New IPAC Committee Announced
March 25, 2025
At the University of AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Fairbanks, innovation is thriving — and the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC) is here to support it every step of the way. IPAC is a dedicated group that works to help researchers and university staff protect, manage, and develop their ideas. Whether it’s reviewing inventions for patentability, advising on university-held rights, or guiding commercialization strategies, IPAC ensures that promising innovations don’t stop in the lab — they move forward into the world.
This cross-disciplinary committee works closely with inventors, legal counsel, and university leadership to ensure that intellectual property (IP) decisions benefit both the individual creator and the broader community. At its core, IPAC helps bridge the gap between research and real-world impact.
The current UAF IPAC is seated with five outstanding faculty members and one administrative leader:
-
Dr. William E. Schnabel, Dean of the College of Engineering and Mines and affiliated with the Water and Environmental Research Center (WERC).
-
Dr. Claudine Hauri, Research Associate Professor at the International Arctic Research Center, whose work connects climate science and oceanography.
-
Dr. Jeremy Kasper, Director of the AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Center for Energy and Power (ACEP), advancing innovation in renewable and remote energy systems.
-
Dr. Maegan Weltzin, Associate Research Professor, whose lab focuses on therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases through advanced biochemical techniques.
-
Dr. Nima Farzadnia, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, bringing insights from infrastructure and sustainable design.
-
David Park, Interim Director of the Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization (OIPC), who leads the administrative efforts behind UAF’s IP strategy.
Together, IPAC members bring a diversity of experience and a shared commitment to helping UAF innovations make a lasting difference.