ASEF at SEI 2025

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.