CHICAGO — Undergraduate students from nine institutions have completed summer research internship projects and have been accepted to present their work at AES 2025, supported by grants from the American Epilepsy Society (AES).
The internship program is part of the Society’s continued efforts to develop a well-trained epilepsy workforce by helping promising undergraduate scientists begin their medical or research careers through mentorship, events, and hands-on experience. For each internship, the grant-receiving institution pairs a student who has demonstrated academic excellence with one or more AES members who introduce them to the field of epilepsy and help them explore their career interests through active participation in research.
“We are proud to continue to offer this program that gives students a valuable, early opportunity to experience the field of epilepsy and make connections that can shape their futures,” said Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, FASAE, CAE, chief executive officer of AES. “It also reflects our commitment to inclusion and providing meaningful career support for the next generation of the epilepsy workforce.”
The 2025 BRIDGE summer research interns, their institutions and mentors are:
- Naej Jean, University of Kansas, Lawrence, with Arian Ashourvan, PhD, and Carol Ulloa, MD
- Regina Moreno Vera, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, with Edward Glasscock, PhD
- Danny Guerrero Gutierrez, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, with Evan Thacker, PhD
- Megan Trageser, University of Maryland, Baltimore, with Philip Iffland, PhD
- Rylie Pancoast, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, with Jennifer Kearney, PhD, and Nicole Hawkins, PhD
- Kyr Goyette, University of Pittsburgh, with Wesley Kerr, MD, PhD
- Reeya Sannake, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with Jack Parent, MD
- Marin Furukuwa, University of California, Riverside, with Viji Santhakumar, PhD
- Sachi Lele, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, with Ingo Helbig, MD, and Jillian McKee, MD, PhD
Each grant provides up to $11,500, which includes $10,000 for housing, stipends, and program expenses, and $1,500 to cover expenses related to attending the AES Annual Meeting, taking place December 5-9, 2025, in Atlanta. Interns also receive a complimentary registration and research submission to the meeting, as well as AES membership for one year. At the meeting, they will have the opportunity to present their research during two poster sessions and network with top epilepsy professionals from around the world.
The summer internship program is made possible thanks to the generous support of UCB, Inc. through the 2025 Unlocking Potential through Leadership and Inclusion for a Future of Transformation (UPLIFT) Sponsorship, which helps provide mentoring, education, and career development resources and programming for students and early career professionals in epilepsy.
Applications for the 2026 Summer Research Internship Grant are anticipated to open in January 2026. For more information, visit aesnet.org/internship.