2026-2027 Annual Meeting Scholarship Recipients
AAST/AWS Scholarship
Morgan Hopp, MD, MS
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Dr. Morgan Hopp is a second-year General Surgery resident at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Since medical school, she has been an active leader within the Association of Women Surgeons, serving on multiple national committees and demonstrating a longstanding commitment to surgical leadership and advocacy. Her involvement with AAST has helped shape her interests in trauma research and health policy |
Always Remember Military Scholarship
Derek Benham, MD
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Lieutenant Commander Derek Benham received his Medical Degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 2016. From there he completed his internship and residency in general surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, graduating in 2022. Following residency, LCDR Benham has completed assignments with Fleet Surgical Team 7, 3d Medical Battalion, and Expeditionary Medical Facility Juliet. His assignments have taken him to Japan, South Korea, Australia, Philippines, Guantanamo Bay and Virginia. Currently he is completing his Acute Care Surgery and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Washington University in Saint Louis. |
Alexander Bowers, MD
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My name is Alexander Bowers, and I am an active-duty Air Force General Surgery resident at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX. I completed medical school at The University of Tennessee in Memphis, TN, but my journey in medicine began much earlier as an enlisted Air Evacuation Medic in the United States Air Force. During that time, I had the privilege of caring for wounded warriors from the Role 3 facility through their flight home from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Those experiences gave me a deep appreciation for the complexity of the combat casualty care continuum and ignited my passion for trauma. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to learn from remarkable mentors and to gain experiences that have shaped my commitment to trauma surgery. I plan to pursue a career in trauma, critical care, and global surgery; fields that in my opinion serve some of the most vulnerable patient populations. Trauma patients rely on timely, coordinated care beginning at the scene of injury, and with that comes our greatest opportunity to make a difference. |
Baki Türkoglu, MD, PhD
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Maj. Baki Türkoğlu is a General Surgeon and Trauma Surgery Fellow at Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye. He graduated from Gülhane Military Medical Academy in 2013 and completed his residency in General Surgery at the same institution. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, with research focused on the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence to clinical decision-making and surgical outcome prediction. Throughout his career, Dr. Türkoğlu has served as a trauma and emergency surgeon in tertiary care centers, mobile field hospitals, and military hospital ships during both national and international deployments. His current research focuses on trauma systems, damage control strategies, hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, and the integration of machine learning into surgical decision-making and outcome prediction. |
Joshua Sznol, MD
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Maj Joshua Sznol joined the military at the Uniformed Services University in 2015 following his pursuit of public health and research at the University of Miami. He completed his surgical residency at Yale University and is now completing his trauma and critical care fellowship at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio Texas. He additionally serves as an Assistant Faculty at the Uniformed Services University. Maj Sznol's interests include system development, quality improvement, and surgical education. |
Serhii Machuskyi, MD
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Dr. Serhii Machuskyi is a Vascular and Trauma Surgeon currently serving as a Senior Lieutenant in the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Military Hospital, where he works in both the Forward Surgical Team (Role 2) and the Vascular Surgery Department (Role 3). He graduated with honors from Zaporizhzhia State Medical University in 2017 and completed his specialization in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. His primary clinical focus includes damage control surgery, emergency limb revascularization, temporary shunting, and the management of complex vascular trauma under austere combat conditions. Dr. Machuskyi is actively involved in clinical research and data collection regarding wartime vascular injuries, including the integration of REBOA in military settings. He has presented his clinical experience at numerous international congresses, such as ECTES, Charing Cross, and SIR. He serves as the coordinator and leader of the Trauma Club of the Ukrainian College of Surgeons. He is an active member of the Ukrainian Vascular Society, the European Society for Vascular Surgery, and the Society of Interventional Radiology. Additionally, he will be officially inducted as an International Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) this September following the Clinical Congress. |
20forTwenty Scholarship
Zack Barta
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Zack Barta is a third-year medical student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, expected to graduate in 2028. He earned his BS in Neuroscience from UCLA in 2021, where his research in the Cahill Lab on neuroinflammation and mild traumatic brain injury was published in PAIN. Before medical school, he worked as an EMT and Field Training Officer with UCLA EMS and as an ED Technician at Tahoe Forest Hospital, gaining hands-on experience in acute and
