About

The Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives collaborates with deans, faculty and other University leaders to shape the strategic scientific and technological direction of the University and supports its implementation through and across the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the UChicago Global Centers, and Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The office also works in close collaboration with UChicago Research.

Fabiola Delgado

Fabiola Delgado

Associate Vice President of Finance

Fabiola (Fabi) serves as a key advisor to Juan de Pablo as he shapes and drives the National Laboratories’ vision. She supports the design, coordination and execution of strategic initiatives and operational plans in support of Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories’ mission, building strong partnerships with the Department of Energy, the National Laboratories, and the University of Chicago leadership teams.

As Associate Vice President of Finance, Fabi provides leadership for finance analysis, budgeting, accounting, reporting, and internal financial controls improvement for the operations under the Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives. Building collaborative relationships with the finance and leadership teams deployed in these offices, she provides guidance and resources to aid the units in the development and management of their respective strategic initiatives, operational plans, audit engagements and financial planning and reporting.

Executive Assistant:
Jennifer Nolan
Phone: 773.834.7974
Email: jmnolan@uchicago.edu

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Thelma Tennant

Thelma Tennant

Assistant Vice President for Corporate Engagement

Thelma works with University stakeholders and companies to build partnerships to support and enhance the University’s missions in research and education, and to accelerate the translation of new discoveries. Prior to her current role, she directed business development and licensing for the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she managed intellectual property transactions, including licensing new university technologies to commercial partners, and enabled research collaborations with companies. Thelma has been with the University’s technology transfer office for over 14 years, and has worked with many researchers and companies to help translate innovations from the lab to the marketplace, and to build productive research relationships. She has negotiated and led transactions with a wide range of corporate partners in industries ranging from pharma to publishing. Last year, the Polsky Science and Technology team’s efforts resulted in a series of exciting translational milestones, including three company exits, a record nine startups launched from UChicago technologies, and a new record number of technology licenses and options.

Thelma holds a PhD in Cancer Biology from The University of Chicago, and received her BA in Biology and English from the University of Virginia.

Office Administrator:
Tatiana Butler
Email: tatianab@uchicago.edu

Trudy Vincent

Trudy Vincent

Senior Associate Vice President for Federal Relations

Trudy leads the Washington, D.C.-based Office of Federal Relations and represents the University in policy discussions that bear on key University activities, including research funding, student aid, and health care. She also supports faculty and students who engage in policy matters.

Prior to joining the University of Chicago in February 2013, Trudy spent 26 years on Capitol Hill, working for three U.S. Senators, including as chief of staff for Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico. Trudy graduated from Duke University and received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Maryland. 

Shane Wilson

Shane Wilson

Associate Director of Communications

Shane develops and executes communications strategies and programs that build UChicago’s reputation for leadership in scientific research and impact, including a key role as part of the team developing the Science at Scale platform. He also helps ensure integrated communications with the affiliated national laboratories.

Prior to his role at the University of Chicago, Shane worked at the Museum of Science and Industry, most recently as communications manager for external affairs. where he developed a wide range of public-facing communications and strategies for the museum’s programs, events, exhibits, publications, and fundraising campaigns. Shane’s other previous roles include serving as web editor and online content manager for executive search firm Spencer Stuart and as creative director for software company Jellyvision Lab. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas and a social media marketing certification from DePaul University.

National Laboratories

Tracey Quinn

Tracey Quinn

Associate Vice President for National Laboratories

Tracey is accountable for strategic oversight and management of Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, including cultivating all aspects of relationship management for the laboratories’ combined $1.5B+ operating budget. She serves as the Secretary to the UChicago Argonne, LLC Board of Governors and the Fermi Research Alliance, LLC Board of Directors, and has executive management responsibility for all Board support and programmatic and operational review functions for both Boards.

Office Administrator:
Elena Jensen
Phone: 630-252-8101
Email: erolon@uchicago.edu

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Science Strategy

Julia Lane

Julia Lane

Assistant Vice President for Science

Julia leads the Science Strategy Team within the Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives to advance the University’s strategic science and technology goals. Julia works closely with faculty, deans, and other institutional leaders across campus to identify and develop strategic areas of research. The Science Strategy team enables deep, seamless collaboration between science initiatives and external partners to advance scholarship, discoveries, and technological developments at a global scale.

Administrative Coordinator:
Tatiana Butler
tatianab@uchicago.edu

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Innovation

Samir Mayekar

Samir Mayekar

Associate Vice President and Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

As head of the Polsky Center, Samir plays a pivotal role in advancing the University’s innovation, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and partnership priorities. He fosters connections across the University, our city, region, and world that enable the Polsky Center to accelerate the commercialization of critical technologies to help solve some of society’s most urgent challenges. He also elevates efforts to help drive economic development on the South Side and strengthen partnerships that bolster the university’s and Chicago’s upward trajectory as hubs of world-class innovation.

Administrative Coordinator:

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Global Initiatives

Katie Hrinyak

Katie Hrinyak

Associate Vice President, Global Initiatives and Strategy

Katie provides leadership for UChicago Global, which provides support, funding mechanisms, and infrastructure for the University community’s global engagement through a Chicago team and centers in Beijing, Delhi, and Hong Kong, while coordinating closely with the Center in Paris. She manages existing international relationships and builds new ones with the goal of expanding the University’s global reach. She also helps ensure appropriate risk management and mitigation procedures are in place for the University’s global activity and oversees HR, finance, legal, facilities-related, and other operational requirements for the University’s overseas locations in Asia. She works with partners across campus to strengthen the institutional policy and procedures and serves as a liaison for matters relating to international operations. Katie previously served as a fundraising consultant to a range of domestic and international universities and other non-profit organizations, after spending nine years in Alumni Relations and Development at the University of Chicago. She holds a master’s degree from UChicago and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary.

Administrative Coordinator:
Tatiana Butler
tatianab@uchicago.edu

 

 

Peter Kujawinski

Peter Kujawinski

Director of Global Communications

Peter Kujawinski leads communications efforts to increase awareness and recognition of UChicago as a leading global research university. In close collaboration with University leaders, schools and divisions, and other campus partners, he develops and implements the global communications strategy and plan to support the University’s international programs and partnerships, overseas centers and campuses, research collaborations, and global education opportunities.

Peter joins the University with a strong background in global communications strategy, media relations, international affairs, and public policy. Most recently, he led global media relations for The Kraft Heinz Co., where he significantly increased the company’s international media coverage. He also previously served as an American diplomat, in positions such as consul general in Calgary and as political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. Earlier in his career, he was a political adviser for the U.S. mission to the United Nations and a political analyst at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. During his overseas service, he received the State Department’s Superior Honor Award twice, for reporting on French responses to terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11, and for his work in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake and cholera epidemic.

Peter is also an award-winning reporter and writer whose work has been published in The New York Times and other publications and the co-author of several young adult novels. He studied public policy at École Nationale d’Administration in Paris and earned his bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown.

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