Technology Transfer Specialist Gets to Evaluate Inventions

Name: Faheem Ullah (he/him)

PhD: Neuroscience/Neuropharmacology, University of Western Sydney, 2020

What was your main area of research?

In my PhD, I worked on the pharmacological treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In my postdoc, I was working on the effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients memory and the alternative treatment for this disease.

What is your current job?

I am a Technology Transfer Specialist at Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

I work in the innovation department. I evaluate a lot of inventions and discoveries coming from Jefferson faculty, clinicians staff, students and postdocs. I meet with inventors, law firms, and industry partners to do deals. I manage the marketing and commercialization of our portfolio.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I come across new and exciting technology each time I get a project which is so fascinating.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

I use my scientific writing skills a lot to evaluate a potential invention and literature search to understand a technology. These are the skills that I developed during my PhD.

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

I did a year-long internship in innovation and licensing which was helpful to transition to my current role.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

LinkedIn

PhD graduate ➡️postdoctoral ➡️ Technology Transfer Specialist

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

They should start with an internship.

Was leaving academia an easy decision?

Yes, it was actually quite easy. I knew I did not want to stay.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Don’t stick only to the lab. Go out and explore things even within your own institution. There are always tons of resources for PhD and postdoc within the campus offered by the university for career development.