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Deeksha Bidare, MD
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I am a General Surgery resident and an incoming Clinical Informatics Fellow at Stanford Health Care with a career interest in trauma and acute care surgery. My current work in the Acute Care Surgery Division focuses on building the clinical data infrastructure that supports outcomes research and quality improvement. I am currently leading an effort to standardize and automate surgical complication reporting, and creating data frameworks that allow us to better evaluate outcomes in trauma care. I am particularly interested in how informatics can help answer clinically relevant questions and translate research into better care for trauma and emergency general surgery patients. Before residency, I earned my MD from Baylor College of Medicine, where my research examined surgical outcomes, healthcare disparities, and access to specialty care across multiple surgical subspecialties. Those experiences shaped my interest in using data to improve surgical decision-making and health system performance. I hope to build a career as an academic acute care surgeon who integrates informatics and outcomes research in high quality surgical patient care. I am grateful for the AAST Travel Scholarship and excited for the opportunity to learn from leaders in trauma and acute care surgery, share ideas with fellow trainees, and build collaborations that will support my development as a surgeon and informatician. |
Elise Biesboer, MD
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I completed my medical school at University of Illinois College of Medicine, my general surgery training at Medical College of Wisconsin, and I am now a trauma and acute care surgery fellow at the University of New Mexico. My research interests include comprehensive recovery after firearm injury, transition to outpatient care, and understanding the patient experience with a focus on patients in police custody. I have had the opportunity to present my research at both AAST and EAST, which has been an invaluable part of my professional development. Outside of the hospital I enjoy concerts and live music, hot yoga, waterskiing, and I continue to volunteer in harm reduction and syringe exchange for people with substance use disorders. I am incredibly thankful for the AAST 20forTwenty scholarship and look forward to continuing to collaborate with leaders in trauma care. |
Kevin Blair, MD, MSc
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Kevin (“KJ”) Blair grew up in Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University and his M.D. from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Dr. Blair then went on to complete his General Surgery Residency at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), during which time he also obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is currently in a two-year AAST Trauma & Acute Care Surgery fellowship at University of Colorado – Denver, which he will complete in July 2027. Dr. Blair plans to have an academic career with a public health focus; his research interests include trauma system development in low- and middle-income countries, identifying risk factors for injury, and injury prevention efforts. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Blair enjoys running, hiking, skiing, and scuba diving. He loves being a dad and spending time with his family. |
Alyssa Brandt, MD, MBA
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Dr. Alyssa Brandt is a Surgical Critical Care Fellow at the University of Minnesota, where she recently completed her general surgery residency and served as Administrative Chief Resident. She earned her medical degree from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and completed an MBA at the University of Utah during her dedicated research years. Her clinical and academic interests include geriatric surgery, surgical quality improvement, and surgical leadership, with research focused on emergency general surgery outcomes and health systems. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Brandt is a USA triathlon guide and enjoys spending time outside with her two dogs. |
Julia Burrows, MD
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Julia Burrows is a PGY-5 resident at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, CA. She is originally from La Canada, CA. She graduated from Whitman College with a BA in Chemistry and received her MD from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is looking forward to a career in academic surgical critical care and trauma surgery and has research interests in critical care management, traumatic brain injury, and surgery education. |
Joseph Calpin, MD, MS
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Joseph Calpin is a second-year General Surgery Resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently completing his second year of dedicated research in Dr. Wei Chao’s laboratory within the Center for Shock, Trauma, and Anesthesiology Research at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. His research focuses on the role of the Toll-Like Receptor 7 (TLR7) pathway in a murine model of polytrauma and the discovery of microRNA biomarkers in patients with hemorrhagic shock. He plans to pursue fellowship training in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Calpin earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science from the University of South Florida. He then attended the University of Florida College of Medicine before beginning his surgical training at the University of Maryland. |
Theodore Carlin
