Eliza Akers graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2022 with a BA in philosophy. While there she cultivated an interest in applied ethics and the practical application of philosophical concepts outside of the humanities. To this end, she spent her semester at the at the University of Copenhagen studying the application of phenomenological principles in clinical psychiatry. Eliza is currently pursuing a master’s degree in bioethics and science policy at Duke University and plans to continue her education to become a clinical bioethicist. Her interests include the physician-patient relationship, institutional betrayal and trust in the context of healthcare, and the ethics of emerging technologies in medicine.

David Appiah is completing his Master of Science in Bioethics degree at the prestigious University of Ghana. His academic journey began with his undergraduate studies in Nursing at the University of Health and Allied Sciences. Following this, he gained valuable experience as a Nursing Officer through his work with the Sanford Health-World Clinics initiative in his homeland, Ghana. His passion for bioethics stems from his belief in its profound impact not only on his nursing practice but also on the broader realms of research. He is interested in the fields of research ethics, technology ethics, and clinical ethics, where he seeks to explore and contribute significantly. He harbors aspirations of pursuing a doctorate towards transitioning into a full-time researcher and academic role. The Internship opportunity with Dr. Resnik presents him with a chance to immerse himself in ethical review activities and delve into research concerning ethical issues in biomedicine.

Paula Glover, MPS is a student in the Master of Physiology and Certificate of Biotechnology programs at North Carolina State University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Biology and Health & Societies with concentration in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania. While there, she was involved in cell and developmental biology research that sought to elucidate bone-morphogenic protein pathways in zebrafish. She also holds a Master of Biomedical and Health Informatics with concentration in Public Health Informatics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at the University of North Carolina, she worked as a research portfolio manager for the Division of Pulmonary and Clinical Care Medicine where she oversaw the administration of industry-sponsored clinical trials for pulmonary hypertension patients. She credits her time in clinical trials administration with supporting her interests in human subjects research, biomedical research and medicine. The bioethics summer internship represents an opportunity for further involvement and fellowship in bioethics research. Paula will be graduating in Spring 2025, after which she plans to apply for MD-PhD programs with research specialty in Biology and Physiology.

Irene Jonathan is a 2023 graduate of Duke University in Durham, NC, where she received a B.S. in neuroscience and completed two minors in chemistry and political science. She is continuing her education at Duke by pursuing an M.A. in Bioethics and Science Policy with a concentration in clinical bioethics. During her time as an undergraduate, Ms. Jonathan worked on multiple research projects. Irene participated in community health research focused on combating hypertension health disparities in the Durham community that was published at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Session. She also completed research on the relationship between early life inflammatory events, microglia, and neurodevelopment that culminated in a senior thesis and graduating with distinction. After graduation, she will begin her medical school education this fall.

Emily Nguyen is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia pursuing a BS majoring in biochemistry with a bioethics minor. I'm currently in a computational biology lab part of the UVA medical school. The research focuses on developing quantitative models to study epigenetics and transcriptional regulation of gene expression in human diseases such as cancer. I've also worked with the National Institute on Mental Illness as an intern advocating for the destigmatization of mental illness. My interest in bioethics is centered around the policies surrounding older and dependent populations. My goal is to push for a public health system that addresses the societal, economic, and ethical considerations that underpin caregiving.

Ryan Philips is a recent graduate of Baylor University, where he majored in Philosophy & Medicine. During his time as an undergraduate, he worked as a medical assistant. Post-graduation, he served as a Public Health Intern for AIDS Healthcare Foundation and has been assisting with stem cell research and bioinformatics at Western University. This upcoming fall, he plans on attending Johns Hopkins University to complete his Masters in Bioethics. He plans on pursuing a career in medicine as a physician following his Masters while also practicing in academia.

William Tepper is an undergraduate student at High Point University studying both Philosophy and Biology. At High Point University I am currently a member of the Ethics Bowl program, which is held annually by the NCICU where I work with a team to form and present ethical arguments for a variety of case studies. After graduating, I plan on seeking a master's degree and ultimately a career in bioethics. My interests include moral theory, existentialist philosophy, metaphysics, healthcare ethics, and regulation of biotechnology.

2023 Interns

Alexa Guarente is majoring in philosophy and public health at Brown University (expected graduation 2025). She is interested in pursuing a career in clinical bioethics. 

Florian Hofweber is Senior at Woods Charter High School who will attend Oberlin College, beginning in the fall of 2023.

Savannah Laux is majoring in philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s University (expected graduation 2024) and is planning to enroll in law school and pursue a career in bioethics.

Benjamin Lemon is a 2023 graduate of the University of Georgia, where he graduated with a degree in Biology and a minor in philosophy. During his undergraduate studies, Benjamin participated in clinical research with a lab at UGA and a project with a local hospital researching health care disparities in Spanish speaking populations. His goal for working with Dr. Resnik was to improve his clinical decision making and future research career, through the study of research ethics and bioethics. After participating in research with Dr. Resnik, he began pursuing an MD at the University of Mercer School of Medicine and will graduate in 2027. After graduation, he intends to pursue a surgical residency and eventually work at an academic healthcare center treating patients, teaching, and conducting clinical research.

Brandon Long is completing his M.A. in Philosophy at Bowling Green State University. He also received his M.S. in Biology during which he studied pain and addiction in a Drosophila model. Brandon will be going on to finish his Ph.D. in Philosophy after which he will seek job opportunities in bioethics, during his Ph.D. Brandon will research deliberative democratic theory within clinical ethics. The internship with Dr. Resnik allowed Brandon to use his data skills and expand his research interests.

Alexa Guarente, Savannah Laux, Benjamin Lemon, and Brandon Long worked on research project on misconduct findings issued by the Office of Research Integrity. The project was published in 2023: Citation: Long B, Laux S, Lemon B, Guarente A, Davis M, Casadevall A, Fang F, Shi M, Resnik DB. Factors related to the severity of research misconduct administrative actions: An analysis of office of research integrity case summaries from 1993 to 2023. Account Res. 2023 Nov 27:1-22. doi: 10.1080/08989621.2023.2287046. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38010310.