Cheryl L. Shavers facts for kids
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Cheryl L. Shavers
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Cheryl L. Shavers, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology (1999–2001)
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Cheryl Lynn Shavers
December 26, 1953 |
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Cheryl L. Shavers (born December 26, 1953) is an American chemist, engineer, and businesswoman. She was born in San Marcos, Texas. After getting her chemistry degree, she worked as an engineer at Motorola.
Later, Shavers earned a PhD in solid state chemistry. She then worked in Silicon Valley at companies like Hewlett Packard and Intel. From 1999 to 2001, she served as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology for the US government. This role was given to her by President William Clinton. After leaving government work, she started her own business, Global Smarts Inc. Cheryl Shavers is also recognized in the Women In Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Education
Cheryl Shavers grew up in South Phoenix with her mother and sister. She went to South Mountain High School. Watching police investigators work made her want to study forensic science. This field needed a chemistry degree.
Shavers received a scholarship to Mesa Community College. There, she earned an Associate Arts degree in chemistry. She then went to Arizona State University (ASU). She studied chemistry for her Bachelor of Science degree. To pay for college, she worked at night in a data processing center.
She also had an internship at the Phoenix Police Department's crime lab. She worked on a team that developed new ways to study trace materials. After graduating in 1976, she met Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. This meeting made her work feel very real. However, she decided that an academic career was not for her. She wanted to work in industry and "make things happen."
Career in Technology
In 1976, Shavers started working at Motorola in Phoenix. Motorola encouraged its new employees to continue their studies. So, she studied thermodynamics at ASU while working.
In 1978, she left Motorola to focus on her studies at Arizona State University. She earned her PhD in solid state chemistry in 1981. Her research focused on crystal chemistry, including oxides and nitrides.
After her PhD, she joined Hewlett Packard in California. She started as an engineer working on semiconductors. Later, she moved to the company's legal department. She became a patent agent, helping to protect new inventions. She also studied law at night for four years. But she found legal work boring. She decided to return to science and technology.
She took a management job at the Wiltron company. When that company moved, she stayed and worked at Varian Associates. There, she researched thin films.
Leadership at Intel
Intel recruited Shavers, and she quickly moved up to senior management roles. She also wrote a weekly column called "Women in Technology" for the San Jose Mercury News newspaper.
In 1999, President Bill Clinton chose her for a big role. She became the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology. In 2001, she left government service. She then started her own company, Global Smarts. This company helps other businesses with advice and strategies. Shavers has also hosted radio shows and served on the boards of several technology companies.
Government Service
The US Senate approved Cheryl Shavers as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology in 1999. She held this position until 2001.
In this role, she oversaw important parts of the Commerce Department. These included the Technology Administration (TA) and the Office of Technology Policy (OTP). She also oversaw the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Shavers helped develop policies and gave advice on technology. She worked on standards for encryption and digital signatures. These were important for making web commerce safe and secure.
She also represented the Department of Commerce in many science and technology discussions. For example, she co-chaired the Technology Subcommittee for the U.S.-Egypt Partnership for Economic Growth.
Honors and Recognition
- Hall of Fame, Women in Technology International (1996)
- Hall of Fame, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University (1997)
Personal Life
Cheryl Shavers is married to Joseph C Agu. They live in Santa Clara, California. They have a daughter and twin sons. In an interview, Shavers said she feels responsible to make paths wider for future generations of children.