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Theodore “Teddy” Carlin is a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, with a strong interest in trauma and acute care surgery. He graduated magna cum laude from Haverford College in 2024 with a degree in chemistry and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. While at Haverford, he worked as a volunteer EMT and played varsity lacrosse. Since beginning medical school, Teddy has worked with the Department of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. His research has focused on predictive analytics, trauma outcomes, and machine learning applications using institutional and national trauma databases. He is also involved in video review of traumatic resuscitations and EMS encounters, using computer vision to evaluate workflow, communication, and intervention timing during acute trauma care. He hopes to pursue a career in academic trauma surgery. |
Bruno Coimbra
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I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. I attended UC Santa Barbara and graduated in 2022 with a degree in Cellular and Developmental Biology. In 2023, I began medical school at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where I am now a 4th-year student. I have been involved in Trauma, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care research since my undergraduate education and have co-authored several publications with the Comparative Effectiveness and Clinical Outcomes Research Center at RUHS Medical Center, as well as the Center for Trauma and Critical Care at the GW University Hospital. I will be applying to General Surgery Residency during the upcoming cycle. During my future career I plan to work at an academic medical center where I can be involved in Medical Education. |
Taylor Corsi, MD
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Taylor received her medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is a general surgery resident at Yale School of Medicine. She is completing her dedicated research years while pursuing a Master of Health Science in Medical Education at Yale. Her research within the Yale Division of General Surgery, Trauma, and Surgical Critical Care focuses on surgical outcomes and quality improvement, surgical education, competency-based assessment, simulation, and trauma training. She has led multiple education research initiatives examining simulation-based entrustment assessment, leadership development, feedback, and informed consent education. Taylor recently founded the Yale Department of Surgery Cadaver Education Lab, developing a cadaver-based surgical curriculum to enhance technical skills training for trainees. In the clinical domain, she was recognized as Yale’s Surgical Intensive Care Unit Resident of the Year for her commitment to patient care. Taylor plans to pursue a career in academic trauma and acute care surgery, with a focus on advancing evidence-based surgical education through innovative curricula and assessment methods. Outside of medicine, she enjoys reading, trail running, and horseback riding. |
Anna Whitlock Garcia, MD, PhD
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Anna Garcia Whitlock, MD, PhD, is an acute care surgeon-scientist completing fellowship training in Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also completed her General Surgery residency and a PhD in Cell Biology, Physiology, and Metabolism. As a surgeon and physiologist, Dr. Whitlock studies the body’s metabolic response to severe injury—particularly how adaptations that promote immediate survival may ultimately impede recovery. Her research combines mechanistic animal models with human translational studies to investigate stress-induced hyperglycemia, coagulation, and skeletal muscle metabolism after trauma. Building on NIH-supported research training, she is pursuing advanced training in metabolomics to expand the translational scope of this work. Her research has received national recognition from the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and the Shock Society. Her long-term goal is to lead an independently funded translational research program focused on improving survival and meaningful recovery from critical illness. Dr. Whitlock is also committed to advancing the academic development of trainees in acute care surgery, particularly those interested in research. She is pursuing a career that integrates broad clinical practice in acute care surgery, collaborative science, and the development of the next generation of surgeon-scientists |
Deanna Gonzalez, MD
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Dr. Deanna Gonzalez is a General Surgery chief resident at the University of New Mexico. She earned her medical degree at University of New Mexico after completing a Combined BA/MD Program and has developed a strong interest in trauma and surgical critical care. As a proud first-generation American, physician and Latina surgeon, Dr. Gonzalez is passionate about mentorship, increasing diversity within medicine, and improving access to high-quality surgical care for underserved communities. Following completion of residency, she plans to pursue fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care. |
Alexandra Greene, MD, MA Ed
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Alexandra Justine Elizabeth Greene, MD, MA Ed is a Surgical Critical Care and Trauma Surgery Fellow at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Ryder Trauma Center. She completed her General Surgery Residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she served as Administrative Chief Resident and developed numerous initiatives focused on advancing surgical education, mentorship, and health equity. Prior to medicine, Dr. Greene spent six years as a high school Anatomy and Physiology teacher in the Watts/Compton area of Los Angeles, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to trauma care, violence prevention, and addressing the social determinants of health.
