Ellen is passionate about increasing science literacy in both student and adult populations, particularly in the areas of molecular and synthetic biology. She teaches courses and workshops in molecular and synthetic biology for the general public at Genspace, and is involved in numerous collaborations with educational outreach organizations aimed at developing and implementing better science education at the middle school, high school, and undergraduate level. Dr. Jorgensen received her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the Sackler Institute at New York University School of Medicine in 1987, and went on to continue her research in protein structure/function at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. She is presently an adjunct faculty member at New York Medical College. Her latest project is to DNA barcode the plants of the Alaskan tundra.
