Speakers List
A recurring issue at conferences and seminars is the underwhelming number of URM speakers giving talks. A commonly cited reason for this is not knowing who to invite. To that end, we’ve begun compiling a list of prominent URM researchers across every field of STEM and Medicine. We hope that conference organizers can use this list as a resource when inviting speakers. However we hope that organizers use this list conscientiously. There is a well-known, and well-documented, issue of “tokenism”, i.e. the idea that women and underrepresented minority researchers are included to give an appearance of diversity. We would like to stress that a diverse conference is not just about representation of minority speakers but also about creating an environment that is conducive to sharing ideas and collaborating. See our “Best practices” page for tips on how to create an inclusive environment.
Finally, we would like to stress that:
(i) Speakers on our list should be compensated properly for their time.
(ii) We are not the only resource out there! Check out this database for more lists of underrepresented researchers.
(iii) Our list is mainly nomination based (we then reach out to the researchers for their consent to be featured on the list). Please consider nominating yourself or others to be on the list! You can do so here or by emailing us at dscnatl@gmail.com.
NOTES ON USING OUR LIST
1) Please see here for the Speakers List in spreadsheet format (useful for more complicated searches), an explanation of all of the fields (and how to search them), and a list of sorted subfields.
2) Our website saves your previous search for future reference! If you would like to clear your search, press the “Clear” button (next to the “Submit” button).
| Field (see Notes for sorted subfields) | Preferred Name | Institution | Position | Description | Website | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genetics | Dr. Ketema Paul | University of California - Los Angeles | Professor | The Paul lab investigates the genetic regulation of sleep, specifically looking at the underlying genetic mechanisms of sleep disorders and any possible sex differences in sleep abnormalities. | Faculty Page | Sleep regulation, sleep-wake disorder, forward genetics, mouse models |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Sheryl Arambula | University of Maryland School of Medicine | Post-doc | Dr. Arambula's research broadly focuses on how environmental factors affect sex-specific neurodevelopment. Currently, she is investigating mechanisms of brain injury arising from birth complications, specifically looking at hypoxia ischemia and its impact on cerebellum development. | ResearchGate | brain injury, toxicology, development, neuroendocrine, immunology, gender/sex |
| Ecology, Marine Biology | Dr. Emily Choy | McGill University | Post-doc | I study the ecophysiology and food web ecology of Arctic beluga whales and seabirds and the impacts of climate change. | Research Page | Polar biology, ecophysiology, ecotoxicology, marine mammal, seabirds, Arctic biology, food web ecology, ecotoxicology, community-based research, marine mammal science, seabird ecology, climate change |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Federico Sanabria | Arizona State University | Associate Professor | The Sanabria Lab investigates the cognitive processes underlying behavioral regulation, specifically looking at the role of timing, choice, and response inhibition capacity (RIC). | Faculty Page | mental health, ADHD, substance abuse, motivation, learning, impulsivity, response inhibition capacity (RIC), depression, Ritalin, methylphenidate, nicotine, olfactory |
| Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Chemistry | Dr. Juana Mendenhall | Morehouse College | Associate Professor | The Mendenhall lab develops and fabricates a variety of materials (i.e. thermo-sensitive hydrogels, sol-gels, etc) to be used in articular cartilage-subchondral bone interfaces in patients with osteoarthritis. | Lab Website | osteoarthritis, synovial fluid, bone, hyaluronic acid, biomaterials |
| Biochemistry, Gerontology/Geroscience, Health Equity, Proteomics | Dr. Christina King | Vanderbilt University | Post-doc | Dr. King investigates racial disparities in hypertension and Alzheimer's disease using plasma proteomics. | Research Page | basic research, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, aging |
| Biochemistry, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology | Dr. Florentine (Flora) Rutaganira | University of California - Berkeley | Post-doc | Dr. Rutaganira uses chemical tools to decipher the roles of key signaling networks in choanoflagellates, single-celled organisms that are the closest living relatives of animals. Dr. Rutaganira expects her studies will spark new understanding of animal multicellularity & development, physiology, and disease. | Lab website | choanoflagellates, kinases, chemical biology, cell signaling, chemical probe, multicellularity, phosphorylation |
| Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology | Dr. Michelle Juarez | CUNY - School of Medicine | Assistant Professor | The Juarez lab investigates the transcriptional regulation of various genes - including those implicated in innate immunity - that occurs following epidermal wounds. | Faculty Page | drosophila, genetics, developmental biology, innate immunity, transcription, regulation, microscopy |
| Cellular Biology, Medical Mycology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology | Dr. José Vargas-Muñiz | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Assistant Professor | The Vargas-Muñiz lab investigates how fungi regulate their morphology and adapt to different stresses, specifically focusing on septin proteins and the cytoskeleton. | Lab Website | basic research, fungi, proteomics, stress, morphology, cytoskeleton, septin, fungal pathogens |
| Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics, Electrochemistry, Engineering, Materials Chemistry, Nanotechnology | Dr. Zakaria Y. Al Balushi | University of California - Berkeley | Assistant Professor | The Al Balushi group develops electronic and photonic low-dimensional materials for use in optoelectronics and quantum technologies. | Faculty Page | graphene, semiconductors, chemical vapor deposition, crystal growth, optoelectronics, nanowire growth, Materials Science, materials engineering, electronic materials |