UTRF announces promotions, staff addition
Two University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF) staff members have been promoted, according to UTRF President Dave Washburn.
Maha Krishnamurthy, well-known for her prior work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory before joining UTRF in 2011, has been promoted to the position of Assistant Vice President of Licensing in the Multi-Disciplinary Office in Knoxville. In this new role, Washburn says, “Maha will take a leadership role in several areas including managing the licensing team, strengthening the student internship program, and adding expertise on strategic projects.”
Krishnamurthy will continue to manage an active IP portfolio. She holds a PhD in Physics from Colorado State University, an MBA from the University of Tennessee and did post-doctoral research work at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park.
The other promotion is Lakita Cavin, who is now a Senior Staff Attorney based in the Health Science Center Office in Memphis. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from Auburn University and a JD from the University of Memphis.
Washburn also announced the hiring of Stefan Schweizer as a Licensing Associate in Memphis. He will assume management of the pharmaceutical invention portfolio, which is very appropriate given his most recent role as a drug development scientist at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Schweizer earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Goettingen.
