About Us

Dr. Peter Webley is a Research Professor of Remote Sensing as well as the Associate Director of Research at the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI), Geophysical Institute, UAF. Peter is the Director at UAF’s Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (Center-ICE) and leads/co-leads its federal grants as Principal Investigator.

Peter was the Vice-President of UAF’s first start-up, V-ADAPT, Inc., formed in 2013 and has successfully licensed intellectual property, been awarded small business innovation research projects and a US patent as well as been inducted into the State of Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame 2016 – 2017 class. He is a scientist, innovator, and entrepreneur.

Before coming to UAF, Peter was a postdoctoral researcher at Kings College London and developed a remote sensing monitoring system for the volcanoes of Central America. Peter has a BSc in Geophysics and an MSc in Atmospheric Sciences, both from the University of East Anglia, UK and a PhD in Remote Sensing from the University of Reading, UK.

Peter works hard to support and advise faculty, staff, and students to develop their ideas, protect their intellectual property, and commercialize their work as they develop into our next generation of UAF entrepreneurs and solve tomorrow’s issues today.

Gwen is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Industry Partnerships. Prior to taking up this role, she was the Director of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP). Prior to joining the University of Alaska, Gwen served as the Vice President of New Development at Chena Hot Springs Resort near Fairbanks. While at Chena, Gwen oversaw the construction of the first geothermal power plant in the state, in addition to numerous other innovative energy projects ranging from hydrogen production to cooling a 10,000ft2 ice museum year-round using 150°F hot water.

Gwen moved to Alaska in 1994, shortly after graduating from Bradley University with a degree in Physics and Mechanical Engineering. Gwen is the mother of three children – Leif, Marais, and Lael. Gwen has been the recipient of several awards throughout her career, including an R&D 100 award, Project of the Year from Power Engineering Magazine, the Alaska Top 40 Under 40 Award.

Evelyn Jacome is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation. She has worked in several businesses including sustainability, forestry, micro finance, and seed funding for early stage entrepreneurs.  She has used her multicultural background and experience to support underrepresented communities and minorities to start innovative business in Ecuador and Utah. Evelyn is currently an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the Business School of Management at the University of Alaska Anchorage and project manager of the Small Business Innovation Research at the Alaska Center ICE.

Evelyn has been involved in the successful development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in northern Utah. She was born in Ecuador and completed her economics bachelor’s in the United States and later received an entrepreneurship master’s degree in England. She is moving to Fairbanks early spring with her husband and dog Quito.

Madara oversees a distributed innovation team, including a makerspace and teaching lab that provides opportunities for learning, creating, and collaborating across disciplines and domains. Madara has more than 20 years of experience in teaching, designing, and managing educational programs that foster creativity, engagement, and problem-solving skills. Madara has extensive experience with institution-wide deployment of learning management and shared data systems and building custom apps for a variety of institutional stakeholders.

Madara's core competencies include strategic innovation, cross-functional and remote team leadership, and educational program development. Madara is passionate about using technology to facilitate adaptive change and address wicked or ambiguous problems. Madara is also a studio artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. You can view her portfolio at https://madara.co.

Alexis joined UAF's Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship in 2018.  Her role as the Office Manger is to provide oversight of the daily operations associated with Center ICE.  She is thankful to have a wonderful job, two beautiful & intelligent girls, a granddaughter, a giant dog, a tiny cat, and a pretty amazing husband.

Uly Rivera has over a decade of experience in industries including transportation, cleantech, and biotech.  Originally hailing from Kodiak, Alaska, Uly has developed a reputation for innovation and strategic leadership.

Ashley Guernsey, a lifelong resident of Moose Pass, Alaska, grew up ice skating, reading, and dog mushing. The oldest of four children, Ashley finished the Junior Iditarod Race at age fourteen. Two years later, she became a Senate Page in Washington, DC.

She recently graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After successfully defending her Honors Thesis titled, “Russian Colonialism in Alaska”, Ashley received a Joint Major Bachelor Degree in Economics and Religious Studies. 

Ashley is excited to support innovation and entrepreneurship as the coordinator for I-Corps, Students2Startups, and Center ICE Seed Fund with Center ICE. During her tenure with Center ICE, she hopes to gain a better understanding of Alaska’s bright future being created by innovators and entrepreneurs today and to explore future opportunities on her educational and professional journey.

Megan is a Project Manager under the Build Back Better partnership led by Southeast Conference, located within Center ICE in alliance with the Alaska Blue Economy Center (ABEC) at UAF. Her primary focus throughout the project is to promote commercialization and tech transfer support services within Alaska mariculture. Megan is an instructor for a foundational course and a graduate student in the Department of Communication at UAF. She earned her undergraduate degree from Montana State University in Graphic Design, and a minor in Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and has over fifteen years of professional experience in strategic marketing for global organizations with mission-oriented operations. She excels at strategizing and implementing systems that target organizational goals. Megan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Morris Thompson Cultural Center and is among the fourth generation in her family to call Alaska home.

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Eric has a background in small business management and optimization. Eric earned BAA and MBA degrees at UAF’s College of Business and Security Management. A Fairbanks local, when he isn’t at work or in the workshop of his small batch manufacturing business, he can be found enjoying the Alaskan outdoors by camping or snowboarding, depending on the season. 

Michael is a graduate from UAF with a B.S. in mathematics and a minor in Arctic skills, Michael has led research projects ranging from modeling artificial aurora to investigating the cognitive effects of cold-water diving. He looks forward to drawing on his mathematical training and scientific experience to empower makers and thinkers all across Alaska. In the future, he hopes to serve the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, one of the nation’s eight uniformed services.

A dual Brazilian and American citizen, Michael grew up in Connecticut and moved to Alaska when he was eighteen. During his studies, he was fortunate to be selected as Scientist of the Month for February 2024 by the Biomedical Learning and Student Training program, and In 2023, earned the Congressional Award. In his free time, Michael enjoys ski mountaineering and practicing piano. He also writes poetry.

Prior to joining as the EIR, Peter ran the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, was the Manager of E.C.Philips, and a Senior Associate at Varagon Capital Partners. His aim is to encourage researchers to translate their work into marketable products or ideas, and to facilitate connections around the Gulf of Alaska to grow emerging industries.

Zach Cureton-Hazard is a member of the instructional design team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks eCampus. Zach has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and is a certified secondary science teacher in Alaska. After spending six years teaching science in Alaska (two years in Saint Mary’s and four years in Seward), he joined the team at eCampus.