Becky Chong

Becky Chong serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, actively contributing to the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program. She has led multiple undergraduate research sections focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomic analysis.

Her research centers on Phage Biology and Microbiology, with strong emphasis on Genomics and Bioinformatics methodologies. Through the SEA-PHAGES initiative, she integrates hands-on laboratory work with computational analysis, using Arthrobacter globiformis as a model host system to explore viral evolution and genomic diversity.

Dr. Chong has instructed BIOL 499 (Phage Discovery) sections for 22 freshmen in Fall 2018 (023 and 016), conducting weekly 4-hour in situ microbiology labs. In Spring 2021, she co-taught BIOL172L section 033 with Megan Porter, guiding 16 students through in silico genomic analysis with twice-weekly 2.5-hour sessions. Her teaching directly supports the program's mission to advance bacteriophage genomics education through authentic research experiences.