Innovations from the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields have profoundly touched every aspect of human life. More often than not, our narrative of scientific breakthroughs focuses solely on the brilliance and merits of individual scientists. However, this myopic view crumbles under the modern research enterprise, where scientific research is cultivated through the collective efforts of talented teams, not individuals. In this setting, a diverse background of problem solvers is equally if not more important than individual prowess. This phenomenon resonates deeply in Scott Page’s book “The Difference” (1), where his research redefined how diversity of the team is indispensable for solving complex problems. For the simplest reason, people from diverse backgrounds tend to adopt different approaches in problem solving, and bring in unique and creative perspectives to the scientific colloquy.
Although the STEM world is moving forward at breakneck speeds, its workforce demography is not keeping pace. Despite the shift in America’s population demographic, Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans are still underrepresented in STEM. The 2019 United States Census Bureau estimated that 60.5 million Hispanics are living in the US, but Hispanic adults make up merely 8% of all STEM employees (2,3). The face of STEM is not representative of our diverse world, a fact indicating that significant talent is precluded from entering the scientific fields.
To promote and amplify diverse voices in STEM, Kevin Alicea-Torres founded the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) chapter here at the University of Pennsylvania. We had the delightful opportunity to speak with members of the SACNAS board of directors Nicole Robles-Matos (former Academic Development Chair), Marisa Egan (current Academic Development Chair), and Kimberly Veliz (Professional Development Chair) about their experiences in SACNAS.
Could you tell us more about the SACNAS chapter here at Penn? What are the missions and impacts of this organization?
Nicole Robles-Matos (NRM): The SACNAS student chapter here at Penn was established with the mission to provide a welcoming and supporting environment in which our diverse members have the necessary tools and community-building activities for successful academic and professional development in graduate school and beyond. Our organization has been impactful in creating a bridge between the STEM community and [the diverse] culture.
Marisa Egan (ME): The SACNAS chapter here at Penn promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. It creates a supportive community that is welcoming to everyone on campus. By hosting a range of events, from social gatherings to professional development workshops, the SACNAS chapter empowers all scientists to be themselves and grow as thinkers, students, and individuals.
Kimberly Veliz (KV): The Penn SACNAS Chapter mission is to provide support to underrepresented students in STEM through academic, professional and/or social workshops. The goal is to build a community that they can rely on and use to expand their network in and outside of academia.
What are some of the professional programs or activities organized by SACNAS to promote diversity and inclusion in the STEM field?
NRM: At the beginning of each academic year, our chapter has the opportunity to create a space for new students to join our community. Our members share their experiences in our Surviving Grad School 101 workshop with the goal to help new students adjust to the challenges of graduate school and living in a new city. Our chapter collaborates with multiple student organizations in the development of Career Panels with a diverse community of alumni. This type of initiative helps our members to network with alumni with similar backgrounds and to identify role models and mentors in their career options. We also organized Public Speaking and Software workshops (i.e. Illustrator) to promote the learning experience of new professional skills. During the pandemic, we created a new series of seminars including our first Social Seminar in which we invited Dr. Denise Collazo to have a conversation with our members about her book: “Thriving in the Fight” and the role of STEM scientists in society. In order to make science more accessible, we collaborate with community-based organizations in outreach events to increase representation in STEM and increase the interest in underrepresented children to pursue STEM fields.
ME: Our SACNAS chapter has hosted a variety of events to promote diversity and inclusion in the STEM field. Currently, I’m the academic development chair of SACNAS, and I planned a workshop entitled “Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Science Education.” The workshop was co-hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). It featured Dr. Sunny Shin, Associate Professor of Microbiology, who discussed ways in which she works to foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in her lab and her classroom.
KV: In the past we have held alumni career panel series that expose the students to career options in and outside of academia. We’ve also had workshops on public speaking, we had a monthly “women in science speaker” as well as invited guest speakers that highlighted minority faculty in institutions across the country.
As part of the initiative to support the underrepresented students in advancing their careers and leadership positions, what are the resources and opportunities offered by SACNAS?
