It was 25 years ago that Sophie Vandebroek arrived in the United States
with a graduate fellowship; $500 and a clear-minded focus on earning a
doctorate in engineering. Today, Vandebroek is the chief technology
officer of Xerox
Corporation (NYSE: XRX), and the next inductee into the Women in
Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame.
Sophie
Vandebroek is one of four women who will receive the WITI Hall of
Fame Award for achievements and contributions in science and technology.
"This year’s Hall of Fame Awards marks WITI’s 16th year of honoring and
recording the contributions of women to science and technology,” says
Carolyn Leighton, WITI founder and chairwoman. “In addition to their
achievements, all our honorees have demonstrated a commitment to
advancing women, and are role models who inspire their colleagues and
future generations."
“Innovation
that is nurtured by our commitment to science and technology has defined
Xerox for decades,” said Vandebroek, who also serves as president of the
Xerox Innovation Group. “That’s what inspired me not only to build a
rewarding career here but also to encourage young people to embrace
careers in science and technology and help solve the problems facing our
world.”
Vandebroek will be honored today in San Jose, Calif., during the WITI
Women Powering Technology Summit, where she will deliver a keynote
presentation on the Future of Work.
"WITI's Annual Women Powering Technology Summit showcases leading women
who are influencing the direction of technology and business. WITI
leaders are committed to transforming the way companies think about
hiring and advancing women," says Leighton.
Vandebroek, named to her current position in 2006, is responsible for
overseeing Xerox’s research centers in Europe,
Asia,
Canada
and the United
States, as well as the Palo
Alto Research Center.
Vandebroek is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics
Engineers, a Fulbright Fellow, and a fellow of the Belgian-American
Educational Foundation. She holds 12 U.S. patents and has received
awards from Xerox, IBM, HP, Monsanto, the Belgium National Science
Foundation, Semiconductor Research Corporation, IEEE, and Cornell
University. Vandebroek is a member of the board of directors of Analogic
Corporation and Nypro Corporation, and is a member of the U.S. National
Academies Committee on Science, Technology & Law. She is a trustee of
Worcester Polytechnic Institute and also serves on the advisory council
of the deans of engineering at Cornell University and at MIT.
Vandebroek was born in Leuven, Belgium, where she earned a master's
degree in electro-mechanical engineering from Katholieke Universiteit in
Leuven. She received a doctorate in electrical engineering from Cornell
University, Ithaca, N.Y.
About Xerox
Xerox Corporation is a $22 billion leading global enterprise for
business process and document
management. Through its broad portfolio of technology and services,
Xerox provides the essential back-office support that clears the way for
clients to focus on what they do best: their real
business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox provides
leading-edge document
technology, services, software
and genuine
Xerox supplies for graphic
communication and office
printing environments of any size. Through ACS, A Xerox Company,
which Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive business
process outsourcing and IT
outsourcing services, including data processing, HR benefits
management, finance support, and customer relationship management
services for commercial and government organizations worldwide. The
134,000 people of Xerox serve clients in more than 160 countries. For
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