Spring 2012, Detailed Schedule

SPEAKER: Dr. Regina Dugan, Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

TITLE: "Driving Innovation at the Intersection of Science and Application: The Power of Pasteur's Quadrant"
ABSTRACT: 

BIO: Appointed by Secretary of Defense, Robert M. Gates, and announced by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Zachary Lemnios, Dr. Regina E. Dugan was sworn in as the 19th director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on July 20, 2009.

Founded in 1958 as a response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, DARPA's mission is to prevent and create strategic surprise. From its founding more than 50 years ago to current day, this mission implies one imperative for the Agency: radical innovation for national security. Today, DARPA is the principal agency within the Department of Defense for research, development, and demonstration of high-risk, high-payoff projects for the current and future combat force. 

Experienced in counterterrorism and defense against explosive threats, Dr. Dugan first served the Nation as a DARPA program manager from 1996 to 2000. She directed a diverse $100 million portfolio of programs including the Dog's Nose program, which focused on the development of an advanced, field-portable system for detecting the explosive content of land mines. In 1999, Dr. Dugan was named DARPA Program Manager of the Year, and, in 2000, she was awarded the prestigious Bronze deFleury medal by the Army Engineer Regiment. Other recognition includes the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Exceptional Service and the Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Dr. Dugan's contributions to the United States military are numerous. She led a counterterrorism task force for the Deputy Secretary of Defense in 1999 and, from 2001 to 2003, she served as a special advisor to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, completing a Quick Reaction Study on Countermine for Enduring Freedom. The results of this study were subsequently briefed to joint senior military leadership and implemented in the field.

Prior to her appointment as Director of DARPA, Dr. Dugan co-founded Dugan Ventures, a niche investment firm, where she served as President and CEO. In 2005, Dugan Ventures founded RedXDefense, LLC, a privately held company devoted to innovative solutions for combating explosive threats, where she also served as President and CEO.

Widely recognized for her leadership in technology development, Dr. Dugan has appeared on CNN, the Discovery Channel, National Public Radio, and The AAAS Science Report; has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Prism, Forbes and Science News, among others; and has delivered keynote remarks at events as diverse as All Things Digital (D9), FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Summit, e.g., AIA Board of Governor's meeting, Defense Manufacturing Conference, and SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing. In 2011, she was named a Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine.  Dr. Dugan previously participated in wide-ranging studies for the Defense Science Board, Army Science Board, National Research Council, and the Science Foundation, and sat on the Naval Research Advisory Committee and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Technology Panel. 

Dr. Dugan obtained her doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and her master's and bachelor's degrees from Virginia Tech. She is the sole inventor or co-inventor on multiple patents and patents pending and the co-author of Engineering Thermodynamics, 1996.  Dr. Dugan is the first female director of DARPA.

February 10th, 2012

February 17th, 2012

February 24th, 2012

March 2nd, 2012

March 9th, 2012

March 23rd, 2012

March 30th, 2012

SPEAKER: Matt Emmens

TITLE: From Proclamation to Profitability: The Vertext Story

ABSTRACT:  The Vertex story is an amazing one.  Today this biotech company has a market cap of around $10 billion, employs almost 2000 people and has recently introduced a breakthrough medicine that could be the fastest to reach blockbuster status in the history of the industry.  In addition there are 10 other clinical programs underway and a breakthrough therapy for cystic fibrosis will be submitted to the FDA and European agencies in October 2011 with approval expected in early 2012. 

Twenty two years ago Josh Boger proclaimed that the old ways of creating drug therapies was dead and that a new way - rational drug design - would change the world.  He was right.  He knew how to design drugs but needed to learn how to raise money and create a company that could realize his dream.  In this talk I will provide an overview of the 22 year history of Vertex and attempt to provide some insight into the key decisions and challenges that brought the company to this point in its history.  Out of hundreds that have tried, you can count on one hand the number of drug companies that have made to this level of success.  How did this happen?  There are many lessons learned.

BIO: Matthew Emmens has over 37 years of successful pharmaceutical experience.  He joined the Vertex Board in 2004 and became Chairman, President and CEO in May, 2009.  He is also currently Chairman of the Board of Shire Pharmaceuticals.  Prior to his current role at Vertex he served as the CEO of Shire and before that, the CEO of Astra Merck.  His early career was spent at Merck & Co., Inc. where he started as a sales representative.

April 6th, 2012

April 13th, 2012

April 20th, 2012

April 27th, 2012

May 4th, 2012

May 11th, 2012

May 18th, 2012