Stephen Nelson is undergraduate degree in biology, graduating valedictorian and summa cum laude from California State Polytechnic University of Pomona in 1990, followed by a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from University of California, Riverside in 1996, and then an MD from University of California, San Diego in 2000. I completed my Pediatrics Residency at Lackland Air Force Base 2000-2003, worked as a Pediatrician for 1 year a Los Angeles Air Force Base, and then did my Pediatric Neurology Fellowship at Stanford University 2004-2007. I then was Chief of Pediatric Neurology at Keesler Air Force Base 2007-2010, and during that time started working part-time at Tulane University School of Medicine as a Pediatric Neurologist. From 2010-2013 I was Program Director of the Pediatric Neurology Fellowship, and Director of Child Neurology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Since the beginning of 2014 I have been full-time at Tulane University School of Medicine as the Section Head of Pediatric Neurology, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry.

Stephen Nelson research interests are in the genetic causes of epilepsy, treatment options for intractable seizures, the molecular basis of developmental brain disorders, prenatal causes of cerebral palsy, management of intractable headaches, and others.