Dr. Shaun S. Gleason is the Director of Partnerships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where he leads efforts to transform research breakthroughs into real-world impact through technology transfer, entrepreneurship, commercialization, and regional economic development. In this role, he works across government, industry, and academia to build collaborations that accelerate innovation and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.
With more than 35 years at ORNL, Dr. Gleason has served in senior leadership roles spanning computing, national security, and strategic planning. He has directed multiple R&D divisions, led initiatives in quantum science and artificial intelligence, and shaped the lab’s long-term strategy. An entrepreneur as well as a scientist, he co-founded ImTek, Inc., a medical imaging company later acquired by Siemens, where he directed its Preclinical Research Division for 10 years.
Dr. Gleason earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a Senior Member of IEEE, and the author of more than 120 publications and 10 patents.
Panelist for Featured Session III: Regional and National Priorities in QIS: from basic research to deployed technologies