Get to know our speakers!Each OUTreach seminar highlights exemplary research from LGBT+ identifying graduate students, faculty, and post-doctoral researchers. We invite speakers from the life sciences departments (EEMB,MCDB,BMSE), geography, Bren, and anthropology. If you're interested in presenting, send us an application on our home page!
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Featured speaker: Wednesday November 28th at 3 PM
How did you arrive at your position?
I’ve had a weirdly ~straight~ path towards studying ecology. My parents are geologists who got me hooked on nature, and I decided to be a field biologist in high school after volunteering for a field study of marmots. From then on, I studied ecology in college and worked field tech jobs during the summers. I discovered disturbance ecology while working at Mount St. Helens (a volcano that erupted in 1980), which inspired me to pursue research on natural disturbance in grad school and focus on ecosystem responses to fire and debris flows.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
During field season, I’m jerry-rigging insect traps, trapping small mammals, and measuring miscellaneous characteristics of streams and riparian zones. Now that it’s the off-season, I’m usually in the office sorting through emails, data, and papers.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I’ve been privileged to have experienced few barriers—sexuality-related or otherwise—to studying ecology, and have been able to choose a career path solely based on researching the things I think are really super cool. However, because of my identity, I’m definitely drawn to inclusive environments and am actively mindful about creating those environments wherever I am.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My parents were my first scientific mentors and did the most to encourage curiosity for the natural world. Since then I’ve had a series of mentors who have given me the tools, confidence, passion, and ideas to pursue ecology professionally. However, most of my LGBT+ mentors have been entirely separate from STEM; my rugby teammates and coaches have taught me the most about forming an inclusive community.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
There’s a lot of overlap in the stereotypes of queer women, PNW folk, and field ecologists. I’m at the intersection of all three, which apparently can be occasionally confusing (too much flannel?). I find it pretty comical to contrast reactions from those that were completely oblivious to my queer identity and those that found it completely obvious.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
The most honest answer is that I aspire to be a naturalist. Turns out that hasn’t really been a feasible job since the 19th century, so I’m still figuring out the whole career path thing…
I’ve had a weirdly ~straight~ path towards studying ecology. My parents are geologists who got me hooked on nature, and I decided to be a field biologist in high school after volunteering for a field study of marmots. From then on, I studied ecology in college and worked field tech jobs during the summers. I discovered disturbance ecology while working at Mount St. Helens (a volcano that erupted in 1980), which inspired me to pursue research on natural disturbance in grad school and focus on ecosystem responses to fire and debris flows.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
During field season, I’m jerry-rigging insect traps, trapping small mammals, and measuring miscellaneous characteristics of streams and riparian zones. Now that it’s the off-season, I’m usually in the office sorting through emails, data, and papers.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I’ve been privileged to have experienced few barriers—sexuality-related or otherwise—to studying ecology, and have been able to choose a career path solely based on researching the things I think are really super cool. However, because of my identity, I’m definitely drawn to inclusive environments and am actively mindful about creating those environments wherever I am.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My parents were my first scientific mentors and did the most to encourage curiosity for the natural world. Since then I’ve had a series of mentors who have given me the tools, confidence, passion, and ideas to pursue ecology professionally. However, most of my LGBT+ mentors have been entirely separate from STEM; my rugby teammates and coaches have taught me the most about forming an inclusive community.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
There’s a lot of overlap in the stereotypes of queer women, PNW folk, and field ecologists. I’m at the intersection of all three, which apparently can be occasionally confusing (too much flannel?). I find it pretty comical to contrast reactions from those that were completely oblivious to my queer identity and those that found it completely obvious.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
The most honest answer is that I aspire to be a naturalist. Turns out that hasn’t really been a feasible job since the 19th century, so I’m still figuring out the whole career path thing…
Featured speaker: Wednesday November 28th at 3 PM
An Bui
Current position: 2nd year graduate student
Area of interest: Community ecology, functional ecology
Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): B/Q/P ??? (I still have trouble parsing the difference between these identifiers, and often use them interchangeably)
Preferred pronouns: she/her
How did you arrive at your position?