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Emily Grimsley, MD
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Dr. Emily Grimsley was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area. She graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University and went on to the University of Maryland for medical school where her love for trauma and acute care surgery blossomed. She completed her General Surgery Residency at the University of South Florida, during which time she undertook a research fellowship focusing on big data and machine learning. Her research led to numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts and national presentations. She is as an active associate member of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, where she serves on the Patient Assessment Committee. Additionally, she serves as an ATLS Instructor and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She is currently in her first year of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery fellowship at The University of Colorado, where she hopes to focus on teaching and education. |
Mohammed Hasan, MD
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Dr. Mohammed Hasan is a Surgical Critical Care Fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital. His clinical and academic interests include trauma surgery, surgical critical care, global surgery, and disaster response. Throughout his training, Dr. Hasan has been committed to caring for critically injured patients while pursuing opportunities in surgical education, mentorship, and research. He is particularly interested in improving trauma systems and expanding access to high-quality surgical care in resource-limited and humanitarian settings. His long-term career goal is to practice academic trauma surgery, combining clinical excellence, education, and global health initiatives. Outside of medicine, Dr. Hasan values faith, family, mentorship, and service, principles that continue to shape his approach to patient care and leadership. He is honored to attend the AAST Annual Meeting and looks forward to learning from leaders in the field, fostering new collaborations, and contributing to the future of trauma and acute care surgery. |
Zachary Holley, DO
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Dr. Holley is the current Academic Chief Resident at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. He obtained his bachelor's degree at Louisiana State University and attended VCOM in Auburn, AL for his medical degree. During his residency, Dr. Holley has demonstrated excellence in surgical education, research, and leadership. He was most recently awarded the Resident Research Scholar Award by program faculty for his academic productivity over the past year including two publications and several awards for podium presentations. He currently serves on the AAST Associate Member Education Committee. He is also the ACS RAS representative for the South Carolina state chapter and a member of the EAST EGS Committee. He has attended both ATOM and ASSET courses, and is an ATLS instructor for his program. He has completed a concurrent surgical educational fellowship through the Association of Surgical Education and has future plans to pursue a fellowship in Acute Care Surgery next year. |
Michelle Hong, MD
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Born and raised in Southern California, Michelle Hong is currently a Surgical Critical Care / Trauma & EGS fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital. She completed her undergraduate studies in molecular biology at UC San Diego, received her MD at USF Morsani College of Medicine, and completed her general surgery residency at Loma Linda University. She is interested in Global Surgery and spent two months during her residency in Malawi, Africa. When she is not in the hospital, she enjoys traveling and exploring the national and state parks. |
Natasha Houshmand, MD
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Dr. Natasha Houshmand is a general surgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, graduating with a Distinction in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, before beginning her surgical training at Johns Hopkins. She is currently completing her dedicated research years while pursuing a PhD in Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her dissertation focuses on trauma clinician-directed interventions to promote secure firearm storage. Dr. Houshmand plans to pursue fellowship training in trauma and surgical critical care. Her clinical and research interests center on firearm injury prevention and strengthening the role of clinicians in promoting public health both within and beyond the hospital. |
Rashi Jhunjhunwala, MD, MA
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Rashi Jhunjhunwala was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and is currently in her second year of Acute Care Surgery Fellowship at the University of New Mexico. She earned a Master of Arts in Bioethics & Society at King’s College London where she investigated ethical justifications for prioritizing surgery on the path to universal health coverage. Dr. Jhunjhunwala spent three years working with the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at Harvard Medical School on projects ranging from the economic and demographic impact of gun violence, trauma systems research, national surgical planning for country-level health systems, and social justice in global surgical access. She has been a delegate to and given talks at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, and the United Nations General Assembly about barriers to surgical care. She plans to continue her work in global surgery as a trauma surgeon and advocate for health equity. |
Anna Mary Jose, MD
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Anna Mary Jose is a PGY-2 general surgery resident at Westchester Medical Center, New York. From 2023 to 2025, she has served as a Research Fellow in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery under Drs. Kartik Prabhakaran, Bardiya Zangbar, and Jordan Kirsch, where her work has focused on trauma outcomes, resuscitation, and geriatric and pediatric injury. She has more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and over 30 national, and regional presentations. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Association of Women Surgeons, and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Beyond trauma research, Anna is passionate about gender equity and global surgery. She previously served as Director of Research for the International Student Surgical Network (InciSioN) and Co-Chair of its Scientific Committee for the 2025 Global Surgery Symposium, as well as General Assembly Lead and Mentorship Lead for the Gender Equity Initiative in Global Surgery. Anna aspires to be an academic trauma surgeon. |
