About TTO

Sakil Amin

I am a current graduate student majoring in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology at the University of South Florida. The interdisciplinary nature of my studies, encircling elements of chemistry, biology, engineering, and medicine, equips me with a diverse skill set. I like to embrace challenges from various fields that can significantly enrich my career and personal development. As a Technology Transfer Student Assistant, I will have the opportunity to immerse myself in a broad selection of novel biotech-related technologies at USF. This position will not only broaden my understanding of technological innovation but also provide practical experience in the commercialization and patenting processes. My technical skills and knowledge gained from working in the pharmaceutical industry will help me to understand the process and enable me to think creatively and strategically about new technological advancements.

Surabhi Gangani

I am a graduate student in the Master's program in Biotechnology at the USF, with strong research experience working in the wet lab. I am particularly interested in bridging the gap between innovation and the market. My academic journey has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of critical areas such as IP,  Trademark, Trade Secrets, and Copyright. This internship represents a pivotal opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, particularly in IP evaluation and research, and the development of marketing materials. By engaging in these activities, I aim to contribute effectively to the TTO, leveraging my biotechnology and intellectual property background to facilitate the commercialization of innovative research. This hands-on experience will enhance my practical skills and deepen my understanding of the technology transfer process, ultimately preparing me for a future career dedicated to advancing the interface between scientific innovation and market application

Vani Pailla

I am a graduate student at USF, specializing in Computer Science, and it is a great privilege to join the Technology Transfer Office as an Engineering Intern. In my first two semesters, I have written two technical papers, showcasing my strong interest in research and intellectual property. This internship offers an excellent opportunity to explore intellectual property, utilizing my skills in technical writing and research. By gaining practical experience in this role, I will learn to assess the potential and viability of new innovations. Understanding intellectual property protection will highlight the importance of protecting these innovations and offer insights into the legal and business frameworks necessary for their commercialization. I am eager to learn from the collaborative environment at the Technology Transfer Office and contribute to the successful transfer of technical innovations into practical industry applications.

Khanh Nguyen

I am a current undergraduate student double majoring in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics & Business Analytics and Information Systems at the University of South Florida. I strive to challenge myself continuously in work, even in aspects of my job with which I am already familiar. Learning new things, taking new opportunities, and working with different members of a department are some of the ways that I've been able to find motivation. Therefore, I am thrilled to take on the position of a TTO Student Assistant knowing I would be driven and inspired by the source of knowledge I gain from this job in the domain of scientific innovation, business development, marketing methods, and patent laws.

Divyanshu Pandya

I am a current honors student double majoring in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics & Business Analytics and Information Systems at USF. As an aspiring Product Manager, I bring efficient data management, and great coordination to the table. It is my great honor to be a part of such an amazing and helpful team. This opportunity offers me amazing exposure to the field of data modeling, management, and scraping which is extremely helpful in broadening my spectrum as a data analytics student. I also get to work with my new technologies, patents, and research papers helping me understand TTO a lot better, and finally in my brief time at TTO as a student assistant, I have been able to learn and grow immensely.

Berker Pekoz

I graduated from USF in May 2020 with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. What I enjoyed most while there was working with brilliant people: the licensing managers, marketing team, IP specialists, directors, and of course, my bullpen buddies. I learned the most about IP and patenting from the licensing managers (thanks to their tireless discussions), how to break down an invention into claims, and how to analyze the prior art with regards to patentability of the invention and freedom to operate, which is crucial in my profession. The main takeaway I got from being in the program is the legal, financial, and professional extent on which technology ownership and licensing is laid down in the U.S. Today, I'm working as a Senior Wireless Digital Signal Processing Applications Specific Integrated Circuit Systems Engineer at Qualcomm Flarion Technologies Incorporated New Jersey Research Center.

Christopher Conners

I graduated from USF in August 2017 with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. I was an intern at tech. transfer for four years. While interning there, I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn about the wide array of research being done at USF and getting a chance to learn more about all of those various scientific areas outside my personal experience/research. There is so much more to research than just experiments, data, and publication. What happens after the research is done? How do new discoveries/research actually make its way to the public to make an impact? Just as research is interdisciplinary, the path to commercialization is as well. It involve the science, business acumen, sales and marketing, patent and contract law, etc. There are so many more career paths out there than most people realize as well.