I got involved with research in my third year of college after I realized that I didn’t want to be a medical doctor. I worked in as many labs as I could and spent a lot of time in the field. The more time I spent “doing science,” the more I fell in love with it – now here I am in grad school!
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I get on campus around 8 and prep some lab work. While my reactions are running, I answer emails, edit manuscripts, and write. I try to take a lunch break to sit outside in the sun. I leave work that needs to be done but doesn’t require a lot of brain power to the afternoon and evening. After finishing up, I usually go on a swim to clear my head.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
Acceptance is one of those things that you think isn’t important until you don’t have it anymore; luckily, ecology and its branches are the most accepting STEM fields I’ve experienced. This is in large part due to changing mentalities regarding LGBTQIAP+ identities; my colleagues actively cultivate a welcoming environment that makes it easy for me to navigate ecology as a profession.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
In terms of intellectual development, all of the mentors I’ve had have positively impacted my career in one way or another. Regarding being out, my courage has been bolstered by colleagues who are out and are professors, post-docs, and fellow grad students. They show me by example that I can find success in my career and be open about my identity.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Many people assume that because I’m bisexual, I have a much wider dating pool and therefore have more “options.” However, this is definitely not the case! People are people, and you’ll have bad luck (and good luck!) with dating regardless of your sexuality.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I’m working to ultimately be a research professor at a university.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Website: a-bui.weebly.com
Current position: 2nd year graduate student
Area of interest: Community ecology, functional ecology
Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): B/Q/P ??? (I still have trouble parsing the difference between these identifiers, and often use them interchangeably)
Preferred pronouns: she/her
How did you arrive at your position?
I got involved with research in my third year of college after I realized that I didn’t want to be a medical doctor. I worked in as many labs as I could and spent a lot of time in the field. The more time I spent “doing science,” the more I fell in love with it – now here I am in grad school!
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I get on campus around 8 and prep some lab work. While my reactions are running, I answer emails, edit manuscripts, and write. I try to take a lunch break to sit outside in the sun. I leave work that needs to be done but doesn’t require a lot of brain power to the afternoon and evening. After finishing up, I usually go on a swim to clear my head.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
Acceptance is one of those things that you think isn’t important until you don’t have it anymore; luckily, ecology and its branches are the most accepting STEM fields I’ve experienced. This is in large part due to changing mentalities regarding LGBTQIAP+ identities; my colleagues actively cultivate a welcoming environment that makes it easy for me to navigate ecology as a profession.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
In terms of intellectual development, all of the mentors I’ve had have positively impacted my career in one way or another. Regarding being out, my courage has been bolstered by colleagues who are out and are professors, post-docs, and fellow grad students. They show me by example that I can find success in my career and be open about my identity.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Many people assume that because I’m bisexual, I have a much wider dating pool and therefore have more “options.” However, this is definitely not the case! People are people, and you’ll have bad luck (and good luck!) with dating regardless of your sexuality.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I’m working to ultimately be a research professor at a university.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Website: a-bui.weebly.com
Featured speaker: Tuesday October 9th at 3 PM
Zachary Reitz
Current position: Doctoral candidate in Chemistry
Area of interest: Genomics of microbial specialized metabolite biosynthesis
Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): Gay, Queer, Graysexual, and most recently, Non-binary. After a dozen years of being gay, I keep finding labels that jibe with me.
Preferred pronouns: They/Them/Their or He/Him/His
How did you arrive at your position?
