Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

Author: Team Research Girl, Inc.

Image Alternative Text: Research Girl, Inc. graphic with logo for Research Girl, Inc. (human brain and lightbulb icon). Text: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access for and with the STEM Community. December 2024.

Dear Friends —

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to thank you for your continued support of our mission, vision, and values. The past year has been one of innovation and exponential growth at Research Girl, Inc. We have been truly busy, in the best way—and later in 2025, we will release our 2024 Annual Report (more information to follow on our website).

Reflecting on this past year and our collaborative work, we pause to remember initiatives that were incredibly impactful for our community and contributed to our growth. These initiatives were linked to our efforts in centering, supporting, and empowering underrepresented students. Through low-barrier resources that allow all students to engage in scientific research, mentorship, and collaborations and partnerships, we will build a more inclusive future for and with historically excluded populations.

Our research resources online reference library now includes templates for email outreach and developing a beginner scientific résumé, to better support students in finding research opportunities. Later in 2025, we will offer a virtual educational workshop for the Research Girl, Inc. community. We hope to be able to provide additional virtual workshops in the new year.

We are proud to have expanded to include 36 STEM Content Contributors and 11 Advisory Spokespeople, all contributing to and collaborating with our Science Content and Communications Team on high-quality educational content, including resources, articles, and videos for the website and social media platforms. By February, we will have released more than 60 contributions and collaborations across 2024 and early 2025. Further, we are proud to have launched our Inclusion and Access article series, focusing on essential topics that resonate with the STEM community.

Of course, inclusion and access extends beyond our current resources. We also want to take care that our community can easily access mental health crisis and counseling resources, and STEM community resources to support the unique struggles and pressures that impact BIPOC students. Later in 2025, we will expand our website to offer online reference libraries of resources for all students who struggle with mental health and multiply minoritized students. We hope to continue the dialogue and better support underrepresented populations in STEM.

The past year also saw the launch of our STEM Research Mentorship Program, with the Fall 2024 Cohort connecting a combined total 150 mentees and mentors. Our mentees identified as the multiply minoritized demographics that are underrepresented in the STEM workforce:

• 91.7% women/womyn/womxn

• 67.6% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

• 63% first-generation and/or low-income

• 29.6% LGBTQIA+

• 17.6% neurodivergent and/or disabled

Our mentors represented many scientific fields, and the inaugural cohort was a success. As we prepare to launch the Winter/Spring 2025 Cohort, we have begun collecting mentor demographics, and will offer an option for inclusive mentee–mentor matches among future cohorts.

As we look to the new year, we are excited to launch the new mentorship cohort (mentee applications will be accepted through January 3—learn more at researchgirl.org/mentorship); expand our team to include more volunteers; and pursue funding to support Research Girl, Inc. You can learn more about open volunteer positions at researchgirl.org/join. We are currently seeking science content, communications, and grants volunteers. Soon, we will post on the website additional open volunteer positions (press, content design, and philanthropy).

If you can donate, please visit researchgirl.org/donate. Please also share this link with your social media networks as we seek to connect with 501(c)(3) nonprofit donors and extramural funders interested in supporting Research Girl, Inc.

From all of us at Research Girl, Inc., we wish you a joyful holiday season and safe and healthy New Year.

We look forward to new opportunities and continuing our work together in 2025.

With gratitude and purpose

Team Research Girl, Inc.