Claire Brown

I graduated with my master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology in 2020. I worked as an intern at the Tech Transfer Office for just under a year, and I enjoyed every minute of it! I most enjoyed getting to work with the fantastic licensing team and marketing team; everyone made sure that we knew how important our work was as interns. I grew so much throughout my time as an intern. Since my career goal is to be a patent agent, I learned what was necessary to meet this goal, and I left the program feeling confident that I would succeed.

Kristine Rudzik

I graduated from Stetson University in May 2016 with my Juris Doctorate while interning at TTO. During my time, I worked closely with the licensing managers, such as Steven Medina. Steven took the time to answer my questions while being a great source of information when looking at different Patent Rules for the USPTO. No day was the same, each day was a chance to gain something new within the technology transfer process. My main takeaway was learning more about patents, the prosecution process and marketing.

Melissa Merz

I graduated in August 2019 with a MS in Biomedical Engineering. I interned with the TTO office for two years, and currently work at NACCME, LLC as a Manager of Educational Development. The main duty of this position is to write medical grants for continuing medical education meetings. I learned so much during my time as a TTO intern, and particularly enjoyed the wide range of topics that the position allowed me to research and write on. The program also permitted me to gain versatile experience with a broad selection of novel biotech-related technologies at USF, helping to shape the next phase of my career after graduation.

Muhammad Arslan Saleem

I believe that we should not only work for a living, but our profession should ideally provide meaningful work that can impact the lives of others. While working at TTO, I was making a tangible impact by getting those technologies to market. I recently finished working as an intern at USF Technology Transfer. As soon as I started working there, I immediately felt connected. At TTO, I researched about incredible companies like Qualcomm who play a huge role in tech industry. I recently joined Qualcomm as an electrical engineer where I’m part of a team who executes different test scenarios using Qualcomm modem chipsets.

Rejus Babu Reddy

I graduated from the University of South Florida with a Masters in Electrical Engineering in May 2019. I was an intern for more than a year beginning Jan. 2018. Currently, I work at Qualcomm Technologies INC., as an MST Engineer. As an intern I have received many gifts, such as enhanced creativity, technology insights, sense of professionalism, bright work environment, motivation and support. The most important takeaway was innovative thinking — each and every application has innovation. My technical knowledge helped me to receive a great experience and joy in understanding the innovation and also think in similar ways. 

Charan Raj Reddy

I graduated from USF in May 2024 with a Master’s in Engineering Management and started my internship at USF Technology Transfer during the summer of 2023. During my time as an intern, I conducted prior art searches, performed market analysis, created marketing flyers, identified marketing targets, and participated in meetings with inventors. This hands-on experience provided me with a strong understanding of technology transfer and its role in bridging the gap between research and commercialization. Now, working as a Technology Scout at USF Technology Transfer, I continue to apply these skills to help bring innovative technologies to market, while deepening my passion for intellectual property management and technology commercialization. I’m excited to be in a role where I can contribute to innovations that make a global impact.

Teja Irigala

I was an intern at TTO during the time I was getting my master’s degree at USF. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, I began my Master’s for Biomedical Engineering, which I graduated with in May 2020. Being an intern at USF TTO taught me a number of skills that I apply to my full-time job now as an Assistant Vice President AML Sr. Analyst at Citi. I learned how to efficiently conduct research and communicate my findings with my peers. By taking part in this program, I was able to interact with intelligent people and learn how to effectively manage my time. These are skills that will be valuable in both my professional and private life. I am grateful for my time at the TTO and would encourage any student to get involved and/or utilize the resources provided by the office.

Victoria Bergman

I’m a graduate student in the Biomedical/Medical Engineering program. After I received my bachelor’s degree in Cellular & Molecular Biology from USF, one of the main reasons I chose to continue my education at USF is because of the plethora of opportunities and resources offered both on and off campus. One takeaway from my time in the intern program has been gaining a better understanding of the nuances of the patent process and creative ways in which technologies can be advanced and transferred from academia to industry. Something that I look forward to is seeing how implementation of the new changes regarding increased intern involvement with the inventors takes root to set a precedent that will help to further improve the program for future interns.