US Federal Government Directory › NC delegation › Valerie P. Foushee

Official portrait of Valerie P. Foushee

Valerie P. Foushee

Representative · NC · District 4

DemocratRanking Member, Space and Aeronautics

Raised $912,011 · 13K followers (office + personal) · missed 2.2% of votes

Top contributing industries: Labor Unions ($70,000), Leadership PAC ($65,000), not mapped ($45,000), Agriculture ($15,000), Transportation ($15,000)

Valerie P. Foushee is a Democratic U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 4th district. She has served 3.7 years in Congress and is up for reelection in 2026. She raised $912,011 in the 2026 cycle so far, has 13K followers across office and personal social accounts, sponsored 38 bills in the 119th Congress, scored 0.16 on the 118th Legislative Effectiveness Score, reported a net worth of -$134,998 to $199,999.

Service
3.7 years in Congress
Current term
January 3, 2025 to January 3, 2027
Next election
2026
Born
May 7, 1956
Birthplace
Chapel Hill
Residence
Not listed
Gender
Female
Religion
Baptist
Office
2452 Rayburn House Office Building
Phone
202-225-1784
Bioguide ID
F000477

Background and career

Valerie Jean Foushee ( foo-SHEE; née Paige; born May 7, 1956) is an American politician serving since 2023 as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 4th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the North Carolina House of Representatives for the 50th district in 2012 and was appointed to represent the 23rd senatorial district in 2013. She is the first African American and the first woman to represent the district in Congress.

Education

SchoolDegreeYearSource
University of North Carolina, Chapel HillBA source

Career before Congress

RoleOrganizationYearsSource
chair from 2001 to 2003School Governance Council. In 1997 source

Citizenship

citizen by birth in the United States.

Religion

Baptist (self-reported in Pew survey of Congress)

Name history and family

Birth name: Valerie Jean Paige · Children: 2 · Marriages: 1 · Counts reflect publicly documented information; a missing count means not documented, not zero.

Marital status: Not listed

Previously held offices

Campaign fundraising

Raised $695,098 in the 2024 cycle and $912,011 so far in the 2026 cycle (partial).

Top individual donors, 2024

NameEmployerOccupationCity/StateAmount
IRELAND, LORI A.IRELAND FAMILY FOUNDATIONPRESIDENTCHAPEL HILL, NC$5,000
KUHN, CYNTHIADUKE UNIVERSITYSCIENTISTDURHAM, NC$4,950
BURROUGHS, MIA DAYNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$4,300
PARKER, MICHAEL G.BIOASSET ADVISORSCONSULTANTCHAPEL HILL, NC$3,450
TUCKER, THOMASSELF EMPLOYEDREAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALCHAPEL HILL, NC$3,300
PERRY, ROGER L.NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$3,300
JOHNSON, LACYTAFT LAWATTORNEYINDIANAPOLIS, IN$3,300
RUMER, ANDREWNOT EMPLOYEDRETIREDSAN FRANCISCO, CA$3,300
NIEDEL, JAMESNOT EMPLOYEDRETIREDCHAPEL HILL, NC$3,300
KUHN, MARK A.KUHN ADVISORS INC.INVESTMENT ADVISORDURHAM, NC$3,300
JURVETSON, KARLASELF EMPLOYEDPHYSICIANLOS ALTOS, CA$3,300
BAER, PETERNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,500
SCARBOROUGH, MARGARET E.NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCARRBORO, NC$2,500
BROWN, JANE D.NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,450
TORREY, KATE D DOUGLASNOT EMPLOYEDRETIRED BOOK PUBLISHERCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,250
NESSEL, ARIELNESSEL DEVELOPMENTOWNERROSS, CA$2,250
VIZOSO, ANDREA DIANANOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,250
CARTER, MARILYNNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,200
GUTMAN, ROBERTNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDDURHAM, NC$2,200
LIPSITCH, IANNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDDURHAM, NC$2,000
LENSCH, HENDREEUNC-CHAPEL HILLPROFESSORCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,000
FLEISHMAN, JOEL L.DUKE UNIVERSITYPROFESSORCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,000
STEWART, JENNIFERSTEWART STRATEGIES & SOLUTIONSGOVERNMENT RELATIONSBETHESDA, MD$2,000
CAMPION, MARGARETNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,000
SPIVEY, JAMESNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$1,550

350 other donors gave a total of $153,608.

