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PhD Careers in Business Development

Monday, June 30th, 5:30 – 6:30 PM CST
(Virtual)

Are you a STEM PhD interested in combining your scientific training with strategic thinking and relationship-building?

Join myCHOICE for a panel discussion with professionals in business development roles across academia and industry. Panelists will share their career paths, how their scientific training prepared them, and the impact of business development roles in different sectors. Learn about key skills for success, tips for transitioning from academia, and whether this dynamic, outward-facing path is a fit for you.

Register HERE

Manead Khin, PhD

Senior Director of Business Development, Great Lakes Crystal Technologies

Dr. Manead Khin received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Illinois Chicago, where her research focused on analytical chemistry and cancer biology. She has deep experience in both scientific research and business strategy, spanning across academia, biotechnology startups, and venture capital. Dr. Khin has held roles in clinical development, translational research, and market strategy, including serving as a Bioanalytical Strategist at Regeneron and an Analyst at Boom Capital. In her current role as Senior Director of Business Development at Great Lakes Crystal Technologies, she leads IP strategy, market research, government funding efforts, and commercialization initiatives. She also mentors midwestern startups through 1871.

Travis Scholten, PhD

Technical Lead, Public Sector, IBM

 
Dr. Travis L. Scholten is deeply engaged in the quantum computing ecosystem. As the Technical Lead for Public Sector at IBM Quantum, he drives strategic partnerships with government entities to leverage quantum computing for technical, economic, and social impact. Previously, he led research collaborations with startups and enterprises at IBM Quantum, focusing on quantum benchmarking and applications. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Unitary Foundation, a non-profit fostering an inclusive quantum technology ecosystem, as well as the Ecosystem Advisory Board for Fermilab’s Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center. He is the creator of The Quantum Stack, a Substack exploring quantum computing tends.
 
Travis holds a PhD in Physics from the University of New Mexico and a BS in Physics from Caltech, and was previously a Policy Hacker Fellow with the Foundation for American Innovation.

Han Sun, PhD

Assistant Director Business Development and Licensing, Polsky Center University of Chicago

Han Sun is the Assistant Director of Business Development and Licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In her role, Han collaborates with researchers and industry colleagues across all disciplines, with a primary focus on the life sciences, to advance innovative discoveries toward products and services that deliver real-world impact.Han earned her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As a registered patent agent with the US Patent and Trademark Office and a certified licensing professional, Han has built a dynamic career that bridges the worlds of science, law, and business. In her spare time, she is a fierce reader and loves gardening.

Laetitia Jubin, PhD

Business and technology development director - Ceramics, Saint-Gobain

 

Laetitia Jubin, PhD (she/her) is the Business & Technological Development Director for the New Horizon Team in Ceramics at Saint-Gobain, where she leads strategic innovation at the intersection of sustainability and advanced materials. She previously served as VP of Strategy and M&A for SEMEA and as a project lead at France’s Ministry of Industry, supporting public policy for breakthrough technologies. Laetitia earned her PhD in NanoFluidics from École normale supérieure, where her research focused on ionic and mass transport at the nanoscale with applications in energy, water, and health. She also holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Physics from ENS with high honors and ranked first nationwide in the competitive entrance exam to ENS Ulm after completing preparatory studies at Lycée Louis-le-Grand.

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