kpfair@uchicago.edu

Kerri Pride-Fair, Business Administrator, supporting David Awschalom, Andrew Cleland, and Nancy Kawalek. She can be contacted for invitations and responses for meetings, recruitment and scheduling, project coordination, data coordination and management, assisting with grants and administrative procedures, students and post-doctoral concerns, and daily operational and business needs.

ceciliamartinez@uchicago.edu

Cecilia provides technical guidance, training, and inspections to ensure a safe environment in PME laboratory spaces. She serves as a liaison between the PME research groups, the Office of Research Safety, and Environmental Health and Safety on research safety issues and works with PME leadership to implement strategies to foster a culture of safety within the school. She can be contacted for questions regarding research safety protocols, training, and safety material needs.

afrikapowell@uchicago.edu

Afrika manages day-to-day operations of the faculty special projects, centers, and initiatives crucial to the de Pablo Group and Nealey Group lab's success. As the Research administrator, Afrika works closely in partnership with faculty to plan, oversee, and execute all aspects of the research operation, particularly the organization of students and postdoctoral activities, grant proposal preparation, and manuscript editing. 

jlopez17@uchicago.edu

Joshua Lopez oversees all operations at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering shipping terminal inside the William Eckhardt Research Center, ensuring that cargo is handled safely and efficiently, often working closely with other management team members to develop new strategies for improving shipping/receiving operations. He can be contacted for guidance on shipping/receiving needs and specialty gasses, as well as assistance with packing items and carrier shipping containers and working out the logistics of outgoing/incoming items.

Atul R Khare, PhD, MBA, is VP, Scientific Affairs, Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company which is developing two drugs for kidney disease.  Dr. Khare has over three decades of experience in the management, commercialization, sales & marketing of drug and medical device R&D technologies. He has had a critical role in the development and implementation of strategies for commercialization and launch of multiple nanotechnology-based products. In addition, he has several years of experience in food R&D technologies. He has held positions at Baxter Healthcare Corporation and other pharmaceutical companies in the Chicago area. 

Dr. Khare is a visiting instructor in the Molecular Engineering Department at University of Chicago and teaches a class on commercialization of molecular engineering-based innovations and technologies. He was the course director for a one-day short course titled, “Commercializing Innovation in Food Products,” through the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) for three years. Dr. Khare received his Ph.D., in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has authored or co-authored over 50 peer reviewed journal articles, proceeding papers and abstracts, and has 5 patents.

Kathleen Akers is a Director at Epsilon Economics specializing in applying economics to intellectual property, international trade, and complex commercial disputes. Kathleen has assisted in preparing numerous expert reports submitted to U.S. Federal District Courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the International Court of Arbitration, as well as provided consulting services for clients across a wide range of industries.

Kathleen has performed economic analysis for international trade disputes regarding domestic industry, remedy, bond, commercial success, injury, and public interest in Section 337 intellectual property matters before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Additionally, she has provided consulting services for a variety of business disputes and conducted complex damages analyses including reasonable royalty analysis, lost profits determination, risk adjusted discounted cash flow analysis, other valuation analyses, as well as performed extensive market research of financial and historical data. While working on investigations filed in U.S. Federal District Courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and International Arbitration proceedings, she has assisted in consulting on litigation matters involving breach of contract, intellectual property infringement (including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets), F/RAND disputes over standard essential patents, and antitrust violations, primarily in the high technology, consumer electronics, and retail industries.

Kathleen holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago, where she was a student-athlete on the Varsity Softball team, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business specializing in finance, economics, and econometrics/statistics. Kathleen has been published in The University of Baltimore Law Review, co-authored Law and Economics in Jane Austen (Lexington Books, 2020), and also guest lectured undergraduate and law school courses in economics and valuation subject matter. Kathleen serves on the Board of Directors for the Franciscan Outreach – Chicago’s second largest homeless shelter.

ddgavins@uchicago.edu

Daphne Gavins’ portfolio will include academic affairs as well as faculty and staff career development.    

melyssag12@uchicago.edu

Melyssa Guzman is responsible for managing PME's Marketing and Communications projects, overseeing the use of PME promotional items, and promoting PME's brand and mission. Please contact her for project assistance and PME swag.

bstachler@uchicago.edu

Brett collaborates with faculty to manage and organize the PME recruitment and admissions efforts and events, with special attention to increasing inclusivity in the student body. They also serve as a point of contact and resource for faculty and their support staff, the Office of International Affairs, UChicagoGRAD, the Registrar’s Office, the PME, UChicago, and external stakeholders regarding the PME admissions and recruitment processes, policies and procedures. Additionally, they provide 1:1 and group support to current students and work with Dean of Students team members to develop a sense of community for current students in the PME. 

dailing@uchicago.edu

Paul Dailing is the communications and content manager at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. In this role, he serves as media liaison for the school and staff writer for the PME website. He works closely with communications colleagues across the University and with UChicago Central Media Relations. He can be contacted for press and media inquiries, including interview requests with faculty.