NRM: Our chapter collaborates with the office of IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Learner) Research to support underrepresented graduate students and undergraduates. Our members participate in recruitment events and grant workshops for Penn PREP (Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program) students interested in graduate school. [They also] have access to the National SACNAS Career Center which is dedicated to matching underrepresented minority scientists with careers and positions of leadership in STEM fields. Additionally, we encourage our members to apply for National SACNAS travel awards to present at the National SACNAS Conference to network with a diverse community of scientists and present their research to a broader audience.
ME: SACNAS offers URM (Underrepresented Minorities) students access to a warm and welcoming community on campus. The workshops, seminars, and other events hosted by SACNAS also allow for a safe space for honest and meaningful conversations to occur about what it means to be a URM student in STEM and how we can lead efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus.
KV: I think community is an incredibly powerful and underrated commodity in grad school. Being able to connect with other students who have similar backgrounds and/or stories is empowering and encouraging. I think SACNAS is an important group that gives underrepresented graduate students the confidence to know they are not alone and that their voice and ideas matter.
Could you comment on how your SACNAS leadership position enriches your professional experience here at Penn?
NRM: When I was an Academic Development Chair, I was involved in the development of workshops providing guidance on scientific writing and how to prepare for thesis committee meetings. These events allowed me to connect with multiple faculty members committed to supporting the academic development of our members. I had the opportunity to organize our bi-annual Women in Science Seminar. This experience was very enriching and rewarding because we recruited female [Penn] scientists to provide diverse graduate students with valuable advice [directly] from a successful female scientist navigating through academia. The goal of this seminar series is to inspire women and underrepresented groups to pursue scientific careers and to identify role models in their fields. To foster inclusive initiatives beyond our community, we developed the Academic Development Seminar with invited speakers from other institutions to establish a network across different communities. This initiative allowed me to connect with underrepresented faculty and students in other institutions.
ME: I’m currently the Academic Development chair of SACNAS. My experiences on the Executive Board of SACNAS have been very formative! I’ve truly enjoyed my leadership roles and working with the other board members, who are all so passionate and dedicated to increasing diversity in STEM.
KV: I have been involved in SACNAS since I started grad school, I was initially just a member but began to be more involved as a Professional Development Chair for two reasons (1). I wanted to give back to a group that made me feel supported and connected to and (2). I wanted to be more connected to the needs of our student outside of just academia.
What are some of the fun social events organized by SACNAS?
NRM: [SACNAS hosts] Parranda, a Christmas celebration with music and food. [We also organize] DIY activities for community building, [such as] creating concrete planters, Day of the Dead painting, mocktail classes, [and] creating your own candle. [Some other] SACNAS [events include] SACNAS Cafecito and Zumba classes
ME: The SACNAS chapter has celebrated Día de los Muertos by decorating sugar skulls while watching Coco!
KV: Before COVID we had an annual end of the year parranda with Hispanic music and food, there were also opportunities to go dancing as a group. Since COVID though, most of the social activities were done virtually, but we hosted several painting nights, DIY plant pots, DIY wax and wine kits, as well as virtual game nights.
Could you tell us how the SACNAS community has impacted your life?
NRM: The Penn SACNAS community has impacted my life in so many ways including: building a community of diverse scientists, improving my communication skills to the public and my networking skills, as well as gaining teamwork and leadership skills.
ME: The SACNAS community has empowered me as a leader in STEM! It’s also inspired my own deep commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM!
KV: I grew up in Los Angeles, California where there is a large Hispanic community and I was used to being able to speak Spanish with people all around me. It took a bit of adjusting when I moved to Philly, but being a part of SACNAS allowed me to connect with a group of people that reminded me of home and I could speak Spanish with. By providing a network of support to empower the underrepresented to thrive in their careers, Penn’s SACNAS is changing the face of STEM, one step at a time.
To learn more about Penn’s SACNAS chapter, follow them on Twitter @Penn_SACNAS or click the link below:
Penn’s SACNAS Official Webpage.
References:
1. The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies (New Edition). (2007). Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt7sp9c
2. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=64
3. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/04/01/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-
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