Ticora Jones is Senior Advisor and Program Director in the Office of Science and Technology. In her current role Dr. Jones manages the Higher Education Solutions Network, a new university engagement program that was established in 2012. Beginning in 2009 as a AAAS Diplomacy, Security and Development Fellow, she helped manage the establishment of an Agency-wide agenda for science & technology through policy and programming designed to elevate USAID’s presence in this area. Prior to joining USAID, Dr. Jones served as the 2008-2009 Materials Societies Congressional Fellow for Senator Russell D. Feingold (D-WI) where she worked on energy and environment issues. Before beginning her congressional fellowship, Dr. Jones conducted post-doctoral research focused on creating and characterizing nanoparticle/composite-based functional materials at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Dr. Jones earned her BS degree in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and her PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.