Jaime Puente

Jaime Puente is a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft Research in the External Research & Programs group and is in charge of the External Research Program in Latin America. Prior to that, he spent 13 years as a faculty member in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Ecuador. His favorite subjects to teach were Computer Networking and Microprocessors. While it was difficult to leave academia to join the Industry, Jaime feels that he is still involved with the academic world through his work in External Research & Programs. He works closely with faculty and graduate students to create greater opportunities for them to pursue research. In addition, Jaime spent five years at various managing-level positions in the banking industry in Ecuador as Telecommunications and Information Technology Manager. This work kept him engaged with leading technology on a very personal level creating greater integration for the banks and the customers. Before joining Microsoft Research in 2003, Jaime worked as a Technical Project Manager for Latin America in the Professional Services division of Commerce One Inc., an e-business company based out of South Florida.

Jaime Puente was a Fulbright Scholar for his early engagement with Academia. It was during his time as a Fulbright Scholar that he started to lecture and conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields exploring how academia and industry needs intersect. His educational background includes a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Iowa State University, a Masters of Business Administration, and an Electronics Engineering degree both from ESPOL in Ecuador. Jaime is currently pursuing a PhD in Computing Technology in Education at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, USA.