ARIZONA ECONOMY
A PASSION FOR INNOVATION
ROSE SCHOOLER VICE PRESIDENT OF INTEL'S INTERNET OF THINGS
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Intel’s non-stop innovation attracted Rose Schooler to the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer 27 years ago. Now, as vice president of the company’s Internet of Things strategy, Schooler sets the direction for one of its most pioneering divisions. At the simplest level, the Internet of Things involves connecting devices through a network to a cloud where data can be analyzed securely. “I like to say the Internet of Things is an opportunity to save money, save resources and save lives,” Schooler says. Intel has used the technology to reduce maintenance costs and increase efficiency in its own manufacturing processes, increase yields and reduce water use in a Malaysian rice field and to equip Parkinson’s patients with watches that capture a wide range physiological data. But the possibilities are endless. “It really has the opportunity to transform just about every industry,” Schooler says. Schooler’s professional success flows from her passion for innovation, a competitive nature and the ability to create a collaborative environment. Part of that came from her parents, both passionate people. Her mother, a recently retired senior vice president of a bank in Schooler’s hometown of Ellwood City, Penn., became her first female professional role model. As an only child, Schooler learned teamwork and competition playing basketball, softball and tennis. These days, she gets to watch her daughter, a soccer player, learn these lessons on the field—though she can’t always resist providing a little extra guidance. One day, Schooler pulled out a PowerPoint presentation to explain how to lead by example. “And yeah, she was 10,” Schooler says with a laugh. Now 17, Schooler’s daughter feels passionately about biology. But she also loves cars, and Schooler hopes she will at least consider automotive engineering. Schooler initially majored in biology, herself, wanting to become an orthodontist. But her friends included engineering students whose coursework intrigued her. She ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree in ceramic science and engineering, the study of inorganic, nonmetallic materials used in things like semiconductors. That led her to Intel. Today she’s passionate about women in technology, and serves on the National Center for Women in Technologies board, which helps create a strong pipeline for women in STEM fields. She believes we can do a better job of presenting technology to women by focusing on what technology can do, rather than the technology itself. That’s what attracted her to the field. And, yes, she leads by example, talking honestly about the tradeoffs. “I never realized the importance of that role until I held it myself,” she says. “The necessity to be able to look up in the senior ranks, and see that there’s a woman that’s not only successful at work but also, importantly, successful at home.”
WHO’S WHO IN BUSINESS // 2016
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5/17/16 5:34 PM