Meet the Team

Meet the Team

We are a 60-person professional staff dedicated to supporting all University of Chicago students, faculty, staff, alumni, and outside small business owners in navigating the complex process of creating and growing a startup or bringing their idea to market. We also serve as an important gateway for industry partners, helping them access new research and technologies from the University of Chicago.

Science and Technology

Science and Technology

Bill Payne, PhD

Bill Payne, PhD

Executive Director, Science and Technology

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Bill Payne, PhD

Executive Director, Science and Technology

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773.834.7846
E: billpayne@uchicago.edu

Executive Assistant:
Beatriz Gonzalez
O: 773.834.3209
E: gonzalezb@uchicago.edu

Bill Payne is the executive director of science and technology at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. In this role, he leads the technology commercialization, Polsky Science Ventures, and industry relations teams working to bring groundbreaking faculty research to the market.

As a seasoned business and technology executive from the telecommunications industry, Bill most recently served as vice president and chief operating officer of Roberson and Associates’ consulting. The firm’s clients are from various technology industries, and its services include intellectual property assessment and expert witness testimony.

Bill has held leadership roles in product and technology development at Nokia, Motorola, and AT&T. He had business unit chief technology officer (CTO) responsibilities at both Nokia and Motorola, driving innovations into commercial products and services. He led Nokia’s Small Cell Business Line, as well as the development of Motorola’s first commercial 4G/LTE cellular infrastructure products. As CTO of Motorola’s infrastructure business, he incentivized the development of idea disclosures and introduced an innovation gate process to track, promote, and move concepts toward patent filings and/or commercialization. Bill has 9 issued patents.

Bill is also a startup veteran—having founded and built a company that developed a mobile advertising and sponsorship service that was integrated into AT&T’s and Verizon’s networks and approved for use.

Bill received his BSEE from Purdue University, his MSEE from Georgia Tech, and his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is a lifelong Chicagoan who enjoys boating and sports.

Eric Ginsburg, PhD

Eric Ginsburg, PhD

Senior Director, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

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Eric Ginsburg, PhD

Senior Director, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773.834.0746
E: ginsburg@uchicago.edu

Eric Ginsburg, PhD, serves as the senior director, intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Eric’s team works with faculty and other researchers to move their discoveries and inventions towards the marketplace.

Prior to joining Polsky, Eric worked in research and development at Eastman Kodak and Abbott Laboratories, and was a postdoctoral researcher at the IBM Almaden Research Center.  

Eric earned a SB degree from MIT and a PhD from Caltech, both in Chemistry. His graduate work focused on the synthesis and characterization of soluble electrically conducting polymers. Eric is a registered patent agent and a certified licensing professional.  

In his spare time, Eric enjoys being somewhere like this or this as often as possible.

Michael Batalia, Ph.D.

Michael Batalia, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Business Development and Licensing

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Michael Batalia, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Business Development and Licensing

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773.834.4240
E:batalia@uchicago.edu

Michael Batalia has joined the Polsky Center as Senior Director, Business Development and Licensing for the Polsky Science and Technology team. Michael leads our Business Development team that negotiates and manages intellectual property (IP) licenses and options, interinstitutional agreements, confidentiality disclosure agreements, and material transfer agreements (outgoing corporate). Michael joins our team from his role as Director, Apio Innovation Transfer where he was responsible for developing and presenting technology transfer and IP training programs on a global scale. He is also co-founder of Wide-Eyed Technologies which developed and applied 3D printing technologies for custom manufacturing.  Michael has an extensive background in technology transfer operations. Michael is a UChicago alum, where he earned his A.B. in Chemistry. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduate school, Michael was awarded a Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Postdoctoral Fellowship, and he performed research in the department of microbiology and immunology as well as the department of chemistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Michael’s office is within the Polsky area in the Drexel building.

David Gross

David Gross

Senior Director, Technology Marketing and Innovation Growth

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David Gross

Senior Director, Technology Marketing and Innovation Growth

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773.702.8443
E: davidgross@uchicago.edu

David Gross is the director of technology marketing and innovation growth for the Polsky Center. He focuses on building relationships with industry partners on behalf of the Polsky Center and manages a portfolio of strategic projects in the areas of innovation and science.

Prior to moving to Chicago, Dave was the COO of a commercial construction company in Des Moines, Iowa. He has also worked in real estate strategy for Walgreens, and as a business analyst for Target in Minneapolis.

Dave holds an MBA from Duke University and a BA from Northwestern University in economics and geography. 

