Scholars

The Foundation is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of focused ultrasound clinicians and scientists through our fellowships and various internship opportunities.

Fellowships

The Visiting Fellowship in Focused Ultrasound is a fellowship program with the goal of expanding the global network and collaboration between the technical or preclinical researchers, and/or the clinical focused ultrasound providers and the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. This Fellowship fosters collaboration between the Foundation, the Fellows’ home institutions, and other institutions as relevant.

Fellows benefit from the Foundation’s wide expertise in focused ultrasound and will have the opportunity to seek out and work closely with other investigators and clinicians throughout the Foundation’s network of research sites to stimulate the development of new translational and clinical research projects. It is expected that the Fellow will propose and design his or her own original research project in focused ultrasound. To apply, inquire at visiting_fellows@fusfoundation.org.

See Previous Fellows

The Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ultrasound and Immuno-Oncology was established in January 2021 through the generosity of the Lockhart family, who are longtime supporters of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. The new Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship will help the Foundation identify and cultivate the next generation of investigators who could advance the development and clinical adoption of focused ultrasound in immuno-oncology. Learn More About the 2023 Fellow

Established in 2020, the Darden Focused Ultrasound Fellowship offers college graduates who have been admitted to the University of Virginia Darden School of Business through its Future Year Scholars Program an opportunity to learn more about the field of focused ultrasound. Fellows will work at the Foundation for one to three years to gain experience working for an entrepreneurial med tech foundation before matriculating at Darden. Learn More About the Fellowship and Meet the First Darden Fellow

The new Postdoctoral Fellowship in Focused Ultrasound was established to help postdoctoral researchers transition into faculty positions. The initiative will award $30,000 per year to two postdoctoral researchers employed at institutions around the world. This Fellowship experience is designed to foster collaboration between the Foundation, the Fellows’ home institution, and other relevant institutions. Each Fellow will design and propose a focused ultrasound research project. Learn More About the Fellowship Program

Internships

In 2024, the Foundation’s internship program was named in honor of Dan and Lou Jordan. The Dan and Lou Jordan Focused Ultrasound Internship Program encompasses the the Foundation’s local and global internship programs. Integral to the Foundation’s mission, these internships are designed to foster interest of focused ultrasound technology among the next generation of researchers.

ACCESS FUS Internships

The Foundation recognizes that disparities created by gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status limit the opportunities of many young people to advance in our field. In 2022, it launched the ACCESS FUS Scholars Initiative to help create a focused ultrasound community that is more diverse and inclusive, ensuring the best and brightest choose careers in focused ultrasound and thereby strengthen the entire field.

The ACCESS FUS internship program provides educational and research opportunities to undergraduate students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. The internship will enable highly motivated students to join the Foundation for full-time work for 6 to 12 weeks during the summer at the Foundation headquarters in Charlottesville, VA. This is a paid internship, and the Foundation will also provide a stipend to cover travel to and from Charlottesville and housing during the internship.

Local Internships

Launched in June 2012, this program enables bright and gifted students to work on a variety of research projects in collaboration with the Foundation’s scientific and medical team. 

The summer Internship Program of the Dan and Lou Jordan Focused Ultrasound Internship Program is designed to foster interest in focused ultrasound technology among the next generation of researchers.

Intern projects represent valuable contributions to the field of focused ultrasound. The Foundation employs interns year-round, with a greater number of available positions during the summer months. To apply, please send your resume along with a cover letter to internships@fusfoundation.org.

2024 Interns

Student Name	Institution
Beyzanur Gokce Ak	University of Virginia
Asad Faqirzada	Boston College
Grace Gawrylowicz	University of Virginia
Ian Hamilton	James Madison University
Sophie Kemprecos	University of Virginia
Nate Owen	University of Virginia
Evan Stewart	University of Virginia
Avery Wilkerson	University of Mary Washington

Global Internship Program

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation offers an international internship opportunity for high school and university undergraduate students interested in the physical and life sciences. Interns supported through this program will work in an established focused ultrasound laboratory under a researcher recognized in the field. To learn more, contact global_interns@fusfoundation.org.

We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Summer Global Internships.

2024 Global Interns

Student	Mentor	Institution
Max Au-Yeung	Reza Haqshenas, PhD	University College London
Alexander Aviles Cruz	Muna Aryal, PhD	North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Aditya Baishnob	William N’Djin, PhD	Inserm LabTAU
Elian Hines	Nicholas Todd, PhD	Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Daegan Kee	Jinhyoung Park, PhD	Sungkyunkwan University
Milea Koster	Steven Allen, PhD	Brigham Young University
Carrington Lea	Muna Aryal, PhD	North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Qiyixing (Ethan) Liu	Sophie Morse, PhD	Imperial College London
Thomas Lu	Timothy Hall, PhD	University of Michigan
Varshini Packiyathasan	Sophie Morse, PhD	Imperial College London
Edena Park	Dong-Guk Paeng, PhD	Jeju National University
Isabel Quintana	Eli Vlaisavljevich, PhD	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Talia Sachs	Elisa Konofagou, PhD	Columbia University
Jang Sanghyeok	Dong-Guk Paeng, PhD	Jeju National University
Nicolo Zaia	Francesco Prada, MD	Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta

Cultivate the Next Generation Follow-On Funding

Those who participated in our internship or global scholars program and are interested in continuing to explore focused ultrasound as a career path are encouraged to contact us to discuss their desires/plans. The Foundation does not have a formal program to fund following on work for prior interns or global scholars, but we will consider compelling applications on a case-by-case basis. Proposals where the student has secured and/or is applying for matching funds from another source are strongly encouraged. To apply, inquire at nextgen@fusfoundation.org.

Funded Fellows

The Foundation has supported four researchers through its Visiting Fellowship in Focused Ultrasound since the program’s inception in 2014. The Fellowship was formalized following a very productive year-long collaboration with Institut Langevin’s Jean-François Aubry, PhD and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the Focused Ultrasound Foundation is based.

The Richard Merkin Visiting Fellows were as follows:

Dong-guk Paeng, PhD (2014-2015)	Associate Professor of Ocean Systems	Jeju National University in Jeju, Korea
Cyril Lafon, PhD (2016-2017)	Director, LabTAU	University of Lyon in Lyon, France
Francesco Prada, MD (2017-2019)	Staff Neurosurgeon	Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Neurologico “C. Besta” in Milan, Italy
Frederic Padilla, PhD (2017-2019)	Associate Professor, LabTAU	University of Lyon in Lyon, France
Beata Chertok, PhD (2021-2022)	Associate Professor	University of Michigan

The following Fellows were funded through the Foundation’s original Fellowship program, which was retired in 2021.