Brandon Karcher, MD
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Dr. Brandon Carlos Karcher is a Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he served as Administrative Chief Resident and was recognized as Intern of the Year. He earned his medical degree with Research Honors and election to Alpha Omega Alpha from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Karcher’s academic interests include robotic acute care surgery, injury outcomes research, and surgical education. His work has focused on trauma systems, vulnerable patient populations, and complex trauma care. He is an active member of AAST, ACS, EAST, and SAGES, where he serves on committees focused on acute care surgery, leadership, and professional development. |
Aahad Khan, MD
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Aahad is a graduating general surgery resident completing training at the University of Wisconsin. He is pursuing an Acute Care Surgery fellowship with a long-term goal of an academic surgical career at the intersection of acute care surgery and surgical palliative care. His clinical and scholarly interest centers on integrating palliative principles upstream into high-acuity surgical illness and trauma, rather than treating them as a downstream consult. He believes that goals-of-care conversations and aggressive surgical intervention are not mutually exclusive, and that ACS surgeons are uniquely positioned to lead this integration. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Aahad spent a formative year in Pakistan before his family relocated to rural Missouri, eventually settling in Milwaukee. This path across vastly different communities shaped his commitment to equitable and culturally responsive surgical care. He is multilingual and draws on his background in caring for diverse patient populations. He and his wife, a general surgery resident pursuing fellowship in breast surgery, are united by a shared commitment to delivering high-quality care to their patients. |
Nicole Long, MD
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Dr. Nicole Long recently completed her General Surgery residency at the University of Illinois Chicago–Mount Sinai Hospital and is beginning a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Chicago. She has a strong academic interest in trauma, surgical critical care, and surgical education. A passionate educator and multiple-time recipient of her residency's Teaching Award, she is committed to advancing both patient care and the education of future surgeons. Outside of medicine, Dr. Long is a former elite barefoot waterskier who represented Team Canada internationally. |
Tamriage Martin, MD
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I am currently a PGY-4 resident at the University of Virginia in the second year of my academic development time. I am originally from North Carolina, and I received my undergraduate degree in psychology from Wake Forest University. I stayed at Wake Forest for my master’s degree in biomedical sciences and my Doctor of Medicine. I am excited to pursue a career in academic trauma and acute care surgery with research and clinical interest including traumatic brain injuries, health services research, and medical education. |
Tom McNally, MD
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Tom McNally (tom mik-NAL-ee) is a fourth-year General Surgery Resident at the University of Washington. Born and raised in Chicago, he completed both his undergraduate and medical education there before moving to the Pacific Northwest for residency. Dr. McNally’s clinical interests lie at the intersection of global surgery, medical education, and health equity—with a particular focus on public health approaches to gun violence reform. Driven by a commitment to improving care access and training both locally and globally, he aims to combine academic trauma surgery with meaningful health policy advocacy. |
Jennifer Munley, MD
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My name is Jennifer Munley and I am an Acute Care Surgery fellow at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland. My clinical interests include pulmonary contusions, rib fixation, and the use of ECMO in trauma. My previous research has investigated the gut microbiome in both a preclinical model and in severely injured patients. Currently I am investigating immunoproteomic phenotyping in patients with pulmonary contusions, outcomes of the management of traumatic colon injury, and the use of ECMO in trauma. I look forward to applying for early investigator funding through the AAST as junior faculty, along with NIH funding as I start my career as a surgeon scientist. I am excited to apply for my first faculty position this year as I complete my fellowship. |
Jasmin Neal, MD
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Jasmin Neal is currently a second-year Acute Care Surgery Fellow at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. She received her undergraduate degree at Columbia University where she double majored in Biology and Race & Ethnicity studies. She completed medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and residency training at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell – NSLIJ. Outside of the OR, she is passionate about improving the care of underserved patients through surgical outcomes research and ICU quality improvement. She is also deeply committed to medical education and is a standing lecturer for the Wake Forest University Medical School MS3 Surgery clerkship. Jasmin is a native of Somerset, NJ and her hobbies include yoga, baking, and reading. |
Kristen Nordham, MD, MS
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Kristen Nordham is a PGY-4 general surgery resident on research year at Harbor-UCLA Medical center in Torrance, CA. She is looking forward to a career in academic trauma and acute care surgery, and her research interests include prehospital care of trauma patients, traumatic/catastrophic brain injury management, and organ donation. |
Chinedu Okoli, MD
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Chinedu Okoli, MD is a Surgical Critical Care Fellow at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he is training in trauma critical care. He completed his General Surgery Residency at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, gaining broad experience in complex surgery, emergency general surgery, trauma, and multidisciplinary care of critically ill patients.
