Science is for everyone
The Kong Lab acknowledges that the University of Washington stands on the unceded land of the Coast Salish peoples, land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations.
A message from the PI:
”E Komo Mai! (Translation: Welcome and come on in!)
I was born and raised in Hawaii. A bit of the oddball in my family, I was one of the first to go to college on the “Mainland” (the continental US) and the first to pursue a PhD. As a first generation PhD student, my path in science was largely supported by (1) my family, who always encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and (2) a team of teachers and mentors, who provided me with opportunities to explore my research interests and pursue an academic career. I will forever be grateful to those that got me here and it is this gratitude that fuels my passion to support others in science.”
The Kong Lab functions under the central premise that science is for everyone. We are committed to providing enthusiastic students with research opportunities and making science more diverse and inclusive for future generations. The Kong Lab values innovation, resilience, and team work. We strive to keep up with the literature, to pursue cool science, and to build a healthy community that collectively seeks to push the boundaries of the known world. Through constructive feedback and cooperative learning, our goal is to help each other become the best scientist we can be. We recognize that science is hard, full of failed approaches and ideas, and that our personal happiness must not depend on our academic success. We do science not because it is easy, but because we love it and want to solve the mysteries of the natural world.
Resources to check out
Leading Edge: Empowering early career scientists
”Leading Edge is an initiative to improve the gender diversity of life sciences faculty in the United States by providing women and non-binary postdocs with a platform to present their work, an opportunity to meet and connect with one another, and mentorship and career development training from world leaders in biomedical research.”
Científico Latino: Changing the next generation of STEM
”The Científico Latino Project comes from a drive to increase the pool of minority scientists and professionals by creating a platform where everyone—regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or immigration status—has equal access to fellowship and scholarship opportunities, and the chance to learn from their peers to becoming successful STEM professionals and other related fields.”
Black in Neuro: Diversify the Neurosciences
”Our mission is to diversify the neurosciences by building a community that celebrates and empowers Black scholars and professionals in
neuroscience-related fields. We hope to galvanize everyone, including non-Black allies, to join us in creating this change.”
SACNAS: Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
”There is a future where STEM reflects the demographics of our country, so the field is better equipped to solve our world's most pressing problems. Through our people, programs, and partnerships, SACNAS has taken a radical approach to lead with culture and identity as the means to achieve true diversity in STEM..”