Queer in STEM in New Scientist

The November 8 edition of New Scientist has an in-depth article about queer experiences in scientific workplaces, featuring interviews with Jeremy and with oSTEM President Eric Patridge, the lead author of the study based on Campus Pride survey data.

A lack of visibility of different sexualities in the work environment could discourage others from coming out. And with fewer obvious role models for LGBTQ people, it could harm their chances of finding a mentor – an extremely useful career development tool for any aspiring scientist. “LGBT communities are lacking role models,” says Patridge. LGBTQ students may feel more comfortable seeking out mentors similar to them. “The need to find someone of your own identity is something that we see in a lot of minority groups,” says Yoder.

Published by Jeremy Yoder

Jeremy B. Yoder is a founding collaborator on the Queer in STEM Project. He is an Assistant Professor of Biology at California State University Northridge, studying the evolution and coevolution of interacting species, especially mutualists, and a collaborator with the Joshua Tree Genome Project. He edits the Molecular Ecologist, a blog about the uses of genetic data in ecology and evolutionary biology, and has written for the website of Scientific American, the LA Review of Books, the Chronicle of Higher Education, The Awl, and Slate.

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