Dr. Steven Abrams is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and the Director of Watson Life, a team of scientists, engineers, and designers tasked with understanding the role of cognitive systems in the lives of everyday consumers. His previous position was the Director of Software Technology in IBM Research, where he lead a team investigating programming models, languages, high-performance parallel and distributed systems, software engineering, governance, and human-computer interaction. Previously, he worked in Rational's CTO Office, looking after topics such as cloud computing and DevOps for Rational. Abrams started his career in IBM Research, exploring a broad range of topics including software modeling and architecture tools, computer music, robotics, computational geometry, and CAD/CAM rapid prototyping tools. He received his PhD in Computer Science from Columbia University.