My undergraduate degree was in organic chemistry, and I came to UCSB to join a synthetic organic methodology group. After almost a year of unhappiness with the research, I realized I needed to find something new, or leave without a degree. Luckily, Prof Alison Butler was willing to give me a chance in her lab, studying iron-chelating natural products, despite my lack of training in inorganic or biological chemistry. I dove into the literature to catch up to my labmates, and I was instantly drawn to small molecule biosynthesis and the complex machineries involved. Seeing genomics as both a useful tool and a promising career path, I moved my focus toward bioinformatics, sometimes dragging my group along with me.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
Much of my day is spent at a computer, but at any moment I could be trawling the literature for new small molecules, coaxing genome sequences into giving me useful information, or preparing manuscripts for publication. I’m lucky to have a fantastic group of labmates who do the wet lab work I’m so desperate to avoid; I’m happy to help them analyze their data, and spend a lot of time looking at UPLC/MS traces.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
My identity has had subtle influences: I only applied to liberal west coast schools where I’ᴅ be comfortable being myself, and I was partially driven from organic chemistry by the bro-y, alpha-male atmosphere.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My mom was the first to encourage my love of science; she’s a preschool teacher, and she filled my childhood with unique activities, most notably dissecting a cow heart and lung on a tarp in the backyard. Since kindergarten, I’ve had a string of fantastic educators who have encouraged and strengthened my love of learning. And as I look toward a post-doc, Prof. Butler has already been a great help. Unfortunately, I didn’t have queer role models growing up. I had never met a single openly queer scientist until my senior year of college, when I met the fantastic queer STEMists and activists Elena Long and Samuel Brinton (among many others), whose work inspires me. Here at UCSB, I’ve found a fantastic network of queers in and out of UCSB who have helped me navigate grad school.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Overall, the reactions have been positive (outwardly, at least). I’ve had quite a few... entertaining... conversations with cis straight grad students that make me think they’ve never had a queer friend before. There’s a small but unfortunate amount of casual homophobia and sex-shaming that I hear, but I’m working on breaking them of that.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Have a job that lets me keep learning, but also gives me time for all of my extracurricular activities. I’d like to be a better activist/advocate for the queer community going forward, as well.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
I’ve been sitting on http://zreitz.com for a couple years now. Maybe by the time you click on it, I’ll actually do something special with it.
Current position: Doctoral candidate in Chemistry
Area of interest: Genomics of microbial specialized metabolite biosynthesis
Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): Gay, Queer, Graysexual, and most recently, Non-binary. After a dozen years of being gay, I keep finding labels that jibe with me.
Preferred pronouns: They/Them/Their or He/Him/His
How did you arrive at your position?
My undergraduate degree was in organic chemistry, and I came to UCSB to join a synthetic organic methodology group. After almost a year of unhappiness with the research, I realized I needed to find something new, or leave without a degree. Luckily, Prof Alison Butler was willing to give me a chance in her lab, studying iron-chelating natural products, despite my lack of training in inorganic or biological chemistry. I dove into the literature to catch up to my labmates, and I was instantly drawn to small molecule biosynthesis and the complex machineries involved. Seeing genomics as both a useful tool and a promising career path, I moved my focus toward bioinformatics, sometimes dragging my group along with me.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
Much of my day is spent at a computer, but at any moment I could be trawling the literature for new small molecules, coaxing genome sequences into giving me useful information, or preparing manuscripts for publication. I’m lucky to have a fantastic group of labmates who do the wet lab work I’m so desperate to avoid; I’m happy to help them analyze their data, and spend a lot of time looking at UPLC/MS traces.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
My identity has had subtle influences: I only applied to liberal west coast schools where I’ᴅ be comfortable being myself, and I was partially driven from organic chemistry by the bro-y, alpha-male atmosphere.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My mom was the first to encourage my love of science; she’s a preschool teacher, and she filled my childhood with unique activities, most notably dissecting a cow heart and lung on a tarp in the backyard. Since kindergarten, I’ve had a string of fantastic educators who have encouraged and strengthened my love of learning. And as I look toward a post-doc, Prof. Butler has already been a great help. Unfortunately, I didn’t have queer role models growing up. I had never met a single openly queer scientist until my senior year of college, when I met the fantastic queer STEMists and activists Elena Long and Samuel Brinton (among many others), whose work inspires me. Here at UCSB, I’ve found a fantastic network of queers in and out of UCSB who have helped me navigate grad school.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Overall, the reactions have been positive (outwardly, at least). I’ve had quite a few... entertaining... conversations with cis straight grad students that make me think they’ve never had a queer friend before. There’s a small but unfortunate amount of casual homophobia and sex-shaming that I hear, but I’m working on breaking them of that.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Have a job that lets me keep learning, but also gives me time for all of my extracurricular activities. I’d like to be a better activist/advocate for the queer community going forward, as well.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
I’ve been sitting on http://zreitz.com for a couple years now. Maybe by the time you click on it, I’ll actually do something special with it.
