OTC Fellows

Marion Coe, Ph.D.
OTC Fellow: 2018
Scientist, Pinney Associates, Inc

1. Describe your current role
   I support various pharmaceutical clients at many stages in the drug development process – by evaluating available data for the potential acquisition of a new drug, crafting clinical development plans to aid pharmaceutical companies in their strategic development goals, engaging with FDA on behalf of clients, and executing post-marketing surveillance plans to assess unintended effects of drugs after their approval by FDA. 
2. Did being an OTC Fellow change your career trajectory? If so, how?
   The OTC Fellowship no doubt enhanced my resume, and during interviews, it was the most frequently asked-about position.
3. How did being an OTC Fellow help you with your current job?
   Creating summary documents and conducting market research for UK technologies for potential out-licensing provided a useful foundation for competitive intelligence and asset acquisition research I am currently engaged in.

"As an OTC Fellow, I loved 'being close to the action.' A wealth of excellent research is conducted daily, but without a dedicated group of people who disseminate that research and go through the complicated process of developing a tangible product, that research might never benefit the public. Having an opportunity to get UK-developed technologies into the hands of companies and people who were in a position to translate them into public-benefiting goods and services was extremely rewarding. It solidified my desire to eventually be someone who could help turn research into medicine." --Marion Coe

Stephanie Davis, Ph.D.
OTC Fellow: January-July 2019
Program Manager, National Institute on Aging (NIA) Office of Small Business Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
New Position (November 2020): Small Business Program Coordinator, National Hear, Lung and Blood Institute

1. Describe your current role:
   I currently work as a program manager at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Office of Small Business Research. Our office manages the small business innovation research (SBIR) and small business tech transfer (STTR) programs, which provide grants for a small biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, and health IT companies who are developing new technologies that relate to Alzheimer’s Disease and other diseases of aging. We also run several entrepreneurial-focused programs that help NIH investigators and small business owners bring their technologies from the bench to the market.
2. Did being an OTC Fellow change your career trajectory?
   If so, how? I did my OTC Fellowship for less time than most fellows did; I was slated to leave UK in July 2019 when my postdoctoral contract was up. However, I am incredibly grateful that I had the chance to work at the OTC because when I was interviewing with my current fellowship placement, I specifically sought out positions focused on the intersection between policy/government and entrepreneurship. I’m not sure if I would have developed as strong of an interest in this field if I had not had the chance to be an OTC Fellow, so I would say it helped change my career path for the better. 
3. How did being an OTC Fellow help you with your current job?
   Being an OTC Fellow allowed me to work very closely with budding entrepreneurs, and that is something I do very frequently in my current position. Also, performing market assessments allowed me to critically examine the commercialization potential of new technologies. Since my current job requires me to give feedback to small business grant applicants and educate them on how to put together a strong proposal, I have learned to apply these same critical skills in my new job.

“I am not exaggerating when I say that being an OTC Fellow was a critical experience that helped me get where I am today. I highly recommend that any STEM students and postdocs who want to broaden their transferable skills and learn more about how research is commercialized apply for this program.”  --Stephanie Davis

Mitch Lyon
OTC Fellow: Fall 2017-Spring 2018
Associate Attorney, King & Schickli, PLLC
 

1. Describe your current role
   As an associate attorney at King & Schickli, I frequently engage in a variety of intellectual property projects, including preparing patent, trademark and copyright applications, drafting office action responses and appeal briefs for both patents and trademarks, conducting patentability and infringement opinions, negotiating settlement agreements related to intellectual property disputes, engaging in trademark opposition disputes, and frequently corresponding with clients regarding their intellectual property
2. Did being an OTC Fellow change your career trajectory? If so, how?
   Given my background in engineering, I had planned on pursuing a career in patent law from the time I began law school. However, intellectual property coursework at the university was limited, and the OTC Fellow position gave me an opportunity to explore more areas of the field than I would have been able to otherwise.
3. How did being an OTC Fellow help you with your current job?
   My time as an OTC Fellow gave me the opportunity to see a more complete picture of the intellectual property process. As an attorney, my clients often have inventions created or are on the brink of dispute before I enter the picture. As a Fellow, my work started at the moment an inventor conceived a new idea. From doing background research to conducting marketability opinions, my time as a Fellow allowed me to garner an appreciation for the practical business considerations that go into securing intellectual property rights well before attorneys are involved.

"The OTC Fellowship Program played a huge role in rounding out my perspective on the field of intellectual property, which has continued to serve me well throughout my professional life." --Mitch Lyon

Kendra Stenzel, Ph.D.
OTC Fellow: August 2017 - July 2018
Research Network Coordinator, Kentucky Network for Innovation and Commercialization (KYNETIC), University of Kentucky

1. Did being an OTC Fellow change your career trajectory? If so, how? Absolutely. I already knew that I wanted to stay at the forefront of science, but not necessarily be in the lab. Being a fellow opened my eyes to how I could apply my experience as a scientist in a creative manner to continue to accelerate scientific discoveries.
2. How did being an OTC Fellow help you with your current job? It introduced me to the commercialization process and helped me network with the tech transfer office as well as investigators on campus. My time as a fellow opened the door to other opportunities to expand upon my skillset once my fellowship ended, which ultimately led to my current job.

“During school, I was always torn between having a love for science but also having a business-like mind. Being an OTC Fellow showed me a way to combine science and business. Every day increased the breadth of my knowledge in several different areas in science and I had the unique opportunity to keeps tabs on these new discoveries. It was hard work, but something I truly enjoyed each and every day.” --Kendra Stenzel

Austin Weiss
OTC Fellow: June 2018-June 2019
Sr Product Application Specialist, Syngenta
 

1. Describe your current role
   I work in a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers that work to bridge the gap between growers and our R&D chemists in the development of formulated pesticides. It’s my job to conduct research and test products in the pipeline to ensure compatibility with agricultural equipment, varying chemical inputs, and emerging technologies. In the lab, I study application efficacy, characterize spray quality, and ways to minimize spray drift as a few examples. I also look for opportunities to innovate and create partnerships with companies varying in size from startups to divisions of large corporations.
2. Did being an OTC Fellow change your career trajectory? If so, how?
   I always had an interest in R&D but, it was a great boost to get me to where I was going. It was an amazing opportunity to learn about IP commercialization that I otherwise wouldn’t have had by just taking engineering courses. It also made me very competitive when applying for the job I currently have.
3. How did being an OTC Fellow help you with your current job?
   It taught me valuable skills and perspectives that are useful for R&D work in the industry, such as how to read a patent to find the required information. I also learned a lot about the commercialization process for new technologies, how to do marketing research and materials, and the value in creating partnerships and a network to name a few.

“My time as an OTC fellow made me better equipped and competitive for a career in R&D.” --Austin Weiss