Fei Li, PhD

Fei Li, PhD

Senior Manager, Venture Partnerships

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Fei Li, PhD

Senior Manager, Venture Partnerships

Address : 6054 S Drexel Ave, Suite 405, Chicago, IL 60637l

O: 773.702.8833

Email: fli5@uchicago.edu

Fei Li, Ph.D., serves as a senior manager in venture partnership at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Fei supports science faculty with startup formation and venture capital connections – including managing the Science Commercialization Advisors (SCA) program.  He is a member of the Technology Marketing and Innovation Growth team within PST and work closely with the Deep Tech Ventures team on startup support.

Prior to joining Polsky, Fei worked at ARCH Venture Partners on deal sourcing and due diligence to evaluate investment opportunities in physical and life sciences. Prior to ARCH, Fei was a research engineer at Canon Nanotechnologies, Inc where he developed new materials used in semiconductor lithography applications.

Fei holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of New Mexico, an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and post-doctoral experience from Texas A&M University.

Narayan Subramanian, PHD

Narayan Subramanian, PHD

Senior Manager, Front End of Innovation

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Narayan Subramanian, PHD

Senior Manager, Front End of Innovation

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
E: narayan@uchicago.edu

Narayan Subramanian currently serves as a Senior Manager at the Front End of Innovation at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. In this role, he closely collaborates with our Technology Development team to identify faculty members whose research might benefit from advanced inventing sessions. He also assists in identifying opportunities to commercialize their research.

Before joining our team, Narayan worked at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he held various positions, most recently as the Technology Head for Satellite Remote Sensing. At TCS, he led a group that provided various intellectual property (IP) services to the organization, including patent analysis, ensuring freedom to operate, providing training, and managing licensing. Prior to TCS, Narayan gained experience in IP management during his eleven-year tenure at General Electric (GE), where he worked in various technology domains. At GE, he managed the IP Portfolio for the GE battery division and was actively involved in risk mitigation strategies. Throughout his two decades of experience, he has played a pivotal role in guiding strategic innovation, nurturing inventions to maturity, and conducting competitive analysis.

Narayan holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in design thinking and innovation. Additionally, he is a registered patent agent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Outside of work, Narayan enjoys taking long walks, playing chess, and is a meditation instructor.

Benjamin Cox, PHD

Benjamin Cox, PHD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

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Benjamin Cox, PHD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

6054 S Drexel Ave, Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773-834-3211
M: 608-469-4846
E: blcox@uchicago.edu

Ben Cox, PhD, serves as manager of intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages a diverse intellectual property portfolio consisting of inventions related to physics, medical imaging, and devices. He has become a key leader for the ongoing development of our quantum sciences technology portfolio and has also made great progress on soliciting and developing medical device inventions from clinical researchers.

Ben has assisted with entrepreneurial programs across the Polsky Center, acting as a coach to early-stage startup companies through the completion of the programs. He also serves as a mentor through the Polsky Exchange, where he advises people from UChicago and the surrounding community on engineering design, fabrication techniques, and intellectual property.

Prior to joining Polsky, Ben was a postdoctoral fellow in the Medical Engineering Group at the Morgridge Institute for Research in Madison, WI, working on novel medical device development with campus area clinicians. During his postdoctoral fellowship, he also served as an associate lecturer in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, teaching undergraduate design courses. He also volunteered on the board of directors for WiSolve Consulting Group, a non-profit business consulting group that trains STEM grad students in business consulting and entrepreneurship, serving a term as their director of operations.

Ben earned his PhD in medical physics from the University of Wisconsin, leveraging his engineering background to design and fabricate hardware for a variety of medical imaging applications. Before graduate school, he helped found a fabrication facility at the Morgridge Institute in Madison as a staff engineer. Additionally, he is an inventor of a novel nuclear medicine imaging phantom and co-founded a startup company to commercialize it. In his spare time, he enjoys learning how to cook new things and spending time with family and friends.

Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD

Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD

Manager, Business Development and Licensing - Microbiome

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Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD

Manager, Business Development and Licensing - Microbiome

6054 South Drexel Avenue, Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
O: 773.834-8154
E: kgonishi@uchicago.edu

Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD, serves as manager for business development and licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Ken works with faculty in the Duchossois Family Institute to build partnerships with companies working in the microbiome and helps researchers transform their ideas and discoveries into licenses, products, services, and startups.

