Abbey Thompson Email & Phone Number

San Jose, CA, US

Berkeley, California, United States

Activate is a non-profit that helps scientists and engineers bring their research to market with a focus on solutions for climate and sustainability. The two-year immersive Activate Fellowship provides financial resources, mentorship, networks, and education to transform scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs.

San Jose, California, United States

• Managed a portfolio of educational programming to deliver high quality STEAM experiences to diverse audiences while providing opportunities for early-career scientists to gain science communication experience.
• Directed the Stanford at The Tech program, bringing Stanford graduate students and postdocs to The Tech Interactive (a hands-on science center in San Jose CA) for an intensive science communication experience. Mentored.
• Directed the Ask-a-Geneticist website, which reaches >3.5 million visitors annually. Answered submitted questions, served as editor for new articles, and worked as project manager for a major redesign and content.
• Developed new hands-on genetics activities and worked with independent evaluators to assess efficacy and impact.
• Collaborated with other departments at The Tech on projects including educator lesson plans, DEIA style guidelines, social media content, and teen career pathway events.
• Collaborated with colleagues in the Genetics Department on DEI initiatives, support for high school and undergraduate summer research programs, and other projects related to community engagement.

Stanford, CA

I completed my dissertation in David Kingsley's lab, where I studied the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of new traits in vertebrates.

San Jose, CA

Led a variety of floor activities with museum visitors, wrote articles for the online Ask-A-Geneticist column, and acted as a docent in the traveling Smithsonian Human Genome Exhibit.

Provided hands-on STEM lessons to middle school students on topics ranging from life sciences to physics and engineering. I worked closely with classroom teachers to select topics that supplemented their curriculum with activities throughout the entire academic year, providing cost-effective NGSS-aligned laboratory experiments to under-resourced schools.

Laboratory Of Translational Genomics, Gaithersburg, MD

Evanston, IL

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Genetics

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Genetics And Molecular Biology