Black in STEM: An open conversation on inclusion and diversity in academia

On Friday 7 August 2020 at 12:30 PM, we hosted an in-depth and open conversation centering on the experiences, challenges and needs of black people in STEM in the UK. Building upon the Black Lives Matter movement, Africans in STEM is looking to develop an initiative that addresses the types of support needed by black STEMinists whilst drawing on feedback received from students in UK academia. Many thanks to all who participated in the conversation. The feedback is much appreciated!

Following our conversation from 7 August about some of the challenges faced by Black students in STEM academia, we are embarking on two projects for Black History Month:

• The first is a poster and online mini-exhibition of notable Black scientists from around the world. The posters will be put up in STEM departments across Cambridge University and will be rotated in different departments for each week of Black history month. The exhibition will also be available on this website. These will launch on Monday 5 October and will be available to access free of charge.

 

• The second is a virtual panel discussion jointly organized with the Department of Pharmacology at Cambridge University. The event is titled, 'Spotlight on Black Female Scientists in Cambridge' and will feature 5 scientists who will speak about the research that they do and how they navigate academia and Cambridge. The panel is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October at 6:30 pm. Registration will be available soon.