Penn State Graduate Accepts NIH Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship in Bioethics

Chloe Connor, a 2022 Penn State Bioethics and Medical Humanities Minor graduate, has accepted a two-year post-baccalaureate fellowship with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Department of Bioethics. As part of the fellowship, Ms. Connor will conduct mentored theoretical and empirical bioethics research, and will participate in clinical ethics consultations, institutional review board deliberations, and case conferences. 

“Without Penn State’s Bioethics and Medical Humanities Minor, I would not have discovered my passion for the field of bioethics,” said Connor. “The Bioethics and Medical Humanities Minor provided me with a strong foundation in ethical analysis and instilled in me a deep curiosity for many bioethical areas of inquiry. Professor Mekel has been a fantastic mentor. She worked with me to tailor my bioethics capstone project to my goals and interests. In fact, the capstone project solidified my interest in bioethics research and formed the bulk of my writing sample for the NIH the application.”

Ms. Connor is currently completing a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, where she is doing research and earning an M.Sc. in public health.

“Witnessing a tremendously talented student find their passion in bioethics is truly rewarding,” said Michele Mekel, associate director of the Penn State Bioethics Program. “Poised to change the world, Ms. Connor marshals outstanding acumen in science and bioethics, an uplifting attitude, and an unassailable internal compass will ensure she leaves a positive and lasting mark on public health law and ethics. I’m honored to have played a role in her education.”

Following the NIH bioethics fellowship, she will attend Harvard Law School. Ultimately, Ms. Connor plans to pursue a career in public health law.

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