Guest blog post by Tina Wei Smith, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) As the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), it is my honor to serve the 22 million people who make up this important and quickly growing population of Americans. Our work has never been more critical...

Guest blog post by Emy Tseng, Broadband Program Specialist, BroadbandUSA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration I am honored to participate in the Department of Commerce’s celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I was born in Taiwan and spent most of my childhood in Seattle. Growing up, my favorite subjects were math and music. Along the way a number...

Guest blog post by Hyon B. Shin, Assistant Division Chief, Survey Coordination and Disclosure Avoidance, Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division, U.S. Census Bureau I am honored to have been chosen as an outstanding U.S Census Bureau employee as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. One of the most influential people in my life has been my maternal grandmother. She...

Guest blog post by Pad Hosame, IT Specialist, Office of the Chief Information Officer, National Technical Information Service (NTIS) I was born in Bangalore, India. Today, Bangalore is home to many of the most well-recognized colleges and research institutions in India. Numerous public sector industries, software companies, aerospace, telecommunications, and defense organizations are located in...

Blog post by Connie Africano Remoroza, Research Chemist, Mass Spectrometry Data Center, Biomolecular Measurement Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) I was born in Manila, Philippines, and raised in a middle-class family where I was the eldest of seven children. My parents worked hard to send my six siblings and me to college. Through them, I learned to value education...

Guest blog post by Jolene Lau, Communications Specialist, Pacific Islands Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries Aloha, I'm Jolene Lau and I handle media and public inquiries for NOAA Fisheries' Pacific Islands Regional Office. As the Communications Specialist for the region, I also work closely with subject matter experts. I ensure that our communication products are reaching our target audience and...

Guest blog post by Thomas Hong, Primary Patent Examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office I am a primary patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). I review patent applications within the mechanical engineering technology center, specializing in amusement and education devices. I also serve as president of the Korean-American Intellectual Property Organization (KAIPO), the...

Guest blog post by Thuy Nguyen, IT Specialist, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) I grew up in Vietnam and came to the United States as a refugee in 1993. I graduated from George Mason University with a B.S. in Management Information Systems. I have always been proud of my Vietnamese heritage. My dad was a soldier in South Vietnam's Armed Forces prior to 1975. I love...