Meet the 2026 Howard Bremer Scholars

Congratulations to Sirin Nazan Cakir from East Carolina University, Owen Funk from the University of Wyoming, and Shuang Yang from the University of Georgia/Innovation Gateway, the recipients of the 2026 Howard Bremer Scholarships. The Scholarship supports their attendance at the 2026 AUTM Annual Meeting, helping to build their tech transfer knowledge and networks.
 

Sirin Nazan Cakir is a Licensing Analyst at East Carolina University’s Office of Licensing and Commercialization. She evaluates intellectual property disclosures, conducts patentability and prior art analyses, and performs market and competitive assessments to guide commercialization strategy. Sirin leads the Innovation Scout Program, mentoring graduate students in identifying promising technologies and understanding the technology transfer process. She earned a PhD in Physiology, where her research focused on cardiac remodeling and extracellular matrix biology, and her MS in Professional Science in Biotechnology, which combined advanced biotechnology training with business and management coursework. Sirin's scientific expertise and interdisciplinary background inspire her to transform innovative research into real-world solutions that create meaningful impact.

Owen Funk has been a Licensing Manager at the University of Wyoming for the past eight months, after completing a PhD in Human Genetics and Genomics at the University of Michigan (U-M). At U-M, he gained early exposure to commercialization through the Wolverine Venture Fund, a student-run venture capital group, and later broadened his experience in biotech and life sciences strategy at a boutique transaction advisory firm supporting emerging technologies and startups. Since transitioning into technology transfer, Owen has been especially motivated by the opportunity to help researchers translate their discoveries into real-world impact. He is passionate about building relationships with inventors, supporting innovation on campus, and strengthening the broader Wyoming research and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Originally from Alaska, Owen now calls Laramie Wyoming home. Outside of the office he enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, and spending time outdoors all over Wyoming.

Shuang Yang joined the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Innovation Gateway in September 2024 as a Postdoctoral Licensing Associate, where she evaluates innovations from UGA researchers for their patentability and commercial potential and helps commercialize these technologies through licensing. She earned her PhD in Genetics from UGA in August 2024 and is passionate about leveraging her research background to advance the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world applications and industry impact.