James C. Spohrer
Dr. James (“Jim”) C. Spohrer is the director of service research at IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA. Spohrer is pioneering the development of the emerging field known as Service Science, which seeks to understand service systems and improve service quality, productivity, compliance and innovation. As a founding advisor of the Service Research and Innovation Initiate, he works with global universities, governments and businesses to understand future skill needs for sustainable growth of knowledge-intensive service economies.
As CTO of IBM Venture Capital Group, he developed win-win relationships with emerging technology businesses across all areas of IBM’s business. Prior to joining IBM, Spohrer held the role of distinguished engineer, scientist and technologist at Apple Computer’s Advanced Technology Group, where he worked to establish Apple’s first on-line learning community and vision for the future of learning technologies. Spohrer earned a doctorate in computer science from Yale University in 1989 and a Bachelor of Science in physics from MIT in 1978.