Lauren Phung was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is an Honors Scholar majoring in Geographic Information Science and Environmental Sustainability at the University at Buffalo. Lauren is passionate about civic engagement, sustainability, and education. She aims to complete 500 volunteer hours by her graduation in May 2026.

Lauren is heavily involved with the UB Chapter of the Food Recovery Network, a student organization that tackles food waste and food insecurity. As the Director of Sustainability & Innovation (2023-2024), she fostered a partnership with Gameday Hospitality, the host of the Buffalo Bills tailgate parties. Additionally, Lauren has recovered over 5,000 pounds of food from UB’s dining halls for donation in the Buffalo area.

Lauren was an Honors Colloquium TA during the 2024-2025 academic year, where she taught 18 Honors College first-year students about Buffalo and the city’s various transportation challenges. By facilitating thought-provoking discussions, she furthered students’ knowledge and appreciation for the city of Buffalo.

Outside of school, Lauren is a competitive Rubik’s Cube speedsolver. Her official 3×3 personal record is 6.35 seconds. The Rubik’s Cube community is where her leadership journey and love for volunteering began. As a World Cube Association Delegate, she has overseen 35 cube competitions in New York and surrounding states. As New York’s first Delegate outside of the New York City metropolitan area, she has a vision of expanding the hobby to historically underserved communities, such as Buffalo. She is hosting the first-ever cube competition in Chautauqua County in July 2025.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, Lauren will complete an honors thesis in the Geography Department under the guidance of Dr. Sara Metcalf. Lauren’s research interests include transportation geography and capabilities justice. She has enrolled in graduate-level coursework since her junior year.

Lauren previously interned at the WNY Sustainable Business Roundtable and will intern at National Grid during the summer of 2025. After graduation, Lauren plans to pursue a master’s degree in urban planning. She plans to have a positive impact on the Western New York region by leveraging spatial data to create accurate maps that inform equitable public policy decisions. Her long-term goal is to lead a major transportation agency.