Building a queer- and trans-inclusive microbiology conference
Abstract
Microbiology conferences can be powerful places to build collaborations and exchange ideas, but for queer and transgender (trans) scientists, they can also become sources of alienation and isolation. Many conference organizers would like to create welcoming and inclusive events but feel ill-equipped to make this vision a reality, and a historical lack of representation of queer and trans folks in microbiology means we rarely occupy these key leadership roles ourselves. Looking more broadly, queer and trans scientists are systematically marginalized across scientific fields, leading to disparities in career outcomes, professional networks, and opportunities, as well as the loss of unique scientific perspectives at all levels. For queer and trans folks with multiple, intersecting, marginalized identities, these barriers often become even more severe. Here, we draw from our experiences as early-career microbiologists to provide concrete, practical advice to help conference organizers across research communities design inclusive, safe, and welcoming conferences, where queer and trans scientists can flourish.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 26, 2023
- Source ID
- 10.1128/msystems.00433-23
Entities
People
- Anna C. B. Weiss
- Anna C. Fagre
- Bruno Francesco Rodrigues De Oliveira
- Callie R. Chappell
- Daniel Muratore
- Desiree Forsythe
- Gonçalo J. Piedade
- Heema Kumari Nilesh Vyas
- Itumeleng Moroenyane
- Jake L Weissman
- Jelani Williams
- Juliet Johnston
- Leonardo Pacciani-mori
- Lisa Shu Yang Coe
- Maria Hamilton
- Maurizio Labbate
- Mck Mollner
- Melanie Ortiz Alvarez De La Campa
- Mica Y. Yang
- Natalya Evans
- Olivier Zablocki
- Queer And Trans In Microbiology Consortium
- Rachel Gregor
- Rachel Szabo
- Robert T. Jones
- Sammy Pontrelli
- Shayle B. Matsuda
- Steven A. Frese
- Yu Wan
Organizations
- Brown University
- Chapman University
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
- Fluminense Federal University
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Georgia Tech
- Imperial College London
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- National Science Foundation
- New York University
- Office of Naval Research
- Santa Fe Institute
- Shedd Aquarium
- Simons Foundation
- Stanford University
- University of California
- University of Florida
- University of Southern California