Dominica Wong earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and a doctoral degree with a polymers and materials specialization from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
After she graduated with her doctorate, Wong started as a polymers development chemist at Eastman Chemical Co., where she synthesized various BPA-free copolyesters to better understand structure-property relationships and worked with engineers to scale-up emerging polymers in the market.
"I was interested in the plastics industry due to the wide variety of uses and applications; plastics are involved in modern life in countless ways, from household items to medical devices," she said. "To me, it was also a fascinating intersection of chemistry, engineering and physics that served as a gateway to learning more about different end markets."
As a senior manager, Wong focuses on three broad areas at Akron, Ohio-based Flexsys: market strategy and insights specialist leading the analysis of global trends, demands and competition for the automotive, tire and specialty chemicals industries; people manager for the applications development/technical service group; and project leader steering cross-functional teams in R&D, manufacturing, product management and sales, focusing on top-priority new product commercialization globally.
Wong has received numerous patents, fellowships, scholarships and awards for her work. Her research has been highlighted in Chemical & Engineering News, All Things Considered radio program, ScienceDaily, The News & Observer (North Carolina) and Wired.
"A significant milestone in any scientist's career is to see their work commercialized, representing the culmination of their research and innovation efforts making a tangible impact on society and the world. As such, one of my greatest accomplishments is leading a new product development effort that resulted in successful customer adoption and business profit," she said.
Wong's parents are first-generation immigrants from Hong Kong to Canada, and she moved to the United States after graduate school. She is currently pursuing an MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business.
Wong is committed to breaking the mold of "traditional and authoritative ways of leadership by leading more with emotional intelligence."
"I want to break the notion that vulnerability in leadership is associated with weakness, being emotional or a lack of decisiveness," she said. "I strongly believe that empathetic leadership fosters an inclusive culture of trust, open communication and mutual respect that helps team members feel heard and valued. This paradigm shift can lead to a more resilient, adaptive and high-performing workplace, where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves to work."