Top individual donors, 2026 (partial)

NameEmployerOccupationCity/StateAmount
BILLS, STEVENANTHROPICAI RESEARCHERSAN FRANCISCO, CA$7,000
MARKOV, TODORANTHROPICMEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFFSAN FRANCISCO, CA$7,000
FOSTER, LAURENXYZ VENTURE CAPITALCHIEF OF STAFFSAN FRANCISCO, CA$7,000
PERRY, ROGER L.NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$7,000
IRELAND, LORI A.NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$5,000
PARKER, MICHAEL GBIOASSET ADVISORSCONSULTANTCHAPEL HILL, NC$4,380
BROMER, RUTHNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDRALEIGH, NC$4,350
BURROUGHS, MARIANNA DAYNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$4,000
GARRETT, MICHAELMARKETING ASSOCIATESMANAGING PARTNERGREENSBORO, NC$3,500
DAVID, TERRYFCR INC.EDUCATIONDURHAM, NC$3,500
COBY, JONATHANSELF EMPLOYEDPOLITICAL CONSULTANTRALEIGH, NC$3,500
MANNING, KATHYMANNING & ASSOCIATES PLLCATTORNEYGREENSBORO, NC$3,500
HALIS, JEFFREYNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDNEW YORK, NY$3,500
MINDICH, STACEYSTACEY MINDICH PRODUCTIONS LLCTHEATER PRODUCERNEW YORK, NY$3,500
MINDICH, ERICSELF EMPLOYEDPRIVATE INVESTORNEW YORK, NY$3,500
RECHNITZ, JOANNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDMIDDLETOWN, NJ$3,500
JACOBS, GARYJACOBS INVESTMENT COMPANY LLCINVESTORDEL MAR, CA$3,500
TUCKER, THOMASPEREGRINE 9 LLCREAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALCARRBORO, NC$3,000
CROWDER, COURTNEYAPCO WORLDWIDEMANAGING DIRECTORRALEIGH, NC$3,000
KAHN, DOUGLASNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDRALEIGH, NC$3,000
SWANSTROM, RONALDUNC CHAPEL HILLPROFESSORCHAPEL HILL, NC$3,000
LOVE, REGINALDSELF EMPLOYEDFINANCIAL HOLDINGSWASHINGTON, DC$3,000
SHEVELOW, RICHARDPICAENGINEERESTERO, FL$2,500
SVETKEY, LAURANOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,500
TORREY, KATE DNOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYEDCHAPEL HILL, NC$2,495

425 other donors gave a total of $217,225.

PAC and party committee contributors over $5,000, 2024

CommitteeTypeIndustryAmount
PAC TO THE FUTURELeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
PAC TO THE FUTURELeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACnot mapped$5,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACAgriculture$5,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
NATIONAL ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS PAC/ INTN'L UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS (NEC PAC)PACLabor Unions$5,000
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACTransportation$5,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
DEMAND JUSTICE PACPACnot mapped$5,000
EMERGEORTHO P.A. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACnot mapped$5,000
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & TRAINMEN PAC FUNDPACLabor Unions$5,000
LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PACPACLabor Unions$5,000
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION)PACLabor Unions$5,000

Gross receipts from FEC filings, not net of refunds. Industry mappings are the directory's own classification; see methodology.

PAC and party committee contributors over $5,000, 2026 (partial)

CommitteeTypeIndustryAmount
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACTransportation$5,000
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICALeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENTS PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
UAW - V - CAP (UAW VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM) 'INT'L UNION UNITED AUTOMOBILE AEROSPACE & AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA UAWPACLabor Unions$5,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. PACPACTechnology$5,000
UNITY FIRST PACSuper PACnot mapped$5,000
PUGET PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
PAC TO THE FUTURELeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
FAIR SHOT PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
CA LUV PAC (CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP UNITED FOR VICTORY PAC)Leadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING & PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA)PACLabor Unions$5,000
LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PACPACLabor Unions$5,000
3M COMPANY PACPACnot mapped$5,000
CRUSH MAGA PACPACnot mapped$5,000
BLUE MOMENTUM PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACAgriculture$5,000
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACnot mapped$5,000
JSTREETPACPACPro-Israel$5,000
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS PACPACnot mapped$5,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACAgriculture$5,000
LA BAMBA PACLeadership PACLeadership PAC$5,000
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACTransportation$5,000
AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION - COPEPACLabor Unions$5,000
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERSPACLabor Unions$5,000
UNITED STEELWORKERS POLITICAL ACTION FUNDPACnot mapped$5,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPACReal Estate$5,000

Gross receipts from FEC filings, not net of refunds. Industry mappings are the directory's own classification; see methodology.

Outside money

2024

Independent expenditures by super PACs and other outside groups concerning the member. A committee name links to its page here, with its contributors and every member it spent for or against.

CommitteeSupporting the memberOpposing the memberTotalSingle-candidate (80%+)FEC record
NCAAT IN ACTION$1,792$0$1,792YesFEC
VOTE FOR EQUALITY$1,129$0$1,129NoFEC
SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION$10$0$10YesFEC

Leadership PAC: LONGLEAF PAC. No donors met the reporting thresholds.

