Gerald J. Hane is the President and CEO of Battelle-Japan, a joint venture of Battelle Memorial Institute, the world’s largest independent, non-profit research organization; and the Mitsubishi Corporation. Battelle-Japan advances partnerships in technology commercialization, contract research, and laboratory management services in Japan and the Asia Pacific. Business sectors include energy and environment, water, information technology, and health and life sciences. Partnering with strategic and financial organizations in the Asia region, Battelle-Japan facilitates the commercialization of innovations by forming new ventures or other business relationships. Prior to taking this position, Dr. Hane worked with venture companies, investors, the US government and science and technology organizations in Asia regarding innovation-based business development and promotion.
Dr. Hane has also served as the Assistant Director for International Strategy and Affairs at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), with a concurrent position with the National Security Council. He also oversaw international initiatives addressing such challenges as energy and environment, infectious diseases, natural disasters, food and nutrition, water quality, counter-terrorism, and export controls. Dr. Hane was responsible for priority bilateral science and technology relations including Japan, China, and India, as well as multilateral relations with APEC, OECD, the G8, and Summit of the Americas.
Before entering OSTP, Dr. Hane was a Professional Staff Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the US House of Representatives. There his responsibilities included clean technologies, advanced manufacturing technologies, medical technologies, defense dual-use technologies, and aviation and aerospace technologies. He has been a Visiting Researcher at the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) of Japan's Science and Technology Agency, and began his career as a Research Engineer with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Dr. Hane received his PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, where he examined the management of innovation and the role of collaborative research and development activities in Japan. He has BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.