Prior to joining Polsky, Ken managed the chronobiology and neuroimmunology laboratory at the Institute for Mind and Biology. He earned his PhD in integrative neuroscience from the University of Chicago and his research focused on circadian rhythms and sex differences in biomedical research. While pursuing his doctoral degree, Ken performed due diligence as a George Schultz Innovation Fund Associate and screened novel University technologies for scientific merit, market size, and consumer adoption.

Ken is dedicated to commercializing microbiome-related technologies to improve health outcomes via therapeutics and diagnostics. In his spare time, Ken enjoys climbing, running outdoors, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Anna Dembo, PHD

Anna Dembo, PHD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

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Anna Dembo, PHD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

6055 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
O: 773-834-8752
E: adembo@uchicago.edu

Anna Dembo, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse portfolio, including cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Anna also participates in faculty outreach efforts and in assessing new technologies from intellectual property and commercial potential perspectives.

Prior to joining Polsky, Anna was a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Dr. Geoffrey L. Greene, chair of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago. She also received her doctorate degree at the University of Chicago from the Committee on Cancer Biology. Anna’s research focused on preventing outgrowth of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

In her spare time, Anna enjoys traveling, cooking, and listening to podcasts.

Shane Thomas Peace, PhD

Shane Thomas Peace, PhD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

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Shane Thomas Peace, PhD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
E: stpeace11@uchicago.edu

Shane Thomas Peace, PhD, is a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse set of faculty from the Biological Sciences Division and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. In addition, Shane participates in faculty outreach efforts and in assessing new technologies from intellectual property and commercial potential perspectives.

Prior to joining Polsky, Shane was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chicago’s Institute for Mind and Biology, where he researched the role of cortical feedback in the olfactory system during odor discrimination tasks using electrophysiological and optogenetic tools. Shane earned a PhD in neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University where he used a microelectrode array and optogenetics to study neural synchronization mechanisms that coordinate coherent oscillations in the olfactory bulb. Shane earned a BA in psychology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

In his free time, Shane enjoys low and slow barbeque, listening to the Mississippi delta blues, and spending time in the great outdoors.

Dane Smith

Dane Smith

Senior Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing for Computer Science Technologies

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Dane Smith

Senior Associate Director, Business Development and Licensing for Computer Science Technologies

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
O: 773.834.3208
M: 858.997.8716
E: danesmith@uchicago.edu

Dane Smith serves as the senior director of business development and licensing for computer science technologies at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Dane works with faculty in computer science and AI to help transform their ideas and discoveries into patents, licenses, products, services, and startup ventures. He helps lead intellectual portfolio patenting, licensing, strategic partner development, and technology commercialization activities.

Prior to joining Polsky, Dane spent over thirty years managing global field operations for early stage companies and Fortune 100 enterprises, penetrating new markets, commercializing research, implementing technologies, helping to start new companies, and fundraising. Most recently he served as a strategic advisor to the CEO and   chief academic officer for the Winward Academy, a research-based, student-centered learning platform for high school students to build English, math, and reading skills. Dane’s nonprofit experiences include fundraising, creation, production, marketing, and global distribution for Arbella Studios, a Los Angeles-based documentary film studio.

Dane earned a bachelor’s degree from the Scripps College of Communications at Ohio University and is presently pursuing his doctoral degree from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, where he is a Doctor of Business Administration Nonprofit Management Fellow. In his spare time, Dane enjoys his board and fundraising advisory roles with BoomCloud 360, VRx Medical, Copernicus Microbeam Radiation Therapy, Teens Rise Foundation, and the Emanuel Trust. He and his wife, Nicole, always look forward to global travel, yoga, skiing, tennis, pickleball, and periodically, golf.

Han Sun, PhD

Han Sun, PhD

Senior Manager, Business Development, The Duckworth Family Cancer Fellow

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Han Sun, PhD

Senior Manager, Business Development, The Duckworth Family Cancer Fellow

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
E: hansun@uchicago.edu

 

Han Sun, PhD, serves as a senior manager in business development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Han works closely with University of Chicago researchers and cancer research community to evaluate, develop, and market oncology-related discoveries and match new discoveries to unmet needs.

Han earned a PhD in cellular and molecular medicine from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. While at JHU, she started her cancer research career and contributed to the successful development of a therapeutic antibody that was licensed to a company. Han completed her post-doctoral training at City of Hope National Medical Center, gaining more experience in cancer immunotherapy research. 

In her spare time, Han enjoys reading and cooking – really spicy food. 

