Addressing the grand science challenges of our time requires dynamic collaborations and partnerships on a global scale. SPARC is a highly selective program that equips outstanding emerging leaders from Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and the University of Chicago with the skills required to forge impactful and effective partnerships with industry, government, other academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. Members of the SPARC cohort will develop a toolkit and network that will help them launch and take a leadership role in new and innovative partnerships that have the potential to transform science and technology. Programming includes fireside chats with University and Lab leadership, talks from leaders in industry, personalized coaching, guidance from an Advisory Council of exemplary science leaders, and networking across the three institutions. Learn more here.

We are pleased to announce the participants in the inaugural SPARC cohort for the Fall 2023 program:

• Akram Bakkour – Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago
• Anindita Dutta – Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago
• Bei Ye – Section Manager, Fuel Technology Assessment (FTA) Section, Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies (CFCT) Division, Argonne National Laboratory
• Bryan Dickinson – Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago
• Heather Whitney – Research Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, The University of Chicago
• Jai Yu – Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago
• Jason Cheng – Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago
• John Anderson – Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago
• Joseph Strzalka – Physicist, Dynamics and Structure Group, X-Ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
• Justin Connell – Materials Scientist, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
• Kalyan Kumaran – Senior Computer Scientist, Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, Argonne National Laboratory
• Kyle Chard – Research Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, The University of Chicago; Joint Appointee, Argonne National Laboratory
• Maria Baldini – Scientist, Magnets Technology Division, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Matthew Kaufman – Assistant Professor, Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago
• Nhan Tran – Wilson Fellow and Division Director for Real-Time Processing Systems, Computer Science and AI Directorate, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Nhung Nguyen – Research Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago
• Saravan Chandrasekaran – In-Kind Contribution (IKC) Coordinator, PIP-II, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Sergey Chemerisov – Manager, Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope (IVEM) and Low Energy Accelerator Facilities (LEAF), Experimental Operations & Facilities Division, Argonne National Laboratory
• Sihong Wang – Assistant Professor, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago
• Yuepeng Zhang – Principal Materials Scientist, Applied Materials Division, Argonne National Laboratory

Benefits of Participating

• Advance your command of effective communication, partnership development, and industry engagement
• Personalized coaching from executive coaches at the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership and members of the SPARC Advisory Council
• Develop a professional roadmap outlining partnership strategies
• Engage with University and Lab leadership on major science initiatives and partnerships 
• Network with other faculty and scientists across the University of Chicago, Argonne, and Fermilab
• Efficient masterclass format 

Ideal candidates will be:

Emerging science leaders who have a demonstrated interest in continuing their professional and leadership growth through the development of dynamic partnerships and collaborations. Ideal candidates will be at a mid-career inflection point where they have established their research agenda and may have undertaken some external collaborations, but are interested in developing a network and toolkit to help expand external collaborations and lead collaborative partnerships. Some background with partnership development is preferred but extensive experience is not required. Specific guidelines for target eligibility at each institution are noted below:

• UChicago –  Faculty or research professors at assistant- or associate-level.

• Argonne & Fermilab – Mid-career scientists/engineers with 7+ years experience (typically senior scientist/engineer level, but applicants are not restricted to that title). CASE associates are encouraged to apply.

For additional questions regarding eligibility, please contact sparc@uchicago.edu.

Advisory Council

The SPARC Advisory Council is a group of science leaders from UChicago, Argonne, and Fermilab who are exemplary drivers of partnerships within a range of domains and industries. Program participants will be matched with an Advisory Council member based on shared domain areas and partnership-types of interest, and will meet 1-1 with their Advisory Council mentor twice over the course of the program. The Advisory Council includes:

Program Format & Dates

The program format is designed to maximize impact with limited time commitment (totaling est. 27 hours). The program will occur in three parts:

* = in person, † = virtual

Part 1: Program Kickoff

September 21, 2023 – Kickoff Dinner + Networking Session*

September 22, 2023 – Full Day Content Session*

Part 2: Coaching

November 2, 2023 – 3 Hour Content Session †

November 2023 – 90-min Harry Davis Leadership Center Coaching Session †

November 2023 – 30-min Advisory Council Coaching Meeting*/†

Part 3: Program Conclusion

December 4, 2023 – Full Day Content Session*

December 2023 – 2x 90-min Harry Davis Leadership Center Coaching Sessions†

December 2023 – 30-min Advisory Council Coaching Session*/†

Part 4 – Post-Program Check-ins

March 2024  – 90-Day Check-in†

June 2024 – 180-Day Check-in†

Application/Nomination Process & Timeline

• Application: No longer accepting applications 
• Requirements include:
  • Updated resume/CV
  • 1-2 paragraph short answer outlining goals for participation in the program.
• Each application must also include a 1 paragraph nomination from an advisor or senior faculty member/scientist who can speak to the applicant’s qualifications. The purpose of the nomination is to provide an endorsement of the applicant’s interest in and eligibility for the SPARC program.
  • There are two options for how the nomination may be submitted. The applicant will choose which option they prefer in the InfoReady application.
    • Option 1: The applicant may obtain the nomination directly from their nominator and upload the file to their application.
    • Option 2: The applicant may provide the email address of their nominator in InfoReady, and their nominator will receive an email with instructions for how to submit their nomination.
  • Argonne participants will be nominated through an internal selection process. Please reach out to your division leadership or sparc@uchicago.edu with questions.
  • Limit of 1 nomination per application.
  • Nominations may come from members of the Advisory Council, however it is not required.

Application Timeline

Below are the dates for the SPARC application process. Please note that applicants from the University of Chicago and from the National Labs have different deadline dates.

Questions? Please contact sparc@uchicago.edu

The SPARC Program is a collaborative effort between the Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives; the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; and the Booth School of Business. This initiative is supported by the University of Chicago Joint Task Force Initiative (JTFI), a signature UChicago program dedicated to helping Argonne and Fermilab achieve mission success by opening channels of frequent communication and collaboration across institutions.