Director of External Relations
510.486.5119
Biography
Laurie Chong is the Molecular Foundry’s Director of External Relations. In this role, Dr. Chong leads strategic initiatives as well as facilitates internal and external communications to promote the Foundry’s mission and showcase its accomplishments to the DOE, Congress, the nanoscience research community and the public. Before joining the Foundry, Dr. Chong worked in Washington D.C. for Congressman Mike Honda as a AAAS Congressional Science and Technology Policy Fellow. Her portfolio included supporting the Congressman’s role on the committee responsible for funding the Department of Energy, as well as all issues pertaining to energy, environment, clean technologies, water, oceans, natural resources, climate change, and the postal system.
Dr. Chong is an alumnus of UCSD and later worked at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography before moving on to earn her Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Southern California. Her dissertation work involved significant time performing oceanographic field research to study carbon cycling and storage in ocean sediments, with a particular focus on the Amazon River plume region. Her education and outreach experience includes spearheading a high school outreach program at USC as well as teaching ocean science, marine management, and policy aboard the Sailing Yacht Argo in the South Pacific.
