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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering | Dr. Korie Grayson | University of Michigan | Post-doc | The evaluation of novel nano- and microparticles for therapy in neutrophilic, acute inflammatory disease and cancer. | Lab Page | nanoparticles, inflammation, cancer |
| Education/Pedagogy, Equity/Advocacy | Dr. Terrell R. Morton | University of Missouri | Assistant Professor | My research focuses on how a racial identity or intersectional race-gender identity informs the decision-making processes and postsecondary STEM engagements of Black students; using this insight to then conceive, propose, and study changes that need to happen to STEM learning environments (cultural, instructional, access, etc.) as a way to center and enhance Black students' identities and STEM experiences. | Faculty Page | STEM Education, Racial Justice, Critical Race Theory, retention, equity |
| Education/Pedagogy, Veterinary Medicine | Dr. Katherine Fogelberg | Lincoln Memorial University | Director, Associate Professor | Asian identities of Asians in non-traditionally viewed STEM careers (science education, veterinary medicine, any science other than human medicine or laboratory science, for example) | Faculty Page | STEM Education, veterinary medicine |
| Biophysics, Neuroscience, Physiology | Dr. Anel Jaramillo | Vanderbilt University | Post-doc | Dr. Jaramillo is a post-doc in the Winder Lab where she investigates the physiology underlying anxiety and alcohol use disorders and how it can be harnessed to provide effective pharmacotherapies. | ResearchGate | substance abuse, alcohol, plasticity, glutamate, striatal cortex, stress, anxiety, behavior, addiction, pharmacology |
| Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering | Dr. Eno E. Ebong | Northeastern University | Associate Professor | The Ebong Lab investigates how endothelial cell mechanotransduction occurs and its effect on blood vessel dysfunction. | Lab Website | endothelial glycocalyx, mechanotransduction, vasculopathy, blood flow, cryopreservation, atherosclerosis |
| Computer and Information Sciences | Dr. Leilani Battle | University of Maryland | Assistant Professor | The Battle lab develops interactive data-intensive systems that can aid analysts in performing complex data exploration and analysis by utilizing techniques from human-computer interaction (HCI) and visualization to integrate data processing (databases). | Lab Website | data management, dataframes, human-computer interaction, data visualization, machine learning |
| Biomedical Engineering, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology | Dr. Deborah Auguste | Northeastern University | Professor | The Auguste lab designs, synthesizes, and evaluates new biomaterials that change the way we deliver drugs and cells. | Lab Website | cytotoxicity, drug delivery, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics |
| Neuroscience, Psychology | Dr. Jonathan D. Morrow | University of Michigan | Assistant Professor | The Morrow Lab is focused on identifying and manipulating the neurobiology responsible for behavioral differences that predict vulnerability to psychopathology, like addiction and PTSD. | Lab Website | addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, dual diagnosis, neurobiology, psychopathology, animal models |
| Biochemistry, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology | Dr. Breann Brown | Vanderbilt University | Assistant Professor | The Brown Lab at Vanderbilt University studies the structural biology of protein complexes regulating mitochondrial physiology. | Lab Website | x-ray crystallography, mitochondria, protein structure-function, heme, neurodegenerative diseases, structural biology, biophysics |
| Immunology, Infectious Disease, Microbiology | Dr. Bryan Bryson | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Assistant Professor | The Bryson lab develops new tools to dissect the complex dynamics of bacterial infection at a variety of scales ranging from single cells to infected animals, specifically looking at how we can harness our immune system to improve bacterial control. | Lab Website | host-bacterial defenses, innate immune system, tuberculosis (TB) |