Meet the OTT Staff

Gene Merrell
Associate VP of Research - (208) 885-4550
Dr. Merrell is Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Chief Technology Transfer Officer at the University of Idaho. Gene oversees the Office of Technology Transfer, which is responsible for the management of the University’s intellectual property portfolio. He serves on the Clearwater Economic Development Association’s Board of Directors, Business Development and Finance Council and its Operations and Finance Council. Gene is the University’s representative on the Board of Directors of the American Manufacturers Network and the Palouse Knowledge Corridor. Prior to joining the university, he was Vice President for Research of the Process Chemicals and Energy Chemicals subsidiaries of BetzDearborn, Inc. Gene was with the company for 19 years and is listed as inventor on seven U.S. patents. He was also co-founder of Analytical Laboratories, Inc., a small independent service organization providing consultation and testing on environmental issues. Gene received his B.A. in Chemistry and Physics from Houston Baptist University and Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Washington State University.
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Michelle Wheeler
Adminstrative Assistant - (208) 885-4550
Michelle Wheeler has been with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) since December 2007. Michelle has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Idaho, is a Certified Paralegal, and has a BS in Criminal Justice from Boise State University. She has held both corporate and private practice Paralegal positions. In OTT, she assures that the requirements of our inventors, licensees, and other stakeholders are met, along with filing the provisional patent applications for the office. Since coming to UI, her responsibilities have varied; she has been a Contract Review Officer in the Office of Sponsored Programs and Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Research.
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Gaylene Anderson
Licensing Associate - (208) 885-4550
Gaylene Anderson joined the Office of Technology Transfer in 2008 and is responsible for commercializing life science related intellectual property for the University – particularly innovations from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Most recently, she worked for the University of Hawaii as a Licensing Associate managing inventions that were developed from the School of Medicine and Cancer Research Center. Her background is in biological sciences and public health and has experience marketing programs and technologies for universities and private industry. Gaylene also runs her own small business and is the creator of Waterproof Kids, LLC - a learn-to-swim DVD series that has won numerous media awards and is sold around the world. She is a graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno and is a member of AUTM, LES, and BIO.
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Karen Stevenson
Licensing Associate - (208) 885-4550
Karen Stevenson joined OTT in early 2007. Her main area of focus is working on commercializing inventions that have evolved out of research activities from the physical science and engineering departments at the University. Karen holds a BS in biochemistry and PhD in nuclear chemistry. For nearly 15 years she was employed as a scientist for various federal agencies, first at the US Geological Survey, then the Department of Energy, followed by the US Department of Defense. In addition to her ongoing research, she would review research proposals and ongoing applied research activities and then work with stakeholders to commercialize technologies that resulted from such funding. After leaving federal service, Karen worked as a private consultant assisting companies with their product marketing strategies within government and in the private sector. She also contracted to SIRTI, a Washington State agency that assists technology-based companies, and Foresight, Science & Technology, Inc., a technology consultant company that has a core focus on assisting companies with Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding.
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