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Micaela Andreo, Ashley Campos, Max Ciesla, Dan Krawczyk, Ramona Jones, Taesun Kim, Stephanie Rodriguez, Audrina Ebrahimi and Anna Thompson at the 2025 Friends of BrainHealth scientist selection luncheon.

Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon Celebrated Young Scientists and 97-Year-Young Luncheon Namesake

My Sweet Charity

Sean Rabb

Overview

Center For BrainHealth‘s 2025 Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon offered an exciting twist – in addition to a contest for young scientists to compete for grant funding, the occasion also celebrated the 97th birthday of founding BrainHealth Advisory Board member and Friends of BrainHealth supporter Ramona Jones.“Don’t you want your kids to give you a birthday party like this?” BrainHealth Founder and Chief Director Sandi Chapman, PhD, asked the room full of Dallas-area brain health researchers and enthusiasts.The annual contest offers talented young brain health researchers a chance to earn $20,000 in grant funding for novel pilot studies, “fueling the next generation of scientists in optimizing brain health,” according to Chapman.Anna Thompson (research assistant in the labs of Kristen Kennedy, PhD, and Karen Rodrigue, PhD) was selected by the live audience to receive the Jennifer and Peter Roberts Visionary New Scientist Award for a new pilot study into age-related brain changes. Pre-selected grant recipients include: Audrina Ebrahimi (doctoral student in the lab of biostatistican Jeff Spence, PhD) receiving the Cindy and Charlie Feld Visionary New Scientist Award, Maximilian Ciesla (research assistant in the Developmental Social Aff­ective Neuroscience (DSAN) Lab led by Leehyun Yoon, PhD), receiving the Maisie Heiken Visionary New Scientist Award, and Micaela Andreo (doctoral student in the NeuroPsychometric Research Lab (NPR Lab) led by Bart Rypma, PhD), receiving the Lyda Hill Philanthropies Visionary New Scientist.Three additional finalists competed against Thompson for funding during the event: Taesun Kim, Ashley Campos and Stephanie Rodriguez.Moderated by Deputy Director of Research Dan Krawczyk, PhD, the event drew attendance from several members Jones' family and prominent UT Dallas administration, including: School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) Dean Adam J. Woods, PhD; Vice President for Research and Innovation Joseph Pancrazio, PhD; Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff Rafael Martín, PhD; and Vice President for Facilities and Economic Development Calvin Jamison, PhD. “This is absolutely one of my favorite events of the year,” remarked current BrainHealth Advisory Board Chair Lindsay Wilson, president of the architecture and design firm Corgan. “I always leave feeling smarter and so energized about what our young scientists are doing in the field of brain health.” Read the full story on My Sweet Charity

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Sandi Chapman, Founder and Chief Director, Center for BrainHealth, Co-Leader, The BrainHealth Project, Dee Wyly Distinguished Professor

Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD

Chief Director Dee Wyly Distinguished Professor, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences Co-Leader, The BrainHealth Project

Daniel Krawczyk, Deputy Director, Center for BrainHealth, Debbie and Jim Francis Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Daniel Krawczyk, PhD

Debbie and Jim Francis Chair and Professor, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences Professor, Department of Psychology, UT Dallas

Headshot of Lindsay Wilson, BrainHealth Advisory Board.

Lindsay Wilson

Past Board Chair

Longtime BrainHealth supporter, Ramona Jones.

Ramona Jones

Related Information

Stephanie Rodriguez, Micaela Andreo, Ashley Campos, Taesun Kim, Adam Woods, PhD, Anna Thompson, Max Ciesla and Audrina Ebrahimi at the 2025 Friends of BrainHealth scientist selection luncheon.

2025: Accelerating Social Impact Through BrainHealthy Competition

For the third consecutive year, the Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon took scientific innovation to a new level, offering talented young brain health researchers a chance to compete Shark Tank-style for $20,000 in grant funding for novel pilot studies designed to generate lasting, real-world impact.