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Alumni Notes
 In
the world of biotechnology, information technology has become
the engine of experimental biology. So says Caroline Kovac '74,
general manager of IBM's Life Sciences Solutions, who has the
daunting task of developing IT solutions for science organizations
to accelerate drug discovery and create new treatments for genetic-based
diseases.
She was one of three women around the world to
be inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall
of Fame last June, which recognized her achievements in the
field as well as her work in the advancement of women in technology.
She speaks publicly about the need for the growing IT field
to train "an overlooked-female-half of the population."
With a PhD in chemistry from the University of
Southern California, Kovac has held a string of management positions
since joining IBM in 1983, including vice president of technical
strategy and division operations and head of IBM Research efforts
in computational biology. Under her tenure, IBM Life Sciences
has become one of the company's most successful new businesses,
assisting in the Human Genome Project and other cutting-edge
research efforts. She says that the blend of fields such as
e-business, supercomputing, and data and storage management,
as well as research and expertise in computational biology,
is key for people studying and working in the life sciences.
-Matt Vella '03
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