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Early Career Travel Awards

Sponsored by Hyundai Hope on Wheels

The Early Career Travel Awards have been established to provide funding for deserving young investigators to attend the ASPHO Conference, present their work, and introduce them to the many benefits of ASPHO programming and networking. Through the generous support of Hyundai Hope on Wheels, an honorarium and travel support will be awarded to up to six individuals.

2025 Recipients

Melissa Azul, DO
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI
Early Onset and Worse Pain Patient-Reported Outcomes in Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Zachary S. Berlant, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Efficacy of Wilms Tumor & Hepatoblastoma Screening in Children with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome

Rasaq Olaosebikan, MD MSc FWACP FAAP
Penn State Health Children's Hospital
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Genetic and Clinical Determinants of Stroke in Sickle Cell Patients: Insights from a Nigerian Cohort

Mary Tabatneck, MD
Dana Farber/Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, MA
Projected Cardiac Late-Effects in Adult Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

David Wilson, DO
Arkansas Children's Hospital
Little Rock, AR
Impact of Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences on Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

The qualifications for the award candidates are as follows:

  • Applicant is either currently a fellow in a pediatric hematology/oncology program or is within 4 years of completing a standard three-year pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship
  • Applicant's abstract has been accepted for presentation either as a poster or paper at the ASPHO meeting
  • Applicant submits an application for the award
  • Applicant is currently a member of ASPHO (at the time of submission) living in the United States or Canada
  • Applicant has not received any other ASPHO awards this year
  • Past recipients of this award are not eligible

Applicants must also include:

  • A supporting letter from the training program director or the program chair, attesting to the applicant’s status as well as their role in the conduct of the abstract research project
    • The letter should address the individual’s interest in the abstract topic area and how participation at the ASPHO Conference will advance this area of their career

Winners are chosen by evaluation of the abstract submitted for presentation at the ASPHO Conference, together with review of each candidate’s research contributions and application materials.

Recognition:

  • An award certificate will be presented during a brief recognition ceremony at the ASPHO Conference.
  • Up to siz (6) individuals will receive $2,000 honorarium each, conference registration and support for travel expenses.

Past Recipients

2024 Franklin Chien, MD MS
Dipti Kamath, MD
Julie Ma, MD
Jaime Josue Baldeon Mendoza, MD FAAP
Katelyn Purvis, MD

2023 Alexandra Dreyzin, MD MS
Paul George, MD
Brian Guedes, MD
Timothy J.D. Ohlsen, MD
Rocio Rivera-Valentin, MD

2022 Eman Al-Antary, MD
Sharmila Raghunandan, DO MPH
Connor Hall, MD PhD
Roma Rajput, MD
Sherri Smart, MD PhD

2021 Holly Edington, MD
Nura El-Haj, MD
Diana Fridlyand, MD
Sumit Gupta, MD
Peter Schoettler, MD

2020 Harry Lesmana, MD FAAP FACMG
Lisa Maurer, MD PhD
Mallery Olsen, MD
Anthony Sabulski, MD
Ryan Summers, MD

2019 Nathan A. Dahl, MD
Claudia Zapata, MD
Jeremy Rubinstein, MD PhD
Matthew Dietz, DO, MSEd
Regina M. Myers, MD

2018 Amy Houghtelin, MD
Zachary LeBlanc, MD
Joseph H. Oved, MD MA
Allison Remiker, MD
Luke R. Smart, MD

2017 Jason Schwartz, MD PhD
Ryan J. Summers, MD
Michael Deel, MD

2016 Waitman Aumann, MD
Jonathan Marron, MD
Pillai Pallavi Madhusoodhan, MD
Nickhill Bhakta, MD