Featured speaker: Monday June 4th at 5 PM
How did you arrive at your position?
I received my B.S. in Genetics and Bioengineering from Yeditepe University in Turkey. During the summer of my junior year, I did an internship in the laboratory of Dr. Kent Vrana at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine. I went on to do my PhD in Pharmacology in the same lab and institution. Afterwards, I got a Postdoc position in the laboratory of Dr. Craig Montell at UCSB, and I have been a Postdoc for a little over two years.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I don’t have a set routine as far as my work days. My days are a combination of doing experiments at the bench or with flies, mentoring undergraduates, writing emails, reading articles, and working at my computer (analyzing data or working on a grant/abstract/paper/presentation). And lots of troubleshooting…
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
It has not had a direct effect on my career so far, good or bad; however, I believe it has affected my career indirectly. I think a person’s identity and experiences can be extremely important in determining how they approach many things in life, including their career.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
I have definitely had important mentors, none of them were LGBT+. In our field and career, mentors make up one of the most important part of your development. I have been lucky to have mentors that believed in me and challenged me throughout my career.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Mostly funny and/or awkward moments… I have not had any bad reactions from anyone directly. I don’t know if there were any that were unbeknownst to me. If so, I don’t find it relevant, as long as it does not hinder my career and well-being.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I would like to do research in academia as a PI and have my own laboratory, with some teaching responsibilities. I hope to have a happy and inclusive lab with people who are passionate about science.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Craig Montell lab website: https://labs.mcdb.ucsb.edu/montell/craig/
I received my B.S. in Genetics and Bioengineering from Yeditepe University in Turkey. During the summer of my junior year, I did an internship in the laboratory of Dr. Kent Vrana at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine. I went on to do my PhD in Pharmacology in the same lab and institution. Afterwards, I got a Postdoc position in the laboratory of Dr. Craig Montell at UCSB, and I have been a Postdoc for a little over two years.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I don’t have a set routine as far as my work days. My days are a combination of doing experiments at the bench or with flies, mentoring undergraduates, writing emails, reading articles, and working at my computer (analyzing data or working on a grant/abstract/paper/presentation). And lots of troubleshooting…
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
It has not had a direct effect on my career so far, good or bad; however, I believe it has affected my career indirectly. I think a person’s identity and experiences can be extremely important in determining how they approach many things in life, including their career.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
I have definitely had important mentors, none of them were LGBT+. In our field and career, mentors make up one of the most important part of your development. I have been lucky to have mentors that believed in me and challenged me throughout my career.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
Mostly funny and/or awkward moments… I have not had any bad reactions from anyone directly. I don’t know if there were any that were unbeknownst to me. If so, I don’t find it relevant, as long as it does not hinder my career and well-being.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I would like to do research in academia as a PI and have my own laboratory, with some teaching responsibilities. I hope to have a happy and inclusive lab with people who are passionate about science.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Craig Montell lab website: https://labs.mcdb.ucsb.edu/montell/craig/
Featured speaker: Monday May 21st at 6 PM
How did you arrive at your position?
