About

Hello, thanks for visiting!

(Looking for the short response form? See below)

The goal of this project is simple – increase the number of trans folks in STEM careers by making it easier to transition/come out in graduate school and helping faculty be better prepared to mentor trans students. There are many things that need to be done to do this - I'm hoping to make an impact at this part of the career pipeline.

Then why not make a resource for trans graduate students in STEM instead?

(secret: it is!)

The project aims to:

1) Alleviate some of the burden that trans students often face when coming out to faculty. Nothing beats a one-on-one conversation, and sometimes we (as students) are lucky to have a faculty member willing and supportive to do so, but other times it can be more challenging. Oftentimes, when a student decides to come out as trans, they also end up doing the work of teaching about trans identities and experiences. Coming out can be hard and this extra work can be a deterrent. Instead of sending faculty into the depths of the internet alone, we aim to provide an entry point...

2) Provide easily accessible, informative, and supportive materials to help faculty understand the unique experiences and challenges facing transgender grad students and how to actively support them.

The platform will include a section of general information and links to resources (targeting STEM specific), with a parallel section made up of testimonials, advice and stories from trans grad students, faculty who have mentored trans grad students, and allies.

We are in the development phase and are currently seeking submissions.

The project

Who am I?

Hi! I'm a PhD candidate in a STEM field. I'm trans, queer, mixed-race, from the Midwest, and really really love the ocean.

I began my gender transition four years ago when I was a masters student. Since then, I've spoken with many trans students in STEM fields from different areas of the country as well as been connected with faculty seeking advice on how to support their students who are transitioning. Is this a niche audience? You bet. But it's one small step towards making it a little easier to come out and/or begin your transition in the pipeline towards a career in STEM.

Want to know a little more about me? Here's a link to something I wrote about the importance of trans folks in science, and a personal story about my coming out in graduate school.