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Anushka Paladugu, MD
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Anushka Paladugu is a PGY-4 general surgery resident at Loma Linda University. Her academic work has focused on surgical outcomes, trauma systems, the social context of injury, and surgical education. She is also involved in initiatives that support resident community and sustainability in surgical training. Outside the hospital, she enjoys playing basketball and tennis, skiing, and movie marathons. |
Alex Richard, MD
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Alex Richard is a general surgery resident at Washington University in St. Louis, currently in two years of academic development time. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, and attended medical school at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. He is an aspiring pediatric surgeon with an interest in pediatric trauma delivery, injury prevention, and prehospital care. |
Tripp Rosenfelt
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Tripp Rosenfelt is currently a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas. He holds a B.A. from Yale University. At BCM, Tripp serves as a research associate on Dr. Ryan Dumas’s trauma research team and is also a member of a Yale School of Medicine (YSM) research project focused on artificial intelligence and machine vision applications in robotic-assisted surgery. Prior to medical school, Tripp worked extensively as a medical assistant and interpreter in clinical environments supporting refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeking patient populations including in NYC Health+Hospitals' Bellevue Hospital Emergency Department. Tripp currently serves as President of Baylor College of Medicine’s chapter of Lone Star Survival, a nonprofit providing free hemorrhage control and tourniquet training to the community. He has EMT experience, training in Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and is a U.S. Navy veteran. |
Karina Rozenberg, RN, BSN
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Karina Rozenberg is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine currently applying into general surgery residency. She had a nontraditional path to medicine, as her career in healthcare started when she became an ICU nurse, where she worked for 4 years prior to applying to medical school. Throughout medical school, she has worked with Dr. Rosemary Kozar on both translational and clinical research with a focus on mechanisms and therapeutic targets for endothelial dysfunction in trauma-induced coagulopathy. She has contributed to several publications and presentations regarding coagulopathy in traumatic hemorrhagic shock. As a recipient of the 2026 AAST 20forTwenty Annual Meeting Scholarship, Karina is honored to attend this year's conference to further collaborate with the academic trauma community. Upon completion of training, Karina plans to pursue a career as an academic trauma and acute care surgeon, where she will continue to contribute to advances in care for critically injured patients. |
Emma Ryan, MD
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Emma E Ryan, MD is a PGY-5 general surgery resident at the University of Illinois COM at Peoria. She completed her BA in Biochemistry and MA in Biotechnology at Boston University, then worked in clinical research at MGH in Boston before earning her MD at Rush Medical College in Chicago. A Chicagoland native, she matched at UICOMP to stay close to her family. There, she developed a passion for trauma surgery and surgical critical care. She is excited to match into Surgical Critical Care fellowship in Fall 2026 and plans to pursue further research in palliative care, TBI, and vascular trauma during her career. In her spare time, she likes to watch murder mysteries, cycle on her Peloton, and spend time with family and friends, preferably in excellent restaurants. |
Alyscia Severance, MD
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Alyscia Severance is a PGY-5 General Surgery Resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center pursuing a career in Trauma and Surgical Critical Care. Her interests are in violence prevention, firearm injury, and trauma outcomes research. She is excited to join this field and be a part of this community. |
Rachel Sier, DO
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Rachel Sier grew up in Colorado, skiing, running, and dancing through her younger years. She attended the University of Utah, earning a BS in biomedical engineering with a minor in nutrition. She was involved in the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team for 3 years, fostering her interest in clinical medicine. She attended medical school at WesternU College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, loving surgery during her clinical rotations. She completed a year of thoracic surgery research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, publishing and presenting at conferences. Halfway through, she assisted with COVID-19 clinical trials of monoclonal antibodies. She matched into a preliminary PGY1 position at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, honing her floor management skills. She found a PGY2 preliminary position at the University of North Carolina, gaining confidence in the OR and responding to traumas as the consult resident. She accepted a categorial position to finish residency at a new program, Virtua Health in New Jersey, where she developed leadership skills as part of the first graduating class and learned robotics. She is a new surgical critical care fellow at Riverside University Health System, actively looking for an attending position to start Fall 2027. |
Travis Smith, MD
