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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical - Neurology, Neuroscience | Dr. Michele Veldsman | Post-doc | Dr. Veldsman's research looks at the impact of ageing, dementia syndromes and stroke on functional and structural networks in the human brain. | Research Page | cognitive neurology, dementia, stroke, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), ageing |
| Epidemiology, Nutrition, Public Health | Dr. Alejandra Jáuregui de la Mota | Department Chair | The Department of Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles, led by Dr. Jáuregui de la Mota, investigates the impact of health policies and environmental modifications on healthy lifestyles, including diet and physical activity. She has a special interest in physical activity promotion among children. | Google Scholar | obesity, malnutrition, exercise, nutrition labels, physical education |
| Cellular Biology, Embryology, Genetics, Molecular Biology | Dr. Anita Quintana | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Professor, Principal Investigator | The Lucia Sarmiento Dueñas group investigates physical activity trends amongst Latino adolescents. | CV | exercise, obesity, adolescents |