Announcing our Summer 2024 Award Recipients

ROCKVILLE, MD—July 24, 2024—The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 AAA Predoctoral Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellowship, EUReka EDI Undergraduate Research Award, and Research Meetings Outreach Grant. A total of 45 applications were submitted, nine of which were selected after a thorough and careful review by members of our Scientific Affairs Committee, Ambassador Committee, and a micro-volunteer group. AAA is also honored to announce the Anatomical Societies co-sponsored 2024 Anatomy Training Program recipients.  

The AAA awards program provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in awards, research grants, and scholarships annually. One in 10 members receives an award, scholarship, or grant every year. Many recipients go on to achieve significant success in their careers.

“I am grateful for opportunities created within the AAA to help mentor the next generations of early career members. Securing a AAA Research Meetings Outreach Grant was integral to fund a free lunch-and-learn event for students about decolonizing our discipline at a recent annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Biological Anthropology”

• Julia Boughner, Ph.D., Member since 2014

This year’s awards and individual recipients include:

Postdoctoral Fellowship Award

• Dr. Ashly Romero, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.
• Dr. Emily Witt, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Associate at Dalhousie University.

EUReka EDI Research Grant

• Micah Johnson is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in Health and Societies with a Public Health concentration at the University of Pennsylvania.

Predoctoral Fellowship Award

• Catherine Strong, M.S., is a Ph.D. Candidate in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.

Research Meeting Outreach Grant Award

• Dr. Cassandra Donatelli, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Chapman University in the Fowler School of Engineering.
• Dr. David Ornitz, M.D., Ph.D., is an Alumni Endowed Professor of Developmental Biology at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine.
• Dr. Heather Smith, Ph.D., is a Professor of Anatomy at Midwestern University and the Editor-in-Chief of The Anatomical Record.
• Dr. Lisa Taneyhill, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Brain and Behavior Institute at the University of Maryland-College Park.

Anatomy Training Program

• Dr. Chi Zhang, Ph.D., is an Instructional Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University School of Dentistry.
• Ricky Klafehn, M.S., is a Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Nevada-Reno.

ABOUT AAA

The American Association for Anatomy is an international membership organization of biomedical researchers and educators specializing in the structural foundation of health and disease. AAA connects gross anatomists, neuroscientists, developmental biologists, physical anthropologists, cell biologists, physical therapists, and others to advance the anatomical sciences through research, education, and professional development. To join, visit anatomy.org.