Mark Harris
Director of External Engagements and Partnerships at Discovery Partners Institute, Bureau of Educational Research
Contact
200 S. Wacker Dr, Suite 400
UIC Campus Mail, IL 00002
Biography
Mark Harris is the Director of External Engagements and Partnerships at Discovery Partners Institute. He has more than 16 years of experience working to enrich Illinois' tech and innovation economy and the state's STEM talent pipeline. Most recently he served as the President & CEO of the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC), a member-driven statewide nonprofit that measures, connects, and advocates for the Illinois innovation community. He also lead the creation and growth of the affiliated Illinois Science & Technology Institute (ISTI), which runs impactful education programs that connect companies and universities with high school youth through research and problem-based learning. Previously, Mark served as deputy chief of staff for the State of Illinois, was an associate director for the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and served in senior positions at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Mark holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. He serves on the board of Energy Foundry and the Albany Park Theater Project, is a founding member of the Steering Committee of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, and is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. Mark also is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago Department of Public Administration. Mark is Chilean-American and is fluent in Spanish.