Mark Powell is the Deputy Commissioner for International Patent Cooperation for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Deputy Commissioner Powell’s responsibilities include leading international cooperative efforts to improve the international patent system in terms of efficiency, certainty and cost reduction for stakeholders; advancing international work sharing in examination and administration among offices; improving the PCT system; and other international harmonization matters. Trained as an electrical engineer, he entered the USPTO in 1986 as a patent examiner for high‐energy physics, and was next promoted to senior examiner in high‐definition television technology. In 1994 Mr. Powell was named a Supervisory Patent Examiner in the main IT examination division, overseeing the user‐interface, artificial intelligence, source‐code management, and computer graphics units. He served as a Technology Center Director from 2003‐2011 in the telecommunications area, managing some 1,200 patent examiners, all while participating in international patent matters on behalf of the agency. Mr. Powell holds a B.S.E.E from Clemson University and a Certificate in Advanced Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

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