Carol Le

February 11, 2026

What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?

I enjoy the variety of disciplines and people that I get to work with. I like that I can use my design skills to help people communicate about the work that they're excited about.

What do your day-to-day work activities include?

I work on a pretty wide range of design projects, helping my team with anything from slides for talks, flyers/posters for recruiting or other events, illustrations and image editing, email announcements, and website mock-ups.

What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?   

The High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center website. This was the first website where I had the opportunity to do some web development work in addition to the design. It was a good learning experience!

What is your educational/career background? 

For my academic background, I have a B.A. in art with an emphasis in design from San Jose State University. Before being an art/design student, I attended U.C. Davis for two years as a biochemistry and molecular biology student. Prior to working at the Lab, I was a graphic designer at a biotech company, and before that, a graphic/web intern at NASA Ames.

What inspired you to go into your field of work?           

It's hard to pinpoint anything specific for me, but I've always had a natural curiosity for learning about how things work, and I've always enjoyed drawing and other forms of visual art. When a career in science didn't work out for me (organic chemistry is pretty hard!), I went back to art, then pivoted to design in hopes of better job prospects. I figured if I wasn't going to do science, I could still use design as a tool to help communicate about it.

What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?    

Ask lots of questions and reach out to people if you need help. The Lab can be really overwhelming at first, but it's a good place to be.

What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?         

Gardening, bird watching, listening to music, reading, drawing, and spending time with my husband and two dogs.

How many years have you worked at the Lab?   

6.5

Where are you from?

California