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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Chemical Engineering | Dr. Francisco Hung | Northeastern University | Associate Professor | Molecular modeling, process simulation and theory of interfacial systems and mixtures (e.g., ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, cellulose nanomaterials, proteins and nanoporous systems), with applications in the environment, energy storage and nano/bio-materials. | Faculty Page | Molecular simulation, process simulation, statistical mechanics, ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, cellulose nanomaterials, nanoporous materials |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cellular Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology | Dr. Rogelio A. Hernandez-Lopez | University of California - San Francisco | Post-doc | Dr. Hernandez-Lopez combines protein-, cell- and tissue engineering to develop the next generation of cell therapies. His current research focuses on designing new immunotherapies that specifically attack cancer cells. | Research Page | biochemistry, structural biology, cancer immunotherapy, antigen density sensors |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Gerald Griffin | Hope College | Associate Provost | The Griffin lab investigates the reciprocal interactions between viruses and the nervous system, specifically looking at how latent infection of herpes simplex virus-1 modulates behavior. | herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), virus-host interactions, dementia, behavior | |
| Biomedical Engineering, Genetics, Microbiology | Dr. Kishana Taylor | Carnegie Mellon University | Adjunct Professor, Post-doc | Dr. Taylor investigates the rate of reassortment between influenza viruses during co-infection. | Research Website | Virology, reassortment, Eco-epidemioogy, Arbovirology |
| Equity/Advocacy, Public Health | Dr. Michelle Kahn-John | The University of Arizona | Associate Professor | Dr. Kahn-John investigates resilience and protective factors in American Indian culture. Specifically, she researches how these practices elevate the holistic health of American Indians. | Faculty Page | Indigenous, Native American, American Indian, culture, social determinants of health, spiritualism |
| Materials Chemistry, Optics/Photonics | Dr. Oscar Vazquez Mena | University of California - San Diego | Assistant Professor | The Vazquez Mena group investigates the application of 2D materials like graphene, metamaterials, and nanoscale structures in processes such as optoelectronics, biosensing and biomedical imaging. | Lab Website | 2D materials, graphene, optoelectronics, biosensing, 3D architecture, nanofabrication, photovoltaics, hybrid metamaterials, metamaterials |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Marta Sabariego | Mount Holyoke College | Assistant Professor | The Sabariego lab investigates the neural circuits of reward and memory at the systems level. In particular, Sabariego investigates the mechanisms that support recovery and adaptation from situations involving surprising reward loss and how these life events affect cognitive processes. | Faculty Page | memory, emotion, behavior, neural circuits, adaptation, reward, in-vivo electrophysiology |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Miguel Perez-Pouchoulen | University of Maryland | Post-doc | Dr. Perez-Pouchoulen investigates the role of microglia in behavioral and cerebellar development. | Google Scholar | microglia, estradiol, cerebellum, development, sex, behavior |
| Neuroscience | Dr. Nicholas Silva | University of California - San Francisco | Post-doc | Dr. Silva investigates the role of microglia and synaptic dynamics during CNS development. | microglia, synapse, development, inflammation, photoreceptors, stem cell, injury, regeneration |