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Travis Hampton Smith, MD, is a general surgery resident at Loyola University Medical Center pursuing a career in academic trauma and burn surgery. Born and raised in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, he attended Texas A&M University before earning his medical degree from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. He is particularly drawn to the multidisciplinary care of critically ill and injured patients, from initial resuscitation and operative management through intensive care and long-term recovery. His academic interests include trauma and burn surgery, surgical outcomes, quality improvement, and surgical education. He is also committed to teaching, mentorship, and resident leadership. He currently serves as an administrative chief resident, helping coordinate resident schedules, recruitment efforts, and program operations. He hopes to build a career as an academic trauma and burn surgeon who combines excellent clinical care with meaningful research, trainee development, and leadership in surgical education. While outside of medicine, he enjoys photography, running, hiking, and college football. |
Allan Stolarski, MD, MS
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Dr. Allan Stolarski is a two-year AAST Fellow in Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his general surgery residency at Boston Medical Center | Boston University School of Medicine, where he also served as an NIH T32-funded Immunobiology of Trauma Research Fellow with 100% protected research time under the mentorship of Drs. Daniel Remick and Peter Burke. His academic background includes undergraduate training in physics and graduate training in biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, followed by medical school at Albany Medical College. Dr. Stolarski’s work focuses on improving outcomes for critically ill trauma and emergency surgery patients through translational immunobiology, clinical trials, and AI-enabled approaches to trauma resuscitation and surgical critical care. He has contributed to multiple NIH-funded studies, including an NIH/NIDDK pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating early metabolic support in critically ill trauma patients, as well as preclinical investigations of sepsis and inflammatory phenotypes. He was independently awarded funding from the Boston Trauma Institute, currently is actively funded by the Department of Defense for AI-driven trauma research, and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. |
Hope Werenski, MD
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Dr. Hope Werenski is a PGY-4 General Surgery resident at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She earned her medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and plans to pursue fellowship training in Acute Care Surgery. Her scholarly work focuses on improving outcomes for injured and critically ill patients through research in trauma, burns, and emergency general surgery. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and presented her work at regional and national scientific meetings. She serves as an ATLS instructor and is committed to resident and medical student education. She intends to pursue a career in academic acute care surgery focused on advancing the field through clinical excellence, research, and surgical education. |
Spencer Wilson, MD, MSc
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Spencer Wilson is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina. He attended Davidson College, earning a Bachelor of the Arts in Economics, with honors, in 2013, graduating cum laude. After graduating, he matriculated at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he was awarded a full academic scholarship through the Fullerton Foundation. During medical school, Dr. Wilson pursued a Master’s degree in Global Health from King’s College London, with a focus in Global Surgery. As part of this curriculum, he served as an intern in National Surgical Planning at the World Health Organization and conducted research on the delivery of surgical care at hospitals throughout Sierra Leone. He received his medical degree in 2018 and matched as a categorical general surgery resident at Boston University. During residency, he conducted two years of dedicated research time in quality improvement and patient safety, with projects focusing on care of the frail surgical patient, prevention of post-operative infections, and surgical education. During residency, he was honored with multiple teaching awards, including the 2024 Senior Resident Teaching Award. He is now a fellow in Acute Care Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, having completed his critical care year in August. |
Annie Yang, MD
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I am a Surgical Critical Care and AAST Acute Care Surgery Fellow at Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital. Originally from Taiwan and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. I completed my General Surgery residency at the University of Washington, where I developed a deep passion for trauma surgery and surgical education. My academic interests include trauma systems, quality improvement, and developing educational initiatives that improve patient care and trainee development. As an early career academic surgeon, I hope to build collaborative partnerships that strengthen trauma systems while investing in the next generation of surgeons. I am honored to be selected as a recipient of the AAST 20forTwenty Scholarship and look forward to learning from leaders in Trauma Surgery, sharing ideas and contributing to the AAST community throughout my career. |
Catherine Zwemer, MD
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Dr. Catherine Zwemer currently serves as the Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Research Fellow at Inova Fairfax VA in Falls Church VA-- a position created specifically for her as a reflection of her dedication and passion for research in the field of trauma and acute care surgery. As a graduate of The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr. Zwemer is currently between her second and third years of general surgery residency at Inova Fairfax. She has a keen interest in clinical research, with a particular focus on the intersection of trauma care and health equity. Dr. Zwemer’s clinical research interests additionally include health disparities in trauma and emergency general surgery, with an emphasis on examining outcomes among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic minority populations. She is also committed to quality improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing care delivery and reducing disparities in surgical outcomes. Through this work, she seeks to identify modifiable gaps in care and develop evidence-based strategies to ensure equitable outcomes for all trauma patients |