[VIRTUAL] GRASP On Robotics: Lynne Parker, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “Overview of Administration’s Actions in Artificial Intelligence”

Dr. Lynne E. Parker is Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States, where she guides national policies related to the Industries of the Future, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information science, advanced communications, advanced manufacturing, and the bio-economy. She also serves as Assistant Director for AI, where she leads national AI policy efforts at the White House, engaging with numerous stakeholders to accelerate advances in AI for economic growth, improved quality of life, and national security. Dr. Parker played an integral role in the development of President Trump’s Executive Order establishing the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative, which bolsters research, governance, and education and workforce training around AI. She leads the implementation of this Initiative and many other related AI actions.

Prior to joining OSTP, Dr. Parker was Interim Dean of the Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), and Professor in UTK’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department. Dr. Parker has served as National Science Foundation’s Division Director for Information and Intelligent Systems, where she oversaw NSF’s investments in AI. Prior to joining UTK, she worked as a Distinguished R&D Staff Member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Dr. Parker is an expert on distributed and intelligent robot systems, human-robot interaction, and artificial intelligence with over 140 peer-reviewed papers on these and related subjects. She has taught many graduate and undergraduate courses on AI, machine learning, robotics, algorithms, and related topics. She has received numerous awards for research, teaching, and service, including the U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). She is a Fellow of AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) and a Fellow of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

Dr. Parker earned a B.S. from Tennessee Technological University, an M.S. from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all in computer science.