About the Workshop
Presenters: Nathan McGregor (he/him)
Adult Led
Level: Beginning
For: High school students
Description:Going into a STEM field can be intimidating, particularly for queer students. The goal of this workshop is to help queer youth see a future for themselves in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by discussing queer representation, challenges, and progress in these fields.
Studies have found that undergraduate and graduate students in STEM face discrimination, harassment, and assault at rates much higher than their cisgender and heterosexual peers. Students with these marginalized identities are also less likely to stay in STEM past the high school and undergraduate levels. As a result, queer scientists are underrepresented and less visible. Attendees will learn about current queer scientists, how universities support and affirm queer STEM students, and how these fields are working to promote a sense of belonging among queer STEM students.
About the Presenters
Nathan McGregor (he/him)
Nathan is a second-year Ph.D. student in Planetary Science at UCSC and a member of the UCSC Planetary Science Group. He is also a member of the UCSC Earth and Planetary Science DEI Committee and GEODES (Geoscientists Encouraging Openness and Diversity in the Earth Sciences). He received his B.S. in Physics and Astrophysics and B.A. in Political Science from Boise State University.
Nathan studies Venus, the formation of the solar system, and the evolution of meteorites and asteroids through experimentation and models. Queer STEM is a deeply personal passion of his, as he has experienced the feeling of not belonging as an LGBTQ scientist. He works to help middle and high school students as well as university students of similar identities see a future for themselves in science.
Back to Fall 2022 Summit webpage / List of Workshops & Caucuses