UB PhD students lead #BlackInSciComm, #BlackInNano movements

Movements, born during months of protests in 2020, celebrate Black voices in STEM

By the University at Buffalo

In 2020, powerful online movements emerged to celebrate and elevate the voices of Black scientists.

Called the #BlackInX movements, these efforts arose during months of protests against police killings and police brutality. They were a reaction to events, including the Central Park birdwatching incident – an episode that highlighted the dangers and harassment that Black people often endure while living their daily lives.

Among the leaders of #BlackInX movements are two University at Buffalo doctoral students: Olivia Geneus, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of chemistry who co-founded Black In Nanotechnology, and Raven Baxter, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of learning and instruction who founded Black In Science Communication. (Baxter, a microbiologist and prolific science communicator known as Raven the Science Maven, also created Black In STEM Education, but has handed off coordination of that initiative to other organizers.)

Like many #BlackInX movements, #BlackInNano and #BlackInSciComm gained traction on social media, with Black scientists and engineers connecting with one another through hashtags on Twitter and other platforms, and through weeklong virtual conferences held last fall.

Read an online Q&A with Geneus and Baxter, including photos, at http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2021/02/019.html.