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Celebrating Pride Month: LGBTQ+ POC Scientists to Know
June is Pride Month! As we honor the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience, achievements, and ongoing fight for equality, it’s essential to spotlight the contributions of LGBTQ+ people of color (POC) in various fields. Today, we’re highlighting just a few queer scientists of color who have left their mark on STEM, paving the way for future generations of researchers, doctors, professors, and engineers.
About Pride Month:
Pride Month has its roots in the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, which marked a turning point in LGBTQ+ history. Following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, patrons and activists fought back against ongoing harassment and discrimination, igniting days of protests and demonstrations. In the years that followed, LGBTQ+ communities across the United States commemorated the anniversary of the riots with marches and events, gradually evolving into what is now known as Pride Month. Today, Pride Month is celebrated globally as a time to honor LGBTQ+ history, culture, and achievements, while also advocating for continued progress toward equality and acceptance.
Robin Aguilar
(They/Them)
Robin is a computational biologist, science communicator, and illustrator currently working as a Scientific & Marketing Communications Specialist at A-Alpha Bio. Their research focuses on computational biology, data science, synthetic biology, and genomics technology development, and they’re passionate about exploring Latin American culture through their artwork.
Learn more about Robin!
Robert Goldman
(He/Him)
Robby is a volcanologist studying volcanic flank eruptions, as well as an AAAS Congressional Science Fellow where he evaluates the government’s communication strategies during volcano eruptions. Part Native Hawaiian, he’s passionate about volcanic risk management and is the president of the United States chapter of Fulbright Prism.
Learn more about Robby!
Dr. Derick D. Jones, Jr.
(They/Them)
Derick is a tenure-track assistant professor teaching chemistry at Columbia College Chicago and is passionate about finding ways to increase the representation of marginalized communities in STEM. Also working as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair for CCC’s Department of Science and Mathematics, Derick speaks at colleges and universities around the world to share steps to create more inclusive STEM programs.
Learn more about Derick!
Andrew Lim
(They/Them)
Andy works as a public health researcher in San Diego, studying HIV prevention & wellness in youth populations. A proud non-binary Filipino/x Ph.D. student, Andy is passionate about LGBTQ+ health and wellness.
Learn more about Andy!
Nergis Mavalvala
(She/Her)
Nergis is the dean of MIT’s School of Science, where she’s also an astrophysics professor. She grew up in Pakistan and is an award-winning astrophysicist known for being a pioneer in the study of gravitational waves, identifying as queer, and breaking stereotypical gender roles every day.
Learn more about Nergis!
John Pham
(He/Him)
John is a molecular biologist and the editor-in-chief of the respected science journal Cell. As a gay Vietnamese-American man, he’s focused on making Cell more inclusive while advocating for greater diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Learn more about John!
Reiss Reid
(He/Him)
Reiss works as an immunologist and is proud to be the Black, queer scientist that he wished he had the opportunity to look up to growing up. Today, he studies ways to create effective cancer treatments by genetically modifying the immune system.
Learn more about Reiss!
Micah Savin
(They/Them)
Micah is a clinical neuropsychologist working to uncover the predispositions that cause cognitive aging. They’re a two-spirit, first-generation doctoral student who founded an initiative in 2018 to bring awareness to Indigenous peoples’ neurocognitive needs and wants.
Learn more about Micah!
Aswathi Kanjampurath Sivan
(She/Her They/Them)
Aswathi is a postdoctoral researcher in condensed matter physics at the University of Basel, where she studies how particles like electrons, holes, photons, and phonons interact at small timescales. They want to use this research to create a more sustainable and energy-efficient future while being a role model and creating a safe, welcoming workspace for all scientists to come together.
Learn more about Aswathi!
Sarah Trujillo
(She/Her)
Sarah is a wildlife biologist, a career she has been interested in since elementary school. She’s pansexual and uses her background as a Latina who grew up in rural California to fuel her passion for conservation biology.
Learn more about Sarah!