Ryo Ishibashi

Dr. Ryo Ishibashi (Ryo) joined Corporate Relations in April 2022, bringing extensive leadership experience across startups and multinational corporations in automotive, software, and robotics. Previously, he served as Japan Country Manager for a U.S.-based robotics startup specializing in AI-driven warehouse automation. Under his leadership, the company successfully expanded its operations in Japan and later went public during his tenure.

Ryo has worked in Japan, Singapore, and the United States and is fluent in English and Japanese. He earned his bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, his master's from Columbia University, and his doctorate from The George Washington University, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His research, advised by Dr. Jonathan Bierce (MIT alum, Course 8), developed an advanced analytical framework using multivariate regression to model decision-making at the intersection of policy, research, and engineering.

His expertise spans several domains: bibliometrics and scientometrics (quantitative analysis of research and innovation trends), Python programming and data science (computational analysis and statistical modeling), and machine learning techniques including random forest, Bayesian optimization, and gradient boosting (predictive modeling and optimization).

His areas of research and personal interest include engineering management, quantitative policy analysis, and econometrics. He is particularly focused on the interplay between technology and geopolitics, correlations between state power and innovation—quantified through patent activity and R&D intensity—and defining and qualifying "innovation ecosystems" as pipelines for export economies.

Ryo is a member of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the US-Japan Council, and the Japanese American Citizens League.