Mike Hinton, PhD

Mike Hinton, PhD

Senior Manager, Technology Marketing

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Mike Hinton, PhD

Senior Manager, Technology Marketing

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago IL 60637
O: 773-834-9151
M: 815-757-0651
E: mhinton@uchicago.edu

Mike Hinton, PhD, serves as a senior manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mike’s responsibilities include sourcing industry partners for the commercialization of a diverse portfolio of University intellectual property. He also identifies and monitors market trends and supports optimization of strategies for introducing technologies into the competitive environment.

Mike holds a PhD in microbiology and immunology from Virginia Commonwealth University and conducted research on the hepatotoxic effects of anti-HIV therapeutics under a National Institute of Health fellowship. Prior to joining Polsky, Mike served on the board of directors of Colonial Scientific, a laboratory and medical supplier primarily serving the northeast region.  He also worked as a chemist for Chemtool Incorporated providing technically oriented project management and sales support.  He also volunteered as a technical consultant with the Chicago Inventors Organization working with early stage medical device companies addressing patentability and marketability of inventions.

In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with family, live music shows, and outdoor recreational activities.

Veronica A. Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD

Veronica A. Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

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Veronica A. Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD

Manager, Intellectual Property and Technology Development

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
O: 773.702.8689
E: vhaywoodragland@uchicago.edu

Veronica Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse portfolio from the Biological Sciences Division and works with faculty to develop intellectual property and commercial strategies to move faculty innovations from the bench to the market.

Prior to joining Polsky, Veronica was an Associate Technology Manager for the University of Illinois Chicago, where she was responsible for evaluating, managing, marketing, and licensing intellectual property assets from several departments in the Colleges of Medicine, Applied Health Sciences, Nursing, Public Health, Social Work, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Veronica trained in the Center for Tissue Regeneration and Wound Healing and earned her Ph.D. in Oral Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Veronica’s research focused on the molecular and glyco-biological changes associated with pathological wound healing. In addition to her Ph.D., Veronica also holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University.

Veronica has over 10 years of clinical experience working in acute and critical care settings with specialty training in Wound Care, which she uses to support clinical and translational science and commercialization initiatives within the university setting. She is a current member of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), Women in Bio, and the Wound Healing Society. In her spare time, Veronica enjoys providing advisory and consultancy services to a diverse array of companies, serving on organizational committees, gardening, and traveling.

Jack Crewse

Jack Crewse

Associate Manager, Technology Development and Intellectual Property

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Jack Crewse

Associate Manager, Technology Development and Intellectual Property

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
O: 773.834.8195
E: jcrewse@uchicago.edu

Jack Crewse serves as an Associate Manager of Intellectual Property and Technology Development as part of the Polsky Science and Technology team. In this role, he collaborates with a diverse group of faculty members, focusing on the protection of intellectual property in the fields of computer science and physics.

Before his tenure at Polsky, Jack was engaged as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Argonne National Laboratory’s Center for Nanoscale Materials. His research there centered on exploring new nanomaterials through analytical techniques and high-performance computing simulations. As a graduate student at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, he delved into the impact of disorder on quantum phase transitions, employing high-performance Monte Carlo simulations. Additionally, Jack spent time as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Regensburg, where he pioneered simulations for terahertz laser interactions with topological insulator materials, providing vital insights for groundbreaking experiments in ultra-fast electron dynamics. He earned his B.S. in Physics from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2015.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Jack is passionate about music and art, enjoys PC gaming, and is a dedicated father.

Harrison Paul, PhD

Harrison Paul, PhD

Associate Manager, Technology Marketing

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Harrison Paul, PhD

Associate Manager, Technology Marketing

6054 S. Drexel Ave., Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60637
M: 770-375-9274
E: hrpaul@uchicago.edu

Harrison Paul, PhD, serves as an associate manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Harrison’s responsibilities include sourcing industry partners for the commercialization of a diverse portfolio of University intellectual property. He also identifies and monitors market trends and supports optimization of strategies for introducing technologies into the competitive environment.

Prior to joining Polsky, Harrison earned his PhD in molecular engineering from University of Chicago and conducted research on sustainable materials with enhanced transport properties for applications in water purification and biomedical devices. While pursuing his doctoral degree, Harrison performed due diligence as a George Schultz Innovation Fund Associate and screened novel University technologies for scientific merit, market size, and consumer adoption. He also co-founded Oleo Sponge, Inc. to commercialize an oil spill remediation technology from Argonne National Lab.

In his spare time, Harrison enjoys hiking, climbing, and playing tabletop RPGs.

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