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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cellular Biology, Embryology, Genetics, Molecular Biology | Dr. Anita Quintana | The University of Texas at El Paso | Assistant Professor | The Quintana lab investigates the cellular mechanisms underlying congenital human disorders by using developing zebrafish embryo as a model. | Faculty Page | genetics, multiple congenital anomaly syndromes (MCAs), craniofacial abnormalities, learning ability |
| Clinical - Neurology, Gerontology/Geroscience, Health Equity, Nursing | Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Assistant Professor | Dr. Gilmore-Bykovskyi studies care delivery and disparities among persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. Major areas of foci in her research program include: treatment and utilization disparities, symptom management and caregiver support, and issues in research ethics and equity. | Faculty Page | Alzheimer's disease, dementia, nursing, geriatrics, symptom management, research ethics |
| Health Equity, Kinesiology, Public Health | Dr. David X. Marquez | The University of Illinois at Chicago | Professor | The Marquez lab investigates how physical activity interventions can be used in the prevention of disability and the maintenance of cognitive function and quality of life in older Latino adults. | Lab Website | exercise psychology, behavioral medicine |
| Biophysics, Neuroscience | Dr. Elba Serrano | New Mexico State University | Professor | The Serrano lab undertakes research in the areas of glial neurobiology, sensory disorders of hearing and balance, and biomechanics. | neuroscience, biophysics, genetics, bioinformatics, electrophysiology, cell culture, auditory system, vestibular system, astrocyte, mechanosensory hair cell, space biology, inner ear | |
| Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics, Photochemistry | Dr. Martha-Elizabeth Baylor | Carleton College | Associate Professor | The Baylor group uses photopolymers to fabricate integrated optofluidic devices and fabricate polymer lenses using interfacial surface tension. The Baylor group is also interested in the behavior of an optoelectronic feedback loop that solves the "Cocktail Party Problem" in real time. | Lab Website | optoelectronics, feedback loops, holography, optics, photopolymers, signal processing, devices |
| Neuroscience, Pharmacology | Dr. Katherine M. Serafine | The University of Texas at El Paso | Assistant Professor | The Serafine lab studies diet and feeding condition as vulnerability factors for diseases, such as substance use disorder. | Lab Website | drug use, behavior, conditioning, diet, dopamine |
| Public Health | Dr. Catalina Medina García | Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública | Principal Investigator | The Medina García group investigates physical activity trends within the Mexican population. | exercise, hypertension, diet | |
| Epidemiology, Health Equity, Public Health | Dr. Olga Lucia Sarmiento Dueñas | Universidad de los Andes - Colombia | Professor, Principal Investigator | The Lucia Sarmiento Dueñas group investigates physical activity trends amongst Latino adolescents. | CV | exercise, obesity, adolescents |
| Environmental Science & Resource Conservation, Health Equity, Public Health | Dr. Grace Bulltail | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Assistant Professor | The Bulltail group investigates the impact of natural resource development and water management on water quality, especially looking at tribal waterways and the use of tribal resources. | Faculty Page | watershed management, tribal sovereignty, water quality, oil, gas, natural resources |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Sana Suri | University of Oxford | Fellow | Dr. Suri's research combines multi-modal neuroimaging techniques to study risk and resilience for cognitive decline in ageing. She uses structural, diffusion tensor, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how the brain's vascular health varies with age and cognitive status, with a specific focus on how it may be affected by genetic and cardiovascular risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. | Faculty Page | neuroimaging, cognative decline, Alzheimer's disease |