2026 (partial)

Independent expenditures by super PACs and other outside groups concerning the member. A committee name links to its page here, with its contributors and every member it spent for or against.

CommitteeSupporting the memberOpposing the memberTotalSingle-candidate (80%+)FEC record
JOBS AND DEMOCRACY PAC$1,612,658$0$1,612,658YesFEC
ARTICLE ONE PAC$600,000$0$600,000NoFEC
JUSTICE DEMOCRATS PAC$0$218,400$218,400NoFEC
ROLLING SEA ACTION FUND$150,000$0$150,000NoFEC
CITIZENS AGAINST AIPAC CORRUPTION$0$23,500$23,500NoFEC
ADVANCE NORTH CAROLINA$10,513$0$10,513NoFEC
SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION$10$0$10NoFEC

Leadership PAC: LONGLEAF PAC. No donors met the reporting thresholds.

Independent expenditures are reported to the FEC by the spending committee, not the member's campaign. A committee is marked single-candidate when 80% or more of its cycle independent-expenditure dollars concern one candidate. Donors are named only at $50,000 or more to a super PAC or joint fundraising committee. For leadership PACs, individuals are named at $50,000 or more; organizations and PACs at $5,000 or more. The 2026 cycle is still in progress.

Amounts are each donor's net total of itemized contributions across the cycle (primary, general, and runoff elections combined), after subtracting refunds, not single gifts. Receipts marked as received in error, returned, or refunded are excluded, and refunds to the donor are subtracted. Joint-fundraising shares are included: the member committee's itemized share of joint-fundraising proceeds (FEC transaction type 15J) counts toward the donor's total, while the joint fundraising committee's own transfers are not counted separately. Donors are named only when their net cycle total is $1,000 or more; smaller donors appear only in the aggregate count and total below each table. Where a returned receipt of $10,000 or more affects a total, it is noted below the table. Lists cover itemized individual gifts to the member's principal campaign committee only. Employer and occupation are self-reported. The 2026 cycle is still in progress.

Donor figures are net of refunds from the FEC individual-contribution bulk files (2024 and 2026 cycles, each itemization taken at its latest amended version before any exclusion), rebuilt and reconciled row by row against the previous release on 2026-10-02; see methodology for the method and the reconciliation counts.

Money and finances

Estimated net worth

-$134,998 to $199,999 (Annual Report for CY 2025 (filed 05/13/2026)). Earliest on record (2023): -$184,998 to $49,999. disclosure

Estimates are summed from ranges reported on financial disclosures, so they are approximate. Ranges are wide by design.

Stock trades (last 12 months)

0 trades, estimated volume No trades. As of 2026-09-26. Quiver

STOCK Act disclosures cover the member, spouse, and dependent children, and report amounts as ranges, so volumes are estimates. Null records mean data was not retrieved, never zero trades.

Top assets

AssetTypeValueOwner
Money Market [PE] [PE] [PE]bank deposit$100K-$250KJoint
Checking Accountsbank deposit$15K-$50KJoint

Earmark requests (FY2026)

Total requested: $48,530,000

ProjectRecipientSubcommitteeRequestedIn House bill
Legion Road Affordable Housing DevelopmentTown of Chapel Hill, North CarolinaTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$2,000,000Yes
The GE Pump Station and Force Main Improvement ProjectCity of Mebane, North CarolinaInterior and Environment$5,000,000No
Harnett Regional Water Improvement ProjectTown of Holly SpringsInterior and Environment$3,000,000Yes
Elevated Water Storage TankTown of Fuquay-Varina, North CarolinaInterior and Environment$2,000,000Yes
Page Park Lift StationDurham County GovernmentInterior and Environment$3,280,000Yes
Clearwell Replacement ProjectOrange Water and Sewer AuthorityInterior and Environment$2,000,000Yes
PFAS Treatment Facility ProjectOrange Water and Sewer AuthorityInterior and Environment$2,000,000Yes
Chlorine Gas Conversion Water Treatment Plant ProjectTown of HillsboroughAgriculture$1,500,000No
Real-Time Crime Center Technology and EquipmentCity of Durham Police DepartmentCommerce Justice Science$1,500,000No
Mobile Command Center ProjectDurham County Office of the SheriffCommerce Justice Science$1,000,000No
Triangle Mobility HubResearch Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority, d/b/a GoTriangleTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$9,000,000Yes
Southside Revitalization Phases III and IVCity of Durham, North CarolinaTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$3,000,000Yes
RDU Taxiway J ReconstructionRaleigh-Durham Airport AuthorityTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$10,000,000Yes
Pittsboro Downtown Revitalization ProjectTown of PittsboroTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$1,250,000Yes
Fordham Boulevard SidepathTown of Chapel HillTransportation, Housing and Urban Development$2,000,000Yes

Requests are not necessarily funded. Amounts shown are requested, not awarded.

