William Chappell

Dr. William Chappell is the CVP and CTO of the Discovery and Quantum division of Microsoft (MDQ). This division builds both the scientific platform and the quantum computer to power the next generation of science. This will combine autonomous operations, scientific agents, quantum computing, and the Azure cloud to create a revolution in how science is accomplished. I have also been named the chair of the ECE council for the electrician and computer engineering department at the University of Michigan. Prior to Microsoft, he was formerly the director of the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). Serving in this position, he focused the office on three key thrusts important to national security. These thrusts included ensuring unfettered use of the electromagnetic spectrum, building an alternative business model for acquiring advanced DoD electronics that feature built-in trust, and developing circuit architectures for next-generation machine learning. MTO creates the MEMS, photonic, and electronic components needed to gracefully bridge the divide between the physical world in which we live and the digital realm where our information resides. Under Dr. Chappell’s leadership, MTO developed the basic underpinnings of computation and sensing needed for an effective, information-driven society. He created and kicked off the Electronics Resurgence Initiative, the nation’s largest investment in the foundation of electronics.Prior to his 8 year stint in government, Dr. Chappell was a professor at Purdue University specializing in electromagnetics.