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My Career Path
A career in science and technology is a learning career. Every day, you get paid to learn. That is the beauty of being able to work in this industry.
About Omkaram
- I was born in rural India.
- As a student, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in science and technology.
- After high school, I studied biology and chemistry, then molecular biophysics, and finally earned my Ph.D. in solid-state chemistry from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
- Upon completing my doctorate, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the semiconductor industry—I joined Bell Labs, where I applied fundamental science and technology to solve industrial problems.
- After 17 years with Bell Labs, I wanted to try something different, so I went back to academia and served as a tenured professor and vice chancellor for research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
- After a few years, I got the opportunity to join Applied Materials and apply materials engineering on an industrial scale to solve major problems for humanity.
- I currently work as the chief technology officer and senior vice president for Applied Materials.
- I’m also the president of Applied Ventures—the venture arm of Applied Materials—where we find and invest in entrepreneurs who are translating an idea into a product to solve high value problems.