Winny Dong

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Pomona, CA | 2021

Winny Dong Portrait Photo

The Presidential Award is a reflection of the care and dedication that my mentors have bestowed on me, and of the hard work and perseverance of the students with whom I have worked. I am tremendously grateful for this recognition. This award motivates me to continue creating opportunities where all students can thrive and to create and grow mentoring programs both within and outside of my home institution.

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. Awardees may choose to provide their latest biographical information on their profile page.

Winny Dong is a professor of chemical and materials engineering and the Faculty Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). Over the past 21 years at Cal Poly Pomona, Winny has mentored over 150 undergraduate STEM students. Approximately 58% of her mentees are first-generation college students, more than 60% are low-income, and over 70% are underrepresented minority (URM) students. Beyond directly mentoring students, Winny has created and sustained multiple programs at Cal Poly Pomona and beyond, serving an additional 3,000+ STEM students. Programs established by Winny have the theme of advancing URM students and faculty in STEM. At Cal Poly Pomona, Winny is the founder and Faculty Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Research through Inclusive Opportunities Program, Achieve Scholars Program, and the Projects Hatchery. She is also the founder of the Entrepreneurship in STEAM program; co-founder and director of the Learn Through Discovery Initiative; co-founder of the Women in Engineering Program; and former director of the McNair Scholars Program. Winny leads multiple research conferences where students from across Southern California can showcase their work and practice their presentation skills. Additionally, Winny developed partnerships with other universities and community colleges to provide broader access to research opportunities, including international research opportunities for both students and faculty. Winny earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, Winny was awarded the Provost Award for Excellence in Service, the highest honor for service at Cal Poly Pomona.