II. GLOBAL CONFERENCE
ON
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
GCETM 2015

Mark Harris is the President & CEO of the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC), a member-driven, 1871-based, nonprofit organization that works to increase the impact of research and technology on the state’s economy. Created by the State of Illinois 25 years ago, the ISTC forges public-private partnerships among industry, research universities, federal labs, regional economic development organizations, the entrepreneurial community, and government to increase federal and private investments in research and technology, develop talent, promote awareness and policies at the state and federal level, and in doing so, support economic growth in Illinois. Mark also leads the Illinois Science & Technology Institute, (ISTI), a 501c3 affiliate created in 2011 that advances Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and talent development in the state.

Prior to his leadership with the ISTC, Mark served as a deputy chief of staff for the State of Illinois, where he focused on economic and workforce development issues. This included advancing key economic recovery and jobs initiatives related to infrastructure investments, innovation, and job training/career readiness. Mark served as the associate director for the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and spent four years in senior positions at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in helping to advance key initiatives in international trade, technology, entrepreneurship, and regional economic development.

Mark is an appointee to the Illinois Smart Grid Advisory Council and Energy Foundry Board, serves on the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition Steering Committee and is a member of the City of Chicago's tech council ChicagoNEXT and the Economic Club of Chicago.

Mark is Chilean-American and fluent in Spanish. He holds a BS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MA from the University of Chicago.