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View AllSilvaggi, JessicaPresident, UWMRF
President, UWMRF
Dr. Jessica Silvaggi was appointed as the President of the UWM Research Foundation in July 2023. She joined the UWMRF team in 2009 as Technology Licensing Associate, where she established the initial technology marketing program, played a major role in the evaluation of UWM intellectual property for patentability and commercialization, and aided in the drafting of licensing agreements. In Summer 2011 she continued to lead marketing and commercialization efforts as the Licensing Manager for UWMRF, and in fall of 2015 she assumed further managerial responsibilities including the entire patent portfolio and licensing negotiations as the Senior Licensing Manager. In 2018 she was appointed as Director of Technology Commercialization.
Dr. Silvaggi received a B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Connecticut, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Harvard University studying the model genetic organism bacillus subtilis and was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute studying the role of antioxidants in the protection of the brain from Parkinson’s disease. In October 2014 Jessica became a certified licensing professional. She is also a co-chair of the Wisconsin chapter of the Licensing Executives Society and serves on the board of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
In her free time Jessica is a is a self-proclaimed health and fitness enthusiast and nerd. She is constantly learning new biohacking tricks through her favorite podcasters and joins her husband in tending to their home grown veggies, herbs, and fruits. She loves to unwind on the weekend with family (including her Great Dane and English Mastiff) and friends enjoying home cooked meals, fun drinks, and laughs by the fire pit.