Marie Cole is a Distinguished Engineer in IBM Systems Supply Chain Engineering. She joined IBM in 1984 after completing a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and then earned an M.S. in Materials Science from Columbia University.
She is responsible for Supplier Technical Management strategies to evaluate the quality and reliability of new technologies before they are introduced into IBM Server and Storage systems. She is an internationally recognized expert in electronic packaging materials. Marie has led development teams responsible for microelectronic packaging, card assembly and sub-systems with a focus on environmentally friendly materials and processes. She is also actively involved in on-going efforts to enhance the robustness of IBM hardware and develop new test methodologies to evaluate and qualify hardware for more severe data center environments. Her new technical interest areas include cybersecurity for manufacturing and blockchain for the supply chain. She holds several US Patents, is a member of the IBM Academy of Technology and has received several IBM technical awards, including a Corporate Award for Lead-free Soldering Transformation and a Best of IBM Award.
She has published more than 90 conference papers, with several receiving Best Paper recognition by the Surface Mount Technology Association. Marie has also received industry technical awards, including the 2014 SMTA Founder’s Award and the 2014 ASM Engineering Materials Achievement Award recognizing the IBM Lead-free Server Team. She currently represents IBM on the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) Board of Directors. She served previously on the High Density Packaging User Group Board of Directors and the SMTA Board of Directors.
Marie is a life member of the Society of Women Engineers and the recipient of a 2017 SWE Spark Award for mentoring. Encouraging girls and women to enter and succeed in science and engineering is one of her passions. As a 5 year breast cancer survivor, Marie also volunteers and advocates for community members affected by cancer, supporting several local cancer organizations.