Building a queer- and trans-inclusive microbiology conference
Rachel Gregor,
Juliet Johnston,
Lisa Shu Yang Coe,
Natalya Evans,
Desiree Forsythe,
Robert Jones,
Daniel Muratore,
Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira,
Rachel Szabo,
Yu Wan,
Jelani Williams,
Callie R. Chappell,
Shayle B. Matsuda,
Melanie Ortiz Alvarez de la Campa,
J. L. Weissman
Affiliations
Rachel Gregor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Juliet Johnston
Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Lisa Shu Yang Coe
Division of Science, Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi , Abu Dhabi, UAE
Natalya Evans
Marine Science Institute, University of California , Santa Barbara, California, USA
Desiree Forsythe
Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University , Orange, California, USA
Robert Jones
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory , Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
Daniel Muratore
Santa Fe Institute , Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University , Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rachel Szabo
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Yu Wan
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London , London, United Kingdom
Jelani Williams
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California, USA
Callie R. Chappell
Department of Biology, Stanford University , Stanford, California, USA
Shayle B. Matsuda
Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium , Chicago, Illinois, USA
Melanie Ortiz Alvarez de la Campa
Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Brown University , Providence, Rhode Island, USA
J. L. Weissman
Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University , Orange, California, USA
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.
