SISTER

Finding Myself in STEM and Public Service as An African, Black American

My identity as a Kenyan-American is tied with my duty to serve the general society as an epidemiologist, to work in public service, and to advance global health.

Cattails in the forefront of a landscape view of the ocean and a cliff side Big Sur California

Scholar Activism in a STEM Career

How could I continue as a respected scholar but still make a difference?

The author is smiling, bundled up in a puffy coat, scarf, and helmet, on the Sólheimajökull glacier in Iceland in January 2019. There is a an icy blue glacier in the background.

How Ice Carved My Scientific and Political Identity

As someone who is educated in the science behind climate and environmental change, it would be wrong of me to not shout from the rooftops.

Charnell at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. She is standing in front, looking confident, with the rocket and building behind her, and a blue sky.

Showing Up for Black Women’s Lives

As members of the STEM community, why do we continue to fail Black women?

A photo of the author exploring the ruins of a Scottish tomb

To Be the Curator, and Not the Curated

One of the most freeing things I’ve realized as I’ve grown as an academic is that archaeology can be radically changed into something so much better.

Female Scientists in the Diaspora

There are endless ways of being Puerto Rican and I am creating a new one.

Woman holding sign at March for Science that reads 'We Believe Black Lives Matter, No Human is Illegal, Love is Love, Women's Rights are Human Rights, Science is Real, Water is Life, Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere'

Activism: Necessity or Choice?

Yes, it was true that I had entered graduate school for the love of science. Then why did I continue to invest time and effort into “unnecessary” diversity work?

I Am Not An Imposter

Feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt had managed to seep their way into my professional and personal lives, and I found myself questioning everything. Would I ever finish my PhD? Was it just a matter of time before everyone saw me for the fraud that I really was?

Finding my place in scicomm

After getting a degree in communications, I felt like I was inherently disadvantaged from informing people about science.

The Power of Support in STEM

My support system is essential to my continued existence in academia.

Maunakea Summit, facing East -- a dark silhouette of a mountain peak with a soft blue/grey and yellow sky in the background.

Maunakea: Redirecting the lens onto the culture of mainstream science

For me, the conflict over the future of the mountain summit is a battle for the soul of mainstream science.

Spreads from The Varsity (student newspaper at University of Toronto) displaying various science headlines.

How to champion inclusion in science journalism — starting at the student level

The post I held gave me a platform, albeit small, to make changes that I wanted to see in media.

Channeling confidence: how to effectively nominate yourself for an award

An unspoken challenge of applying for awards: admitting that you are not only good at something but deserving of recognition for it.

The author, Mackenzie Lemieux, presenting a poster about SAID in STEM at a conference.

A Beginner’s Guide to Hosting a Diversity Seminar Series

Learn how to educate your community on bias, share untold stories, and work towards a more diverse and inclusive STEM environment.

Reclaiming STEM: addressing the gap in diverse and inclusive trainings

Reclaiming STEM was the first workshop created to center scicomm and scipol training specifically for marginalized scientists — and it’s expanding.

A person in a aqua-colored outdoor jacket and sunglasses stands with a beautiful overlook behind her.

Dissociating My Self-Worth from My Research

It was August 2015 and I was a newly minted PhD candidate when I found out I was being cut from my lab.

A group of women are looking up at the camera and wearing black shirts that say "Make STEM Safe" and "Hold them accountable." "

#TakeBackScience: A call for scientific societies to prioritize the safety of their members

One of my first experiences with inappropriate behavior at a conference was when I was 22, fresh out of undergrad and about to start a PhD program.

A clear plastic skull shows the parts of the brain underneath in different colors.

Ben Barres Weaves One Timely and Remarkable Tale

My heart gladdened when I found the story of Ben Barres, the first openly transgender scientist accepted into the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.