It is hard to say exactly how I arrived in the current position that I am in today. In short, I followed whatever my interest was at the moment and thoughtfully listened to the advice of my mentors. I graduated with dual Bachelor degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before working in the research and development department at a personal care/pharmaceutical company. Within a year I was ready to continue my academic journey as I went back to Cal Poly to earn my Masters. From there, I moved on to perform my doctoral dissertation research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. For the past 2.5 years I have been a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Denise Montell at UCSB.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I am a very early riser, always have been and have not used an alarm in years. My day usually starts between 4am-4:30am with a cup of coffee and my laptop. This is the time that my brain is at its best, so I capitalize on this and do most of my reading and writing at this time. I get to lab between 6-8am depending on how productive I am at home. Getting to lab is where my day becomes a bit chaotic. Working with flies means that you are in a never-ending search for virgins. I perform many different wet lab techniques, and by far my favorite is when I get to do live imaging on the confocal microscope. The best part of my day is when I can watch cells moving around a fruit fly ovary. It is during my time at the microscope that I am happiest, and so I try to do that as often as I can.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I am sure it has, but I am not sure that I have specific examples to say how. For me, as is the case for many members of society, not only those that are gay, I developed a thick skin early on in life. My focus was not to be known as the gay biologist, but a biologist that just so happens to be gay. This thick skin and a healthy sense of self-perception that include constant internal reflection has allowed me to drown out any voices that would hold me back and listen to those that propel me forward.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
All of my mentors have been tremendously important. None of them LGBT+, but all of them strong, diverse, and intelligent. These qualities made me get along with my mentors as well as served as a great model for the person I wanted to become. I intentionally surrounded myself with people who I wanted to emulate. I would not be where I am today without learning the valuable lessons they had to teach and listening to their advice.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
This happens on a daily basis, partly because I am so open about the fact that I am gay. I don’t just blurt out this fact, but as it comes up in casual conversation, I don’t shy away from sharing what I perceive to be my normal life. I am fairly open about my personal life and within days of welcoming a new lab member, meeting someone at a conference, or in the airplane seat next to me, I will have told you my life story. This is just who I am, and it will always include facts about my personal life, including that I am gay. In general, the reactions are for the most part positive. At least I only remember the positive ones. I think that is the best thing about having thick skin, you don’t really dwell on the negative too much. I think focusing on the positive energy in my life is a far more worthwhile endeavor and it keeps me happy.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I would like to stay in academia as a faculty member, where I am able to teach biology in the classroom and the scientific method at the bench.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
The Denise Montell Lab website (https://labs.mcdb.ucsb.edu/montell/denise/)
Two Cell and Developmental Biology Societies the I enjoy being a part of:
American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB.org)
Society for Developmental Biology (sdbonline.org)
It is hard to say exactly how I arrived in the current position that I am in today. In short, I followed whatever my interest was at the moment and thoughtfully listened to the advice of my mentors. I graduated with dual Bachelor degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before working in the research and development department at a personal care/pharmaceutical company. Within a year I was ready to continue my academic journey as I went back to Cal Poly to earn my Masters. From there, I moved on to perform my doctoral dissertation research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. For the past 2.5 years I have been a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Denise Montell at UCSB.
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
I am a very early riser, always have been and have not used an alarm in years. My day usually starts between 4am-4:30am with a cup of coffee and my laptop. This is the time that my brain is at its best, so I capitalize on this and do most of my reading and writing at this time. I get to lab between 6-8am depending on how productive I am at home. Getting to lab is where my day becomes a bit chaotic. Working with flies means that you are in a never-ending search for virgins. I perform many different wet lab techniques, and by far my favorite is when I get to do live imaging on the confocal microscope. The best part of my day is when I can watch cells moving around a fruit fly ovary. It is during my time at the microscope that I am happiest, and so I try to do that as often as I can.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I am sure it has, but I am not sure that I have specific examples to say how. For me, as is the case for many members of society, not only those that are gay, I developed a thick skin early on in life. My focus was not to be known as the gay biologist, but a biologist that just so happens to be gay. This thick skin and a healthy sense of self-perception that include constant internal reflection has allowed me to drown out any voices that would hold me back and listen to those that propel me forward.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
All of my mentors have been tremendously important. None of them LGBT+, but all of them strong, diverse, and intelligent. These qualities made me get along with my mentors as well as served as a great model for the person I wanted to become. I intentionally surrounded myself with people who I wanted to emulate. I would not be where I am today without learning the valuable lessons they had to teach and listening to their advice.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