Influence in Congress

Legislative effectiveness

0.16 on the 118th Legislative Effectiveness Score (House). thelawmakers.org

Bipartisanship

Lugar Bipartisan Index: -1.49, ranked #403 (118th (first session, 2023)) Lugar Center

Ideology

DW-NOMINATE first dimension: -0.500 (liberal end of the scale), chamber rank #30 of the 119th Congress. Voteview

Interest group ratings

GroupRatingScorecard year
NRAF2026
LCV1002025
AFL-CIO1002025
Club for Growth02025
Planned Parenthood1002025
ACU02025

Bills enacted

0 sponsored bills enacted into law in the 119th Congress.

2026 election

District lean

Cook Partisan Voting Index (2025): D+23. Last election margin: 45.8 points (2024). Cook PVI

2026 election

No notable challenger declared.

Notable family

No notable relatives found under this methodology.

Voting record (2026)

314 roll-call votes in 2026 · missed 2.2% · party unity 97.1

DateMeasureQuestionPosition
2026-01-08H R 6938On PassageYea
2026-01-08H R 504Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary NotwithstandingYea
2026-01-08H R 131Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary NotwithstandingYea
2026-01-08H R 1834On PassageYea
2026-01-14H R 7006On PassageNay
2026-02-03H R 7148On Motion to Concur in the Senate AmendmentsNay
2026-03-05H CON RES 38On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-04-16H CON RES 40On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-04-16H RES 965On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-04-29S CON RES 33On Agreeing to the ResolutionNay
2026-04-30H R 7567On PassageNay
2026-05-14H CON RES 75On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-06-03H CON RES 86On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-06-03H RES 518On Motion to DischargeYea
2026-06-04H R 2913On PassageYea
2026-06-09S 2On PassageNay
2026-06-09H R 5408On PassageYea
2026-07-14H R 139On PassageNay
2026-07-15H R 8595On PassageNay
2026-07-21H R 9770On PassageNay
2026-07-22H R 8800On PassageNay
2026-07-22H R 7008On PassageNay
2026-07-22H CON RES 113On Agreeing to the ResolutionNay
2026-07-23H CON RES 89On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea
2026-09-01H R 9436On PassageNay
2026-09-02H R 1501On PassageNay
2026-09-15H CON RES 93On Agreeing to the ResolutionYea

Legislation

Sponsored 38 bills and cosponsored 488 bills in the 119th Congress.

BillTitleStatus
H.R. 8893Protecting Consumers from Deceptive AI ActOrdered Reported
H.Res. 101Expressing support for the designation of February 4, 2025, as “Transit Equity Day”.Introduced
H.R. 1409College Thriving ActIntroduced
H.R. 2122IMPACT Act 2.0Introduced
H.R. 2679Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2025Introduced

Latest statements

Latest official press releases and statements from the member's official site. This section requires periodic refresh; always check the source site for the newest items.

Social following

PlatformOffice accountPersonal account
X@ValerieFoushee (7K)not found
Instagram@repvaleriefoushee (6K) (legacy count)not found
Facebooknot foundnot found
YouTube@RepValerieFoushee (count n/a)not found
LinkedInnot foundnot found
Threadsnot foundnot found
TikToknot foundnot found

Office total: 13K · Personal total: no counts retrieved · Combined: 13K

Collected 2026-09-29. Office accounts are the member's official congressional accounts; personal accounts are their own campaign/personal accounts. Totals sum only accounts with a retrieved count and are never zero-filled. X counts are approximate (logged-out page variance). A missing account means none was verified, not that none exists.

Committee assignments

CommitteeRole
House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureMember
House Committee on Science, Space, and TechnologyMember
AviationMember
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsMember
EnergyMember
Space and AeronauticsRanking Member

Caucus memberships

Only documented caucus memberships are listed; memberships are never inferred.

Staff

Chief of staff

Elizabeth M Adkins · (202) 225-1784

Communications director

Jennifer L. Putney · (202) 225-1784

Staff data from House and Senate payroll filings; roles can change and filings can lag.

Offices

Washington, D.C. office

2452 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1784

District/state offices

CityAddressPhone
Durham2605 Meridian Parkway, Suite 110, Durham, NC 27713(919) 967-7924

Connections

Connected toTypeDetail
Virginia FoxxSame schoolUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Tim MooreSame schoolUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Gregory F. MurphySame schoolUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Deborah K. RossSame schoolUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Matt Van EppsSame schoolUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Connections are derived from documented public records: family ties, shared schools, shared employers, fraternities and sororities, and staff career histories. Committee ties are excluded here and shown on committee pages.

Profile compiled 2026-10-03 from House Clerk, Senate, FEC, GovTrack, and Wikidata records. Enrichment collected September 2026; campaign finance from the FEC bulk files of October 2026. See methodology.