Dr. Mary Ann Leung is a nationally-acclaimed leader in the design and implementation of innovative programs aimed at developing the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leaders. Dr. Leung has nurtured her passion for connecting students and science by developing and implementing novel and measurably impactful initiatives. In 2014, she created Sustainable Horizons Institute to increase opportunities for underrepresented students and professionals in STEM.
Before launching Sustainable Horizons, Dr. Leung was the program manager for the Department of Energy (DOE) Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) program. For this, she developed workshops, arranged for large allocations coupled with training and mentoring, and increased usage of DOE supercomputing resources. During her tenure, the program achieved an unprecedented level of recruitment and fellow and alumni engagement through a strategic, multi-faceted integration of online, regional, professional society, and annual conference activities. As a result of Dr. Leung’s efforts, DOE CSGF doubled the number and overall quality of applicants in five years, including a doubling and in some cases quadrupling the number of underrepresented minority applications.
At Miami Dade College, Dr. Leung developed and implemented novel programming for women and under-represented minorities in the Tools For Success program, funded through the National Science Foundation STEM Talent Expansion Program. She initiated a rapid start, and then engaged and retained students through online and learning communities, specialized courses, virtual and traditional seminars, peer and faculty mentoring, field trips, and other activities.
A computational chemist by training, Dr. Leung is an experienced author and researcher. Her research interests include the development of scalable, parallel, scientific codes for the investigation of quantum mechanical phenomena, as well as science and technology education, workforce development, diversity and inclusion. Her research is published in several peer-reviewed journals and she remains in-demand as a speaker and contributor at national STEM-based initiatives.
She chaired the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) 2015 Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE15), CSE17, and CSE19, as well as the Supercomputing 2014 (SC14) Broader Engagement (BE) committees. She also served as Deputy Chair for SC13 BE, co-chaired SC11 BE, served on the American Association for the Advancement of Science Committee on Opportunities in Science, and was the inaugural Iowa delegate for Vision 2020, a national gender equity initiative. In addition, she has worked with middle and high school girl outreach programs and served on advisory boards for Nevada High School science and engineering initiatives and the Ankeny High School Workforce Committee.
Dr. Leung holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Computational Physical Chemistry from the University of Washington. She graduated with honors from Mills College, earning a B.A. in Chemistry with a Math minor.
Dr. Leung’s bio sketch can be found here: LeungBioSketch.