Tudi letos se je ASEF predstavil na programu Education and Student Entrepreneurship & Internship (SEI) 2025, ki ga že 14. leto zapored organizirata Ameriško veleposlaništvo v Ljubljani in AmCham Slovenija. Program je namenjen slovenskim študentom in študentkam, ki želijo pridobiti praktične izkušnje na področju podjetništva, poslovanja in ekonomije.

Na dogodku, ki je potekal v sredo, 9. julija v NLB Centru za inovativno podjetništvo, sta ASEF štipendijski program in svoje raziskovalne izkušnje predstavila dva štipendista generacije 2023 – Katja Hrovat in Jernej Birk.

Katja Hrovat, štipendistka ASEF 2023, je danes zaposlena pri podjetju Animacel d.o.o. Svoj raziskovalni obisk je opravila na Univerzi v Queenslandu, kjer je na Šoli za kemijo in molekularne bioznanosti pod mentorstvom prof. dr. Boštjana Kobeta raziskovala izražanje sesalskih proteinov in pridobila dragocena znanja s področja strukturne biologije. Poleg raziskovanja je spoznavala tudi avstralsko kulturo, obiskala naravne parke in uživala v raziskovanju tamkajšnjega življenjskega sloga.

Jernej Birk,  štipendistka ASEF 2024 in študent kemije na Univerzi v Ljubljani, pa je svoj raziskovalni obisk opravil na Univerzi Rice v ZDA, kjer je v skupini prof. dr. Davida Šarlaha sodeloval pri razvoju naprednih sintetičnih poti v organski kemiji. Ob delu v laboratoriju je doživel tudi kulturni utrip Houstona in izkoristil priložnost za kulinarična ter umetniška doživetja.

Oba štipendista sta predstavila tudi postopek prijave, podporo ASEF skupnosti ter dodatne aktivnosti, ki jih program ponuja – od mentorstev do sodelovanja v podcastih in znanstveni komunikaciji. Udeleženci SEI 2025 so z zanimanjem prisluhnili njunim zgodbam, postavljali vprašanja in izrazili željo po sodelovanju v programu.

Verjamemo, da sta Katja in Jernej s svojo predstavitvijo uspela prikazati, kako močan pečat lahko pustijo raziskovalne izmenjave – tako na profesionalni kot osebni ravni.

Iskrena hvala Ameriškemu veleposlaništvu v Sloveniji, še posebej Charlotte Taft, ki ASEF vsako leto povabi k sodelovanju in z nami deli željo po ustvarjanju novih priložnosti za mlade raziskovalce.

On Wednesday, July 9, the ASEF team participated in the Education and Student Entrepreneurship & Internship (SEI) 2025 program, held at the NLB Center for Innovative Entrepreneurship. Two ASEF Fellows, Katja Hrovat (2023) and Jernej Birk (2024), shared their inspiring stories of academic and personal growth during their international research visits.

Katja Hrovat, now working at Animacel d.o.o., conducted her research visit at the University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, under the mentorship of Professor Dr. Boštjan Kobe. She focused on optimizing the expression and purification of the TLR8 protein and studying protein interactions. Katja also gained valuable insights into structural biology through lab meetings and lectures, and explored Australian nature and culture in her free time.

Jernej Birk, a third-year chemistry student at the University of Ljubljana, joined the Šarlah Research Group at Rice University, where he worked under the mentorship of Professor Dr. David Šarlah. His research centered on total synthesis of natural products, including nimbolide, and the development of novel synthetic strategies. Outside the lab, Jernej immersed himself in Houston’s cultural and culinary life and expanded his perspective on global science.

The SEI 2025 participants showed strong interest in ASEF’s Fellowship Program, which supports short-term research visits abroad for Slovenian students. The program is especially attractive to those looking for international experience and professional development in a supportive academic environment.

We thank Charlotte Taft from the U.S. Embassy in Slovenia for the kind invitation and continuous support. ASEF is proud to be part of SEI once again and to inspire young talents to take their first steps into global research.