Duke and UNC Pediatricians Honored for Exceptional Cross-Institutional Bass Connections Team Leadership

David Ming (Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Duke School of Medicine) and Neal deJong (Professor of Pediatrics, UNC School of Medicine) are the winners of the 2026 Bass Connections Leadership Award. This award recognizes outstanding faculty and staff team leaders for their creativity, intellectual vision and commitment to student mentoring on year-long Bass Connections projects.

For the past three years, Ming and deJong have been leading the Children’s Complex Care Coalition of North Carolina (4CNC) team, which builds on partnerships with a statewide interdisciplinary coalition working to improve systems of care for children with complex health needs. The project brings together students from Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to conduct community-engaged research and advocacy aimed at strengthening coordinated care across medical and social service systems.

Letters of support from student team members describe Ming and deJong as thoughtful mentors who foster a collaborative and welcoming team culture while empowering students to pursue their interests and take on leadership roles. Students highlighted the leaders’ dedication to interdisciplinary learning, their openness to ideas from across fields and institutions, and their commitment to helping students connect individual tasks to the broader mission of improving care for vulnerable children and families.

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Student Testimonials

“Drs. Ming and deJong are dedicated to their patients and passionate about improving transitional care for children with medical complexity. I have also been so impressed by their dedication to the Bass Connections team. They take the time to get to know each of our student team members and make time for team social events. Drs. Ming and deJong are thoughtful leaders who show flexibility in meeting students where they are and working with them through scheduling challenges and other obstacles to ensure that students have a positive experience on the team. They make sure that students understand how their work contributes to the larger goal of improving care for children and families.” – Laura Kmitch, Graduate Team Member, Duke University 

“Drs. Ming and deJong demonstrate steadfast dedication not only to the project’s goals, but also to student education. They use time during our all-hands meetings and leverage their personal networks to bring in professionals from across the coordinated care field, including nurses, physicians, health insurance specialists, social workers and graduate students. These speakers contribute perspectives on coordinated care for children with complex health needs through direct treatment, advocacy, narrative medicine and policy development. As mentors, Drs. Ming and deJong demonstrate a deep commitment to student well-being and academic success. They consistently recognize leadership potential in students who are passionate about the project and provide meaningful opportunities for them to grow.” – Esosa Ediae, Undergraduate Team Member, Duke University

“Our team brings together Duke undergrads and graduate students from both Duke and UNC, and Drs. Ming and Dr. deJong help us recognize the strengths in having representation from two institutions … The thing that stands out most about Dr. Ming and Dr. deJong is how much confidence they place in their students. I've been given the chance to lead subteams and coordinate interviews with research participants — responsibilities I genuinely didn't expect to have. It has made me more confident in my abilities as a research coordinator and a leader. Working in this Bass Connections team and learning from Dr. Ming and Dr. deJong, I grew in ways I truly didn’t expect to.” – Nikhita Nanduri, Graduate Team Member, Duke University

“Drs. deJong and Ming have created a supportive, engaging environment in the 4CNC team … Throughout the project, they have offered supportive, detailed feedback and encouraged the team to consider both methodological and humanistic perspectives. Overall, they have been terrific leaders [and] are encouraging and involved mentors and excellent role models — both for students interested in pursuing a medical degree and in other fields.” – Caleb Easterly, Graduate Team Member, UNC-CH

Learn More

• Check out last year’s winner of this award.
• Check out the winner of this year’s Bass Connections Award for Outstanding Mentorship.
• Sign up for our newsletter to get updates on summer recruitment for 2026-2027 Bass Connections teams.