What do scientists look like?
.....
If you weren't told about the identity of the scientist, what image comes to mind? For many people, school children to adult, the image of an older European male comes to mind. However, there are scientists who are young, female and represent every nationality and ethnicity known. So why does this perception persist that field of science is so homogenous? Is it? Or is it a misperception based on sampling of scientists at meetings.
How can blogs by minorities be used to attract kids into science careers?
- open to discussion, but this is why I blog.
How to get and make allies? What allies can and should be doing?
1. Reach beyond comfort zones (yours and your institution's)
Leverage relationships scientists of colors you know or have access to, eg. speak at newarby HBCUs or ask faculty from nearby institutions to speak at your department.
Host public events and use target advertising to reach under-represented audiences.
2. Be inclusive. Talk, introduce yourself, introduce them to others.
3. Proactively engage students in extra-curricular science activity.
Cultivate science interests in undergraduate and pre-college students.
4. It's okay to mentor students that do not look like you
How the Web provides new methods and means for action and effecting positive change.
1. Profiling science discovery and scientists
2. Opportunities for netwoking, research, interviewing scientists of color
3. Promoting science and diversity initiatives e.g. Year of Science, DNA Day; Decades of Blacks in Science, Black History Month, Latino History Month, Chinese New Year
Growing catalogue of Science Blogs written/contributed by persons of color
Asymptopia
http://asymptotia.com/author/cvj/ (perhaps the longest running science blog) Urban Science Adventures! (c) http://urban-science.blogspot.com
49 Percent http://im-geiste.blogspot.com/
Reconciliation Biology http://reconciliationecology.blogspot.com
Scientist Mother http://scientistmother.blogspot.com/
The Urban Birder http://www.theurbanbirder.com/
SES: Science, Education & Society http://sciedsociety.blogspot.com
Not Exactly Rocket Science http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/
Thesis With Children http://kidsndata.blogspot.com
Physics for Girls http://physicsforgirls.blogspot.com
.....
If you weren't told about the identity of the scientist, what image comes to mind? For many people, school children to adult, the image of an older European male comes to mind. However, there are scientists who are young, female and represent every nationality and ethnicity known. So why does this perception persist that field of science is so homogenous? Is it? Or is it a misperception based on sampling of scientists at meetings.
Is this a representative sampling of science bloggers and scientists in the real world?
I don't know. But that's one of the things I and AcmeGirl will be discussing with other science bloggers at the ScienceOnline09 conference during the Race and Science Workshop. I am definitely not the only person of color participating in the conference. It is truly an international conference with peope from every corner of the globe in town - UK, Serbia, Canada, Australia, The Phillipenes, Italy, Brazil, Finland and all regions of the USA. Yay! But so far, I'm the only one of two several African-Americans in attendance.
Does that sound about right? Maybe. African-Americans make up less than 3% of the Ph.D. Biologists and Chemists in the US.
But that few? Really.
Surely there's something we can do about that. We'll see what we come up with at the workshop.
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Here's What we'll be discussing.
What can be done to promote minorities to science blog and/or pursue science?
- Science Blogging -- Pros. I'm cataloging the science blogs written by persons of color. Cross-reference, blogroll, etc some or allof these blogs, particularly if you blog about similar topics/issues.
- Science Blogging -- Cons. Blogs can be a liability for faculty members and even for post-docs and grad students. Senior faculty and administrators percieveblogs as a distraction from 'real' work. This may be especially problematic for a person from a minority group.
How can blogs by minorities be used to attract kids into science careers?
- open to discussion, but this is why I blog.
How to get and make allies? What allies can and should be doing?
1. Reach beyond comfort zones (yours and your institution's)
Leverage relationships scientists of colors you know or have access to, eg. speak at newarby HBCUs or ask faculty from nearby institutions to speak at your department.
Host public events and use target advertising to reach under-represented audiences.
2. Be inclusive. Talk, introduce yourself, introduce them to others.
3. Proactively engage students in extra-curricular science activity.
Cultivate science interests in undergraduate and pre-college students.
4. It's okay to mentor students that do not look like you
How the Web provides new methods and means for action and effecting positive change.
1. Profiling science discovery and scientists
2. Opportunities for netwoking, research, interviewing scientists of color
3. Promoting science and diversity initiatives e.g. Year of Science, DNA Day; Decades of Blacks in Science, Black History Month, Latino History Month, Chinese New Year
Growing catalogue of Science Blogs written/contributed by persons of color
Asymptopia
http://asymptotia.com/author/cvj/ (perhaps the longest running science blog) Urban Science Adventures! (c) http://urban-science.blogspot.com
49 Percent http://im-geiste.blogspot.com/
Reconciliation Biology http://reconciliationecology.blogspot.com
Scientist Mother http://scientistmother.blogspot.com/
The Urban Birder http://www.theurbanbirder.com/
SES: Science, Education & Society http://sciedsociety.blogspot.com
Not Exactly Rocket Science http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/
Thesis With Children http://kidsndata.blogspot.com
Physics for Girls http://physicsforgirls.blogspot.com
Life's A Lab Science Chicago (w/ the Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry http://sciencechicagoblog.com/about/#rabiah
add more in the comments
Oh, I leave you all with a picture of my 'sister' P. Lee, because I'm obviously an Asian-American female because of my last name. I bumped into her at the Women in Science Networking Event.
add more in the comments
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Oh, I leave you all with a picture of my 'sister' P. Lee, because I'm obviously an Asian-American female because of my last name. I bumped into her at the Women in Science Networking Event.