strong. Much of that experience found it’s way into a book published by Springer in 1990, Managing Creativity in Science and Hi-Tech and into a Second Edition to appear end of 2011.

The most important lessons from my IBM Research experience is that what matters most to creative people drawn to an industrial research lab is not basic vs. applied research, independent or team effort, but to realize their full potential in doing something that is relevant, hence appreciated and rewarded.

Contribution by Ronald Kay, SJ Research 1956 – 1984 with detour to Ad Tech in San Jose and Kingston, 1965-1967 and MIT, 1967-1968.

MRSA the super bug

A patient undergoes knee replacement surgery and is released from the hospital. Over time, a skin infection develops on the operated knee. The usual suspect is a bacterial infection called Methicillin-resistant Staphycoloccus aureus, or MRSA, which is so defiant against antiobiotics, that the only way to remove the bacteria is to reverse the knee replacement, bringing the patient back to square one.

There are a multitude of scenarios that we see in which people contract MRSA, and in densely populated cities like the San Francisco Bay Area, full on outbreaks occur (San Francisco ranked 3rd in the United States for most instances of MRSA in 2005).

We wanted to study MRSA for its prevalence but also because of its scientific characteristics. MRSA, called a "super bug," is very resistant to antibiotics and is also gram-positive, meaning there is a single cell membrane vs. dual in gram-negative bacteria. For us, that makes it easier to develop polymers that would penetrate the cell walls and destroy from the inside out. In our paper published yesterday in Nature Chemistry, we explain just how we did it.

Another important component of this breakthrough is that the nanostructures that we developed are electrically charged to be physically attracted to infected cells only - leaving the healthy cells alone. While work like this has been done by our peers, the key differentiating factor is that we have developed the first biodegradable agent. You can read more about it here.

In the science and technology group at IBM Research – Almaden, we’ve spent decades working on nanotechnology techniques that have improved semiconductors for electronic device storage, high-performance computing, solar technology and more. In applying some of the intellectual property learned from these areas, we've moved into entirely new business markets and are now partnering in new ways.


Photo captions:

Top, right: Lead IBM researcher James Hedrick in the lab at IBM Research - Almaden
Bottom, center: The antimicrobial agents developed by IBM Research and the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanomedicine attack the infected cells while protecting healthy red blood cells.

Content provided with contributions from Bob Miller, Manager, Advanced Organic Materials, IBM Research - Almaden.

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