This happens on a daily basis, partly because I am so open about the fact that I am gay. I don’t just blurt out this fact, but as it comes up in casual conversation, I don’t shy away from sharing what I perceive to be my normal life. I am fairly open about my personal life and within days of welcoming a new lab member, meeting someone at a conference, or in the airplane seat next to me, I will have told you my life story. This is just who I am, and it will always include facts about my personal life, including that I am gay. In general, the reactions are for the most part positive. At least I only remember the positive ones. I think that is the best thing about having thick skin, you don’t really dwell on the negative too much. I think focusing on the positive energy in my life is a far more worthwhile endeavor and it keeps me happy.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I would like to stay in academia as a faculty member, where I am able to teach biology in the classroom and the scientific method at the bench.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
The Denise Montell Lab website (https://labs.mcdb.ucsb.edu/montell/denise/)
Two Cell and Developmental Biology Societies the I enjoy being a part of:
American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB.org)
Society for Developmental Biology (sdbonline.org)
Featured speaker: Monday, May 7th at 5 PM
Featured speaker: Monday, April 30th at 5 PM
Dr. Scott Hodges
Current position: Professor in EEMB Area of interest: Genetics of adaptation and speciation Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): G Preferred pronouns: He/him/his How did you arrive at your position? After taking a break during my undergraduate studies, I returned to pursue biology. I got involved with conducting research, which I found rewarding and exciting. So I then decided to go to graduate school. After getting my Ph.D., I followed my then partner (and future husband) to the east coast. I then got a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Georgia before joining the faculty at UCSB. |
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
Average, Ha! My days are quite variable. Depending largely on the time of year, I may be preparing or giving a lecture, writing (grant proposals, manuscripts, reports, letters of recommendation, evaluations, departmental documents…), meeting with students regarding their classes or experiments. And, on the very best days, being in the field.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
Very probably. I’ve always liked plants and wanted to study them but also the field of botany, I think, has historically been a particularly welcoming field to LGBT+ people. I certainly was accepted quite early in my career, which allowed me to focus on the science that intrigued me.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
So many! From faculty who encouraged me to pursue a research career to my advisors to other LGBT+ scientists who I have met throughout my career.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
I think the funniest to me are when people have been surprised. Since coming out long ago, I have assumed that people know so I’m always a bit shocked when they don’t.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
Well, there’s quite a few questions I’d still like to answer and I imagine that there always will be. But there’s also retirement J.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Plants are AWESOME to study!
Average, Ha! My days are quite variable. Depending largely on the time of year, I may be preparing or giving a lecture, writing (grant proposals, manuscripts, reports, letters of recommendation, evaluations, departmental documents…), meeting with students regarding their classes or experiments. And, on the very best days, being in the field.
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
Very probably. I’ve always liked plants and wanted to study them but also the field of botany, I think, has historically been a particularly welcoming field to LGBT+ people. I certainly was accepted quite early in my career, which allowed me to focus on the science that intrigued me.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
So many! From faculty who encouraged me to pursue a research career to my advisors to other LGBT+ scientists who I have met throughout my career.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
I think the funniest to me are when people have been surprised. Since coming out long ago, I have assumed that people know so I’m always a bit shocked when they don’t.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
Well, there’s quite a few questions I’d still like to answer and I imagine that there always will be. But there’s also retirement J.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Plants are AWESOME to study!
Featured speaker: Monday, April 16th at 6 PM
Ronnie Bailey-Steinitz
Current position: Ph.D. Student, Brown lab, Integrative Anthropological Sciences Area of interest: Ecology, animal behavior, evolution Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q, etc.): L Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers How did you arrive at your position? After spending 3+ years in the Israel Defense Forces, I moved to the U.S. to begin my academic career. I earned my B.Sc. in Ecology, Animal Behavior and Evolution from UCSD in 2013. I was determined to do conservation research, so for my M.Sc. research, I formed a collaboration with the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research to study feeding competition in endangered rock iguanas in the Dominican Republic (2015). I took some time off to study bobcats in Southern California with the U.S. Geological Survey and teach at Moorpark College. I am particularly interested in primate ecology, so in 2017 I returned to school to pursue a Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology. I applied months after the application cycle ended and with no available funding, but because of my past experiences, my advisor thought I had potential and pushed for my acceptance. |
Describe your average work day (Is there even such a thing?).
As an ecologist, the type of work I do varies quite a bit. When I am not in the field, I spend most days in front of the computer. This involves a LOT of reading and writing grants proposals, but mostly data analysis. During field seasons, I spend the majority of my days chasing animals around forests, collecting samples for analysis (skin, blood, urine, and poop!) and recording their behavior. I end my days covered in a thick layer of dirt and animal excrements, and then I sit down to do computer work or sample sorting. I LOVE IT!
