Meet the Scientist: Ann Foo

Hi everyone, I’m Ann Foo, and I’m a science communicator at IAN. I have worked here since 2022, and I really feel like I’ve found my niche at the intersection of science and design. I don’t have an educational background in environmental science—I got dual degrees in cell biology and Greek and Roman history, with a big focus on art and language—but I’ve always been a nature kid.

During undergrad, I worked in a food science lab that studied how to minimize foodborne pathogens on crops and traced outbreaks of E. coli and salmonella using PCR. I also spent a lot of time in greenhouses, growing tomato seeds in sterile rooms, and autoclaving heaps of veggies. I planned to go into medical research, but once working full-time in a neuroscience lab doing schizophrenia research, I found that I enjoyed working on diagrams, presentations, and posters much more than the actual benchwork. A mentor encouraged me to focus on communication, design, and writing, and that led me to IAN.

I have learned so much since joining IAN, and I love everything about what we do. I love talking to people and connecting them with data and resources to better protect or understand their environment. I love doing workshops for middle school teachers to combine art and science in their curricula. I love using design to make information more accessible. I love that some days, I just get to draw a ton of fish! The work we do at IAN connects us with people around the world who are studying and caring for the world around them. Effective environmentalism must be intersectional and must focus on addressing inequity. Most of all, I love working alongside so many people who care deeply about both the environment and the people who live here.

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