- Microsoft recently readjusted its research group due to Harry Shum leaving the company last month. These are the details.
Microsoft recently readjusted its research group due to Harry Shum leaving the company last month. The Microsoft Research arm originally launched in 1991. And the readjustment involves one executive overseeing the whole operation. Plus the Research arm will become more integrated with Microsoft’s healthcare initiatives as part of the readjustment.
After Shum stepped down, Microsoft technology head Kevin Scott assumed his responsibilities. And Microsoft technical fellow and Microsoft Research Labs director Eric Horvitz was promoted to chief scientific officer. This is the first time Microsoft had someone in the Chief Scientist role.
“The focus of the chief scientist position is to provide cross-company leadership on advances and trends related to scientific matters and on important issues and opportunities rising at the intersection of science, technology, and society. I’m looking forward to the chance to more deeply shape our company’s activities, focus of attention, investments, and understandings of how today’s efforts and near-term plans relate to trends—and potential surprises—on the horizon,” said Horvitz in a LinkedIn post.
Horvitz had joined Microsoft in 1993 and worked as a principal researcher for 16 years. Plus he also serves as co-chair of Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Engineering and Research (AETHER) Committee.
Peter Lee is now going to be in charge of Microsoft Research. Lee was working as the corporate vice president for Microsoft Healthcare. Plus he also worked as the head of Microsoft’s Healthcare NExT division. Going forward, Lee will integrate a number of Microsoft’s health projects with the research team.
Lee joined Microsoft in 2010 as a manager director of Microsoft Research. Prior to that role, he was the head of the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University and the office director at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
