Paul Horn

Dr. Paul M. Horn was named NYU Distinguished Scientist in Residence in September of 2008 and Senior vice Provost for Research in September 2009. For nine years, Paul managed NYU’s worldwide research enterprise, including new programs in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, entrepreneurship programs, and technology transfer activities.

Dr. Horn is credited with greatly expanding the connections between NYU, industry, and the VC community; the starting of an NYU Venture Fund and Board; a huge increase in start-up activity; and a number of new entrepreneurship activities including Tech Expos, an Entrepreneurship Festival and start-up boot camps.

In a previous position as Senior Vice President of the IBM Corporation and Executive Director of research, he directed IBM’s worldwide Research program with 3200 technical employees in eight sites in five countries around the world, and helped guide IBM’s overall technical strategy.  In his 28 years with IBM, Dr. Horn was known for translating technology based research into marketplace opportunities.  Under his leadership IBM Research produced an unmatched string of technological breakthroughs, semiconductors, software and hardware including the chess-playing supercomputer Deep Blue, the world's first copper chip, the giant magneto-resistive head (GMR), strained silicon (a discovery that allows chips to run up to 35 percent faster), and BlueGene the world’s fastest supercomputer that brought computing leadership back to the United States.  As one of IBM’s most senior technical executive reporting to Lou Gerstner, Dr Horn played a significant role in the reinvention of IBM in the mid-90s, and the move of IBM Research into the software and services arenas.  

Dr. Horn received his doctoral degree in physics from the University of Rochester.