Summer Fellowship Program Mentored summer research support for emerging STI and sexual health investigators

The ASTDA Summer Research Fellowship provides financial support for graduate and professional students and post‑doctoral trainees to conduct a mentored STI or sexual health‑related research project over a 3–4 month period during the academic summer break. The fellowship is designed to create protected time for focused research, foster meaningful mentorship, and support trainees as they explore or advance careers in STI and sexual health research.

Program Goals

The Summer Research Fellowship aims to:

Encourage trainees to conduct STI and sexual health research
Provide financial support that allows trainees to dedicate time to a focused research project
Encourage established STI and sexual health researchers to mentor trainees and recognize mentors’ contributions through an honorarium
Advance ASTDA’s mission to foster scientific knowledge, develop leadership, and champion practice in the field of sexually transmitted infections

Applications are currently closed. The Summer Fellowship Program will reopen for applications on October 1. Please check back then to apply.

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants include the following with priority given to applicants who are newer to the field of sexual health or STI research:

Eligible Applicants

Students currently enrolled in a graduate (master’s or doctoral) program or professional school
Recent graduates (within the past three years) who are now post‑doctoral scholars
US and Canada based applicants and mentors

Ineligible

Faculty Members
International Applicants
(Due to challenges with international payments)

What the Fellowship Provides

The application process for Small Project Assistance is designed to be focused and streamlined while maintaining clarity and accountability. The information below outlines the required proposal components, documentation expectations, and the steps involved in review and decision-making. Applicants are encouraged to review each requirement prior to submission to ensure alignment with program goals and funding parameters. Understanding the full process in advance can help support a smooth and efficient review experience.

Awardee Support

Up to $5,000 stipend to conduct the research project.

Funds may be used for direct project support, summer living expenses, or a combination.

Mentor Support

Mentors receive a $2,000 honorarium in recognition of their time and commitment.

Fellowship Expectations

Awardees are expected to:

Complete a mid‑project progress report
Submit a final project report
Present research results at a professional conference

Examples of relevant conferences include the STI Prevention Conference, ISSTDR, STI Engage, IDSA/ID Week, IDSOG, the National Sexual Health Conference, or other appropriate venues.

Application Process

Applications OpenJanuary 1 – 31, 2026
Awards AnnouncedMarch 2026
Funds DistributedMay 2026
Conference PresentationsJuly 2026 – December 2027

To complete your ASTDA fellowship application, please be prepared to upload the materials listed below. All components are required and must adhere to the stated page limits. Incomplete or non‑compliant applications may not be reviewed, so we encourage applicants to carefully review the requirements before beginning the submission process.

Project title and applicant and mentor contact information (email, phone number, and social media handles)
Personal statement describing career goals and how the fellowship will advance those goals (maximum 1 page)
Description of the research project, including objectives, activities, and timeline (maximum 2 pages)
Applicant CV or biosketch (maximum 5 pages), including past and current funding
Mentor CV or biosketch (maximum 5 pages)
Brief statement from the mentor confirming a commitment to mentor the applicant if selected

Commitment to Diversity

ASTDA encourages applications from individuals who are members of populations underrepresented in the scientific workforce, including:

Racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in health‑related sciences

People with disabilities, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those from rural areas, those eligible for free or reduced lunch or Pell grants, or those with a history of foster care or homelessness

Ready to Apply?

When you’re ready, you may begin your application below. The process is designed to be focused and straightforward, with clear expectations at each step.

Applications are currently closed. The Summer Fellowship Program will reopen for applications on January 1. Please check back then to apply.

Review & Decision Process

Applications are reviewed by members of the ASTDA Board of Directors and evaluated holistically based on the applicant’s commitment to—or, for those earlier in training, interest in exploring—an STI‑related career, as well as their prior record of accomplishments. Reviewers also consider the appropriateness of the identified mentor, the feasibility, significance, and overall strength of the proposed research plan, and the extent to which the applicant or the proposed research contributes to diversity, broadly defined.

Summer Fellowship Recipients

2025 Summer Fellowship Recipients

Title	Awardee Name	Awardee Affiliation	Mentor Name
Intracellular miRNAs expressed in CD4+ T-cell subsets from women with and without Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) reinfection	Chloe Meewes, PhD	University of Alabama at Birmingham	William M. Geisler, MD, MPH
Evaluating the potential of a therapeutic HPV vaccine to accelerate cervical cancer elimination in high HIV-burden regions: A mathematical modeling study	Christine L. Hathaway, BS	University of Washington	Ruanne V. Barnabas, MBChB, DPhil, MSc
Impacts of postexposure doxycycline on network-level bacterial STI incidence and detection among men who have sex with men in North Carolina	Cara Broshkevitch, MS	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Kimberly Powers, PhD
Exploring longitudinal partnership dynamics of sexual minority men in Columbus, Ohio: An analysis of the Network Epidemiology of Syphilis Transmission study	Brittany Liebhard, MPH	The Ohio State University	Emily Learner, PhD
Implementation and Acceptability of Mobile Point-Of-Care Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections for Women Who Inject Drugs in Seattle	Abby Fessler, MD	University of Washington	Jenell Stewart, DO, MPH
Association between tenofovir-based PrEP use and first episode of genital herpes: A nested case-control study	Adam Zimmer, BA	University of Washington	Chase Cannon, MD, MPH
Investigating Estheticians’ Potential as Interventionists for Sexual Health Promotion and STI Referrals	Alexandra Hughes, MPH	Indiana University	Eric R. Walsh-Buhi, MPH, PhD
F-STEPS: Sexual Health Testing, Engagement, and Prevention Study in Persons Assigned Female at Birth	Xinzhu (Tina) Yang, ScB	Columbia	Jason E. Zucker, MD
Early and Asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis Infection in Pregnancy: Assessing the Impact of Treatment Timing on Adverse Birth Outcomes	Chibuzor Babalola, MBBS, MPH

