Nelson Dong of Committee of 100 to speak April 25 at Laboratory

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206 (00-059)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 20, 2000 -- "The History and Future of Asians in America" is the subject of a talk by Nelson Dong of the Chinese-American advocacy group "Committee of 100," on Tuesday, April 25 at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The Director's Colloquium begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Laboratory's Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3. It is sponsored by Los Alamos' Diversity Office and the Asian American Diversity Working Group and is free and open to the public.

Before the talk, Dong is scheduled to meet with the Asian American Diversity Working Group. Later, he will meet with Laboratory Human Resources Director Helga Christopherson, Diversity Office Director Lisa Gutierrez and Laboratory Ombuds Bruce Mac Allister.

Gutierrez heard Dong speak at a conference in Albuquerque in February (See http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/pa/News/022300.html). "His data illustrates the impact of Asians on the scientific and technical communities. He also gives tips on what we have to do to attract this top talent to our Laboratory.

"We want to illustrate the potential impact of not doing something to address recruitment and retention of talented Asian employees," said Gutierrez. "This has a residual impact on talented candidates and employees of all ethnicities."

Dong is an attorney with the Dorsey and White Law Firm in Minneapolis. He also is a secretary and general counsel for the "Committee of 100," a not-for-profit organization that works for better United States-China relations and the civil rights of Chinese Americans.

Dong will talk about his life, career and lessons learned. He also will present an overview of Chinese-American scientists and engineers in this country in a historical and recount the scientific and technological contributions Chinese Americans have made in the United States.

Dong also will touch on recent tensions between the U.S. and the Peoples Republic of China and the implications for Chinese American scientists and engineers who work in the defense sector. He will recommend how the national labs can respond proactively to issues such as the Asian boycott of the labs.

Dong has written and lectured on intellectual property law, U.S. export control law, technology related business transactions between the U.S. and Asian or European countries, university-based technology transfer and international strategic alliances.

Before joining the Minneapolis law firm where he now works, he was a partner in two other law firms in California. From 1996 to 1998, Dong was president of TechLaw Group, an international consortium of leading law firms which serve high technology clients and financial institutions that support high technology entrepreneurship.

Dong also was an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston; a deputy associate attorney general for the Justice Department; and a White House Fellow and special assistant to former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell in 1978 and 1979. He received degrees in economics from Stanford and his law degree from Yale.

Dong was a member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees from 1978 to 1982.

For more information, contact Los Alamos' Diversity Office at 667-5665.

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