SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 13, 2013 – Santa Clara University School of Law Associate Professor Colleen Chien has been selected to serve in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), as senior advisor for intellectual property and innovation to Todd Park, the U.S. chief technology officer.
Chien will take a leave of absence from her teaching duties for at least a year to fulfill her new appointment, which begins Sept. 16.
In her new role, she will advise Park on issues related to intellectual property and innovation, as well as privacy, open government, and civil liberties. She will help ensure that OSTP can fulfill its missions to coordinate science and technology policy across the executive branch and to provide advice to the president on science and technology policy matters.
“We are extremely proud that the White House has recognized Professor Chien’s immense contributions to the field of patent and technology law,” said Lisa Kloppenberg, dean of Santa Clara University School of Law. “She will be greatly missed in the classroom and on campus, but we are certain the nation will benefit from her service.”
Chien brings substantial technical and policy expertise to OSTP, as an internationally recognized expert in patent law who was recently named one of the 50 most influential people in intellectual property worldwide by Managing IP magazine. She has testified before Congress, and has regularly provided comment and input to the Patent and Trademark Office, Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice. Prior to entering academia, Chien practiced law at Fenwick & West LLP in San Francisco, worked as a strategy consultant, and, while a Fulbright Scholar, as an investigative journalist.
Chien is the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Patsy Feng Chien and Ronald Jen-Min Chien, who came to the United States to receive their graduate school education in information technology. She is married to Dirk Calcoen, a physician and business advisor, with whom she has two sons.
She received her J.D. from Berkeley School of Law, after graduating from Stanford University with a B.S. in engineering and a B.A. with distinction in science, technology, and society, as well as with Goldman Honors from the Institute for International Studies. Her complete bio can be found at law.scu.edu/faculty/profile/chien-colleen/.
About Santa Clara University School of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law, founded in 1911 on the site of California’s oldest operating higher-education institution, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. One of the nation’s most diverse law schools, Santa Clara Law offers its 860 students an academically rigorous program, including graduate degrees in international law and intellectual property law; combined J.D./MBA degree; and certificates in intellectual property law, international law, and public interest and social justice law. Santa Clara Law is located in the world-class business center of Silicon Valley, and is distinguished nationally for our top-ranked program in intellectual property. For more information, see law.scu.edu.
Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121
