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 | Position | Description | Website | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer Biology | Dr. Rosalind Gregory-Bass | Associate Professor, Program Director | The Gregory-Bass lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying ovarian cancer growth and development. | Faculty Page | ovarian cancer, mitochondria, chemoresistance |
| Biochemistry, Cellular Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, RNA splicing | Dr. Tracy Johnson | Professor | The Johnson Lab investigates the mechanisms underlying gene regulation. They are particularly interested in the process of RNA splicing and how spliceosomes recognize splice sites cotranscriptionally, in the context of a chromatin environment and in response to changes in the cell’s environment. | Lab Website | spliceosome, SWI/SNF complex, transcription, RNA processing, chromatin remodeling |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Alicia Izquierdo | Professor | The Izquierdo Lab investigates the neural bases of cost-benefit calculations in value-based decision making and flexible reinforcement learning, and how these can go awry in behavioral and substance addictions. | Lab Website | decision, cost, reward, risk, learning, computational, reinforcement, uncertainty, substance abuse, addiction, in vivo imaging, pharmacology |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Stephanie Correa | Assistant Professor | The Correa lab investigates the effects of endocrine signaling on the neural control of metabolism, specifically focusing on reproductive hormones such as estrogen. | Lab Website | estrogen, metabolism, obesity, women's health |
| Psychology | Dr. April D. Thames | Associate Professor | The Thames Lab investigates the complex relationship between chronic disease, substance abuse, and socioeconomic status on psychological outcomes (i.e. mental health and cognition). | Faculty Page | chronic disease, drug abuse, substance abuse, adversity, stress, cognition, mental health, minority groups |
| Neuroscience, Psychology | Dr. Arturo R. Zavala | Associate Professor | The Zavala Lab investigates the short- and long-term neurochemical and behavioral effects of exposure to psychostimulant drugs across development (neonatal, adolescence, and adulthood), as well as determine the impact that early exposure to drugs may have on the susceptibility to abuse drugs later in life. | Faculty Page | neonatal, ADHD, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, serotonin, oxycodone, methamphetamine |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Kaliris Salas-Ramirez | Assistant Professor | The Salas-Ramirez lab investigates the the impact of cocaine on neural plasticity in development and the downstream effects of this mechanism on behavior as well as the sex-specific efficacy of interventions. | Faculty Page | drug abuse, cocaine, developmental, steroids, sex/gender, aggression, prenatal, adolescence |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Marisela Morales | Principle Investigator | The Morales lab investigates the neuronal pathways implicated in drug addiction and the neuroadaptations in circuitry that occur during the recreational to compulsive drug-taking transition. | Faculty Page | drug addiction, electrophysiology, glutamatergic, GABAergic, dopamine, reward |
| Clinical - Radiation Oncology | Dr. Chelsea C. Pinnix | Associate Professor | Dr. Pinnix’s clinical and research interests lie in improving the outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies via minimization of normal tissue toxicity related to radiation therapy. Another interest lies in the identification of improved treatment strategies that incorporate radiation therapy in the management of aggressive and refractory lymphomas, including the combination of radiation therapy with immune based therapeutics. | Faculty Page | radiotherapy, Hodgkin’s/Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), multiple myeloma, leukemia, hematology |
| Clinical - Cardiology, Neuroscience | Dr. Olujimi A. Ajijola | Assistant Professor | The Ajijola Lab investigates neural regulation of the heart and cardiovascular system, and develops neuroscience-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases. | Lab Website | electrophysiology, arrhythmia, innervation, neurocardiology, autonomic nervous system (ANS), viral engineering, heart failure, myocardial infarction |