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I never let my identity or what others thought hold me back. I was openly gay in the military and have been in my academic career as well. When I am in the field, I sometimes withhold my identity from people that I interact with, as foreign cultures may not be accepting of LGBT+ folks. However, my identity does not impact the quality of research I do, so it should not be an issue for those I work with. In my past and current work, I have been accepted for who I am, and it has never prevented me from achieving the goals I strived for.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My undergraduate and Master’s mentor, Dr. Carolyn Kurle at UCSD, was incredibly influential in shaping who I am as an academic. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a strong female role model as an advisor, who gave me the liberty to explore my own ideas and paths, while steering me in the right direction when I was lost. Her patience and support helped me overcome many obstacles that I encountered along the way. I hope that one day I will become as good a mentor to my students as she has been to me.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
When I was a sergeant in the military, some cadets open up to me about their fears of coming out to their peers. I think they felt more comfortable talking to me because I was open about my identity. I was happy to be able to offer some advice and encouragement. I don’t recall any negative reactions during my time in the states. I think I’ve always been gauged by the quality of work I do, and my identity does not affect that.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I am pursuing a career in academia- I am particularly interested in performing conservation research and teaching at a research university. I aim to continue participating in science communication and outreach opportunities.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Follow my research and adventures on IG @RoamingEcologist
My website: www.roamingecologist.com
Publication: Steinitz, R., Lemm, J. M., Pasachnik, S. A., & Kurle, C. M. (2016). Diet‐tissue stable isotope (Δ13C and Δ15N) discrimination factors for multiple tissues from terrestrial reptiles. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 30(1), 9-21. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.7410
As an ecologist, the type of work I do varies quite a bit. When I am not in the field, I spend most days in front of the computer. This involves a LOT of reading and writing grants proposals, but mostly data analysis. During field seasons, I spend the majority of my days chasing animals around forests, collecting samples for analysis (skin, blood, urine, and poop!) and recording their behavior. I end my days covered in a thick layer of dirt and animal excrements, and then I sit down to do computer work or sample sorting. I LOVE IT!
Has your LGBT+ identity affected your career path?
I never let my identity or what others thought hold me back. I was openly gay in the military and have been in my academic career as well. When I am in the field, I sometimes withhold my identity from people that I interact with, as foreign cultures may not be accepting of LGBT+ folks. However, my identity does not impact the quality of research I do, so it should not be an issue for those I work with. In my past and current work, I have been accepted for who I am, and it has never prevented me from achieving the goals I strived for.
Have you had any important mentors, LGBT+ or otherwise, that have positively impacted your career?
My undergraduate and Master’s mentor, Dr. Carolyn Kurle at UCSD, was incredibly influential in shaping who I am as an academic. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a strong female role model as an advisor, who gave me the liberty to explore my own ideas and paths, while steering me in the right direction when I was lost. Her patience and support helped me overcome many obstacles that I encountered along the way. I hope that one day I will become as good a mentor to my students as she has been to me.
Have you had any reactions (good, bad, or funny) from co-workers/students about your LGBT+ identity?
When I was a sergeant in the military, some cadets open up to me about their fears of coming out to their peers. I think they felt more comfortable talking to me because I was open about my identity. I was happy to be able to offer some advice and encouragement. I don’t recall any negative reactions during my time in the states. I think I’ve always been gauged by the quality of work I do, and my identity does not affect that.
What are your future aspirations (career or otherwise)?
I am pursuing a career in academia- I am particularly interested in performing conservation research and teaching at a research university. I aim to continue participating in science communication and outreach opportunities.
Anything you'd like to plug (website, twitter, pubs, or projects)?
Follow my research and adventures on IG @RoamingEcologist
My website: www.roamingecologist.com
Publication: Steinitz, R., Lemm, J. M., Pasachnik, S. A., & Kurle, C. M. (2016). Diet‐tissue stable isotope (Δ13C and Δ15N) discrimination factors for multiple tissues from terrestrial reptiles. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 30(1), 9-21. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.7410