2024 Summer Fellowship Recipients

Title	Awardee Name	Awardee Affiliation	Mentor Name
Prospective, multivariate, spatiotemporal modeling for the early detection of outbreaks in national case-based primary and secondary syphilis surveillance data	John Angles, MPH	SUNY University at Albany	Rachel Hart-Malloy, PhD, MPH (New York State Department of Health)
A Pilot Study to Support Integration of Preventive Sexual Healthcare in Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient Psychiatric Care Settings	Samuel R. Bunting, MD, MSHA	University of Chicago	Aniruddha Hazra, MD (University of Chicago)
The impact of new awareness of a sexually transmitted infection on depressive symptoms among women with HIV in the United States	Tess R. Filipowicz, MPH	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Brian W. Pence, PhD (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Sialidase Quantification in Longitudinal Vaginal Specimens from Women Prior to Incident Bacterial Vaginosis	Sheridan Spivey George, BS	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Christina Muzny, MD, MSPH; Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, MPH (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Exploring MSM Adult Content Creators’ Sexual Behaviors and Their Role in Sexual Health Communication	Jeffrey David Grant, MPH, PMP	Indiana University	Harold D. (Hank) Green, Jr., PhD; Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH, CSE (Indiana University)
Alternative Treatment Strategies for Syphilis	Travis Hunt, MD	University of Washington	Matthew Golden, MD, MPH (University of Washington)
A mixed methods approach to evaluate implementation of a medication expedited partner therapy program, New York City	Jennifer Sanderson Slutsker, MPH	New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene	Preeti Pathela, DrPH, MPH (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)
Analyzing the Uptake and Health Equity Implications of Doxy-PEP on Bacterial STIs Following the Release of the 2023 NYC Department of Health Doxy-PEP Guidelines	Emma Tucker	Columbia University	Jason Zucker, MD (Columbia University)
Evolution of the major antigen Opa in Neisseria gonorrhoeae	QinQin Yu, PhD	Harvard University	Yonatan Grad, MD, PhD (Harvard University)

2023 Summer Fellowship Recipients

Title	Awardee Name	Awardee Affiliation	Mentor Name
Yeast colonization among individuals with symptomatic bacterial vaginosis and the implications for post-treatment vulvovaginal candidiasis	Fredericka Sesay	University of Washington	Jennifer Balkus, PhD, MPH
Exploring the impact of risk environments on STI and HIV risk among cisgender and transgender asylum-seeking women at the Mexico-U.S. border	Kaylee Ramage	San Diego State University	Shira Goldberg, PhD
Genomic Epidemiology of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum in South Africa, Botswana, and Malawi	Andy Liu	University of Southern California	Jeffrey Klausner, MD, MPH
A pilot etiological study of genital ulcer disease in Uganda, including the burden of macrolide resistant T pallidum	Annet Onzia Aketoko	Makerere University and Johns Hopkins University	Matthew Hamill, MD
Mother-Daugther Communication about Sexual Health in East Asian American Mother-Daughter Dyads in the United States	BoRam Kim	University of California, Los Angeles and University of Massachusetts	Teri Aronowitz, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAAN; Wei-Ti Chen, PhD, RN, CNM, FAAN
Conceptualizing Primary Care Clinicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs as Potential Structural Barriers to STI and PrEP Care for Sexual and Gender Minorities	Nate Albright	The Ohio State University	Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
Finding effective messaging strategies to promote regular STI testing among sexual and gender minority youth: An analysis of sexual health messages on social media	Robert Stice	University of Delaware	Amy Bleakley, PhD, MPH
Understanding Patient and Provider Perspectives of Doxycycline for STI Prevention	Paul Anthony D’Avanzo	Columbia University	Jason Zucker, MD
Anaerobic bacteria in pelvic inflammatory disease	Erin Garcia	University of Wisconsin–Madison	Joseph Dillard, PhD

2022 Summer Fellowship Recipients

Title	Awardee Name	Awardee Affiliation	Mentor Name
Making STDs Sexy: Adolescent and Young Adult Engagement with mail-in self-collected POC STI Testing and Sexual Health Services	Aubrey Alvarenga	Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine	Renata Sanders, MD, MPH, ScM
Identifying Treponema pallidum Proteins that are CD4 T-Cell Antigens	Victoria Cegielski	University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and University of Washington	Tara Reid, MD, PhD
Genital and Extragenital Gonorrhea in Symptomatic Women in Malawi	Jane Chen	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health	Irving Hoffman, PA, MPH
The Public Health Implications of Perinatal STIs	Carinna Emilio	Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine	Jonathan Zenilman, MD
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on STIs among LGBTQ+ People in Columbus, Ohio	Bucky Foster	The Ohio State University	Abigail Norris Turner, PhD
The Impact of Regional Emergencies on STI Testing Services in the United States	Jalisa Holt	Penn State University School of Medicine	Casey Pinto, PhD, CRNP, MPH; Doug Leslie, PhD
Improving our Understanding of Condom Use Reporting Behaviors	Amanda Luff	The Ohio State University	Maria Gallo, PhD
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in Pregnancy in Kenya	Jerusha Mogaka	University of Washington	Jillian Pintye, RN, MPH, PhD
Racial Discrimination and Sexual Health Practices Among African American Women	Jessica Morgan	The University of Alabama at Birmingham	Tamika Smith, PhD
STIs among Sex Workers who use PrEP in Zimbabwe	Bekezela Siziba	University of Zimbabwe	Nyaradzo Mgodi, MBChB, MMed