Chong Un Choe-Smith is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at California State University, Sacramento. She teaches ethics, bioethics, professional ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of law. Her research interests are broad and often concerns human rights, animal ethics, and global justice. She currently serves as affiliated faculty with the Center for Practical and Professional Ethics at CSU Sacramento and a faculty facilitator for a Foundations of Bioethics course at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine.
Chong previously taught medical ethics at Boston University and philosophy and ethics at Bentley University, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and Georgetown University. During her time at Georgetown, Chong served as a Faculty Fellow for the Kennedy Institute of Ethics in Fall 2012 and a Graduate Fellow from 2011-2012. She also served as a Research Assistant on a National Science Foundation Grant on Animal Research Ethics from 2011-2013.
Her educational training includes a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, JD from the University of California, Davis, School of Law, MA in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics and MA in Theology from Talbot School of Theology, and MA and PhD in Philosophy from Georgetown University. She previously practiced law for over eight years and served last as a Senior Appellate Court Attorney with the California Court of Appeal.
Chong and her husband Randall J. Smith live in Sacramento and enjoy traveling, watching shows, and being active in their church and other community organizations.
Chong was an Associate Fellow of CBHD's Academy of Fellows from 2019-2022.