Darlene Solomon appointed as vice president and director of Agilent Laboratories; Tom Saponas, chief technology officer and vice president and director of Agilent Labs to retire
Agilent Technologies has named Darlene Solomon as vice president and director of Agilent Laboratories, its central research facility, effective immediately.
She replaces Tom Saponas, who is retiring.
Solomon most recently held a dual role as director of the Life Science Technologies Laboratory within Agilent Labs, as well as senior director, research and development/technology, for Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) business.
At Agilent Labs she has been responsible for addressing the long-range technology strategy in support of Agilent's growing life sciences business, which is aimed at the drug discovery, genomics, proteomics and molecular diagnostics markets.
At LSCA, Solomon has managed near-term global, group-level R and D strategy, R and D investments and product development processes.
"Darlene has made extraordinary strategic and scientific contributions to the growth and development of Agilent's life sciences business," said Ned Barnholt, Agilent chairman, president and CEO.
"She brings a strong technical background, solid business management experience and an enthusiasm for technology that make her an exceptional candidate for this important technology leadership role at Agilent." Solomon joined Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in 1984 as a member of its technical staff, and held increasingly responsible research and management positions there prior to the formation of Agilent Technologies in 1999.
From 1978 to 1984, she conducted extensive academic research at Stanford University and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Solomon earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Stanford and a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from MIT.
With numerous patents and publications to her name, Solomon was inducted into the Women in Technology International's Hall of Fame in 2001.
She serves on the External Advisory Board for NSF's (US National Science Foundation) Nanobiotechnology Center and the Policy Board for Darpa's (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Center for Biochemical Optoelectronic Microsystems, and she is affiliated with numerous other influential professional associations.
Saponas, current director of Agilent Labs and CTO, joined Agilent in 1999 after 27 years with HP, where he served in a number of different positions in R and D.
Prior to his current role, he was general manager for HP divisions in Colorado Springs, and Lake Stevens, as well as vice president and general manager of the Electronic Instruments Group.
Saponas plans to retire in Colorado.
