Alicia Abella, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Innovative Services Research, AT&T Labs

Sweet Serendipity or Shrewd Strategy?

Dr. Alicia Abella is Executive Director of the Innovative Services Research Department at AT&T Labs Research, where she manages a group of multi-disciplinary technical staff specializing in data mining, user interfaces, IPTV, mobile services, and SIP/VoIP technology, and also chairs the AT&T Labs Fellowship program. As well, Dr. Abella is Executive Vice President for the Young Science Achievers Program, where she encourages high school-aged women and minority students to pursue careers in science and engineering. Dr. Abella has been recognized as one of the Top Five Women of the Year by Hispanic Business Magazine and was the recipient of the Pioneer Award from the Women of Color STEM Conference and the Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association Leadership of the Year Award. She was also recognized by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for her contributions in the area of green technology. Dr. Abella holds a B.S. degree from New York University, and an M.S., M.Phil, and Ph.D. from Columbia University. In May 2011, she was appointed by Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.