Abby Cheng, Newton Site Coordinator

Email: acheng [at] scienceclubforgirls [dot] org

Phone: (617) 391-0361 x7

Abby Cheng joined Science Club for Girls as a volunteer mentor scientist in 2007. In 2010, Abby became the Newton site coordinator where she oversees the science club operations and activities and works closely with the Newton Site Steering Committee to ensure that students, junior mentors, and mentor scientists have an enriching experience during their time with Science Club for Girls.

Abby earned a PhD from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology where she studied early events in embryonic development. She then moved to the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco for post-doctoral studies. There she was awarded the Clifford and Evelyn Cherry Fellowship from the American Heart Association for her research on blood vessel development.

Away from Science Club for Girls, Abby continues to have an active role in community volunteering. She serves as an Edge on College Mentor for the University of San Francisco where she received a Masters of Science Degree. Abby is currently a member of the Cultural Council for the town of Needham serving as the grants coordinator and helping to organize New Year's Needham, the second largest first night celebration in Massachusetts, second only to Boston's.

Abby was born and raised in Northern California. She grew up playing softball, basketball and volleyball. She earned an athletic scholarship to play volleyball at Arkansas State University and before she decided to earn her PhD, wanted to play professional beach volleyball. These days her main passion is her two young daughters, one of which is a participating Science Club student.