Beyond Access: Sustaining Diversity in Science with Dr. Checo Colón-Gaud скачать в хорошем качестве

Beyond Access: Sustaining Diversity in Science with Dr. Checo Colón-Gaud

💡 How can exposure, mentorship, and community turn early curiosity into lasting careers in science? In this episode of the Science with Impact Podcast (https://www.sciencewithimpact.org/tag..., we are joined by Dr. Checo Colón-Gaud, Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for the College of Graduate Studies at Georgia Southern University. From his childhood in Puerto Rico exploring creeks and tidepools to leading national programs that diversify aquatic science, Dr. Colón-Gaud shares how early research experiences, mentorship, and professional societies shaped his path. He reflects on the transformative role of NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), the creation of the Instars program, and how it grew into EMERGE, an NSF-funded initiative now embedded into the Society for Freshwater Science. This episode is a reminder that exposure opens doors, but belonging keeps people in the room. 🤔 Who is this for? 1. Undergraduate and post-bac students curious about how immersive research opportunities (like REUs) can shape careers and open new doors in science. 2. Faculty, PIs, and society leaders looking for practical models to broaden participation, diversify membership, and sustain initiatives over time. 3. STEM mentors and administrators committed to building programs that go beyond access to create belonging, confidence, and leadership opportunities. 📋 What’s it about? Dr. Checo Colón-Gaud shares his journey from curious child to aquatic ecologist, professor, and national leader in broadening participation. He unpacks the value of hands-on research, the creation and growth of the Instars and EMERGE programs, and the strategies needed to sustain diversity initiatives in professional societies. From navigating funding challenges to building mentorship that extends beyond money, he offers lessons on how scientists and organizations can create lasting impact. 🔑 Key Takeaway: Representation doesn’t happen by chance—it’s built through exposure, mentorship, and programs that sustain momentum. By planting small seeds and nurturing them into lasting initiatives, we can diversify science and create pathways that weren’t visible before. ⌚️ Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction to Science Careers 01:03 Welcome to the Podcast 01:25 Meet Checo Colon Gaud 03:14 Checo’s Journey into Science 10:27 Undergraduate Research Experiences 14:29 Building Impactful Programs 19:04 The Instar and Emerge Programs 22:01 Sustaining Diversity Initiatives 36:26 Challenges and Mentorship 38:40 Connecting Science and Music 📣 Guest Dr. Checo Colón-Gaud — Aquatic Ecologist, Professor of Biology & Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies, Georgia Southern University; 🎙️ Host Vanessa Rosa, Ph.D., is the founder of Science with Impact (https://www.sciencewithimpact.org/), where we partner with research organizations to translate STEM advancements into measurable societal benefits beyond academia. Professional:   / vanessarosaphd   Personal:   / vanessarosaphd   🎞️ Editor A special thank you to Rafael Fernanz (  / mrfernanz  , founder of Cinematic Memories ( ⁨@Cinematicmemories_⁩ ), for editing today's episode! 🙌🏽 Want to collaborate? If you know of a research organization seeking support in: 1️⃣ Measuring (program evaluation, statistics/data analysis, and reporting) or 2️⃣Communicating (illustration/animation, data visualization, and presentations) the impact of their STEM research, connect them with Dr. Rosa ([email protected]). ❤️ Love the cause? Our mission is to provide grants and supplemental awards to research scientists and organizations that have a broader societal impact. To support this mission, we've established a nonprofit (https://www.sciencewithimpact.org/non.... Click this link to donate to a specific initiative: https://givebutter.com/sciencewithimpact. 🙌🏽 Enjoying the content? Here are 3 things you can do to help other research scientists see this content: 1️⃣ Click here (https://www.sciencewithimpact.org/#/p...) to subscribe to the newsletter and receive case studies, conversations, and resources for broadening the societal impacts of STEM research. 2️⃣ Subscribe to or review our podcast on YouTube (   / @vanessarosaphd  , Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..., Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0vNW0WW..., or Substack (https://substack.com/@vanessarosaphd) to help others interested in impactful science find us! 3️⃣ Do you know someone who embodies the phrase "impactful scientist?" If so, please click here (https://sciencewithimpact.notion.site...) to nominate a speaker. Thank you for all you do to broaden the societal impacts of STEM research. Sincerely, The Team at Science with Impact