Alexandria, VA – The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) has announced that it has selected Ms. Soomin Park as the 2024 AADOCR Gert Quigley Government Affairs Fellow.
The Gert Quigley Fellowship is designed to familiarize graduate-level students with the federal legislative process in the context of dental, oral, and craniofacial research and the oral health care delivery system. As part of the Fellowship, Ms. Park will complete a short work stay at AADOCR headquarters in Alexandria, Va., and will serve a one-year term as a voting member of AADOCR’s Government Affairs Committee and as the government affairs liaison to the AADOCR National Student Research Group (NSRG).
Ms. Park is a fourth-year DDS candidate at Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine (CDM).
She is a member of CDM’s Regenerative Tissue Engineering Laboratory where she has helped develop 3D-printed bioactive grafts for the regeneration of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc. Ms. Park received a CDM summer research fellowship award, and her research earned her a first-place award at CDM’s 65th Birnberg Research Day. She also received the Most Outstanding Research Award at the Hinman Student Research Symposium in 2021.
Upon graduation from Columbia University, Ms. Park will be continuing her research at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) where she will join the Dual Scientist PhD Program as an NIDCR K12 scholar. As a dual clinician and scientist, Ms. Park seeks “to foster an environment where innovation and research seamlessly translate into improved clinical outcomes”.
The Gert Quigley Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for AADOCR student members to learn how the legislative process works and interact with key policymakers on Capitol Hill. “We think Soomin will be a valuable addition to our government affairs team and we look forward to utilizing her skills to advance our advocacy program,” said AADOCR Chief Executive Officer Christopher Fox.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of the International Association for Dental Research. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.