Membership

After developing and working with BrainWaves (link attached), a program aimed at bringing hands on EEG research into the classroom, my passion for STEM outreach and equal opportunity in the foundational years in high school regardless of economic background has grown immensely. If we can cultivate interests in neuroscience at a young age, we may then finally be able to see a demographic change reflected in the professional world of research.

I am joining Alba as I have faced many challenges in my career thus far as an underrepresented trainee. In recent months, due to the US federal crackdown on "DEI" initiatives, I have not only been excluded from career- and life-changing funding opportunities, but also watched as the programs that allowed me to advance to this stage in my career are defunded and cancelled. I want to be a part of a network of scientists who similarly refuse to comply in advance, and are unafraid to organize independently against the forces attempting to re-segregate and censor scientific research.

I am a white woman married to an Afro-Carribean man. We have an adopted bi-racial daughter and are part of a blended family with her 4 other sisters, their adoptive parents, and her birth mom. I was raised by a linguist mother who surrounded me with individuals from all walks of life and from various cultures. I have always cared about diversity and been aware of multi-cultural issues. However, marrying and adopting into a blended, multi-cultural (race, country, faith) family to realize the importance of MY direct action. I have always thought that there was not much for me to teach in the Neuroscience classroom about diversity. Now, I realize how wrong, and lazy, this assumption was. I am now committed to integrating these issues into my teaching and research mentoring at my institution, a Primarily White, and Undergraduate, Institution.

In my role of DEI officer at the Zuckerman Brain Mind Behavior Institute at Columbia University, I am interested in connecting with practitioners in the field to learn best and next practices and advance equity in science.

As a member of the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (DIC) of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM), I have been consistently contributing to investigate and implement plans to ensure diversity in our neuroscience community, leading and being involved in several short- and long-term projects tied to our committee. I am currently serving as the 2023-2024 chair of the diversity and inclusivity committee of OHBM, and I think that joining ALBA network can help us to collaborate on our common goals and to create multiple opportunities to early career researchers with underrepresented and/or underprivileged backgrounds.

I support the mission of Alba to create an environment with equity and diversity.

I am passionate about working toward improving representation of women and underrepresented groups in science. I have been involved in addressing this at the undergrad, grad, postdoc and faculty levels. I am very keen to expand my involvement globally and working with ALBA will bring exciting opportunities. Also I should mention that I have dual citizenship UK and USA, and have many connections in europe. I am the past president of SfN and so am also keen to foster a closer collaboration between SfN and ALBA.

The mission of Alba to raise awareness on gender and diversity issues in neuroscience is important to me. I would like to use my empowerment in neuroscience to support and promote the next generation of women and diverse brain scientists.

I want to promote equality and diversity in the brain sciences, and particularly public and higher education institutions. I want to get training, advocate and develop strategies to provide access for underrepresented groups.

I was born in the Brazilian Amazon and emigrated to pursue a scientific career, first to southeast Brazil, then Germany, and now the US. My experience made me sensitive to issues of diversity in academia. Joining ALBA will increase my reach and impact on providing opportunities to underrepresented scientists.

This initiative aligns with my commitment to fostering an equitable research environment and provides invaluable networking, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, ultimately enhancing my impact in the field and supporting underrepresented scientists.

I have had to bring awareness and visibility to my lab and I would like to work with others doing the same on a broader scale.