Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas has earned a 2019 Boren Scholarship to study in India. He is currently a student in UofL’s School of Medicine.

Boren Scholarships are part of the National Security Education Program and provide funds for college students to study languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. The students typically travel to Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

“I am thrilled to have been selected for the Boren Fellowship. This award is an opportunity to build a deeper connection with my cultural heritage and to contribute to a community that I have grown close to over the last two years.”

Collegiate experience

• Areas of Study:

  • Graduated from University of Chicago (2015) with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. Earned a master’s degree in physiology and biophysics from Georgetown University (2016). Currently a student in UofL’s School of Medicine and expects to graduate in 2021.

Inspired By

Dr. Navjyot Vidwan MD, MPH and Dr. Mary Carter MD PhD are the academic mentors for my Boren project. They are both deeply invested in my work and heavily shaped my research. Dr. Vidwan is a leading authority in antimicrobial stewardship that has provided invaluable expertise for this project. Dr. Carter is leader in global health research and has been crucial to coordinating project logistics.

Additional Awards

Infectious Diseases Society of America Medical Scholarship for antibiotic research (2018)

Hometown information

• Hometown:

  Villa Hills, Kentucky

• High school:

  St. Xavier High School (in Cincinnati, 2011)

• Parents:

  Liza and Issac Thomas of Villa Hills