Six student chapters of The Optical Society to hold events worldwide that will amplify efforts to increase diversity, inclusion in the sciences
WASHINGTON–In support of International LGBT STEM Day 2019, celebrated on 5 July, The OSA Foundation (OSAF) has awarded Diversity and Inclusion Grants to six student chapters of The Optical Society (OSA) in support of LGBT STEM Day activities.
“The OSA Foundation, through its Diversity and Inclusion Grants program, seeks to support OSA student chapters worldwide whose activities will amplify the overall objectives of the LGBT STEM Day initiative to boost diversity and inclusion in the sciences,” said OSAF Executive Director Chad Stark. “We applaud our grant recipients for their thoughtful and creative proposals aimed at reaching these goals.”
The six OSAF Diversity and Inclusion Grant recipients are:
- University of Kent, U.K., OSA Student Chapter in support of a 9 July science festival they will bring to high school students at Bushfields Academy.
- University of Santiago, Chile, OSA Student Chapter for its 5 July LGBT STEM Day celebration that will include talks by LGBT people working in STEM areas.
- University of Southampton, U.K., Optics and Photonics Society for a 5 July LGBT STEM Day celebration that will include a tour of U. of Southampton science facilities and a stand in the Southampton city center with an interactive science experiment.
- Institute of Optics, Madrid, Spain, OSA Student Chapter for an event held in conjunction with the 28 June LGBT Pride Day in Madrid. The student chapter organized an exhibition that included biographies of LGBT scientists in STEM.
- OSA Student Chapter at Ensenada, Mexico, Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education for its 5 July celebration of Nerd Pride/LGBT STEM Day. The chapter event will include a series of talks and a final round table discussion aimed at diminishing sexual stigmas that have been put on the LGBTQ+ community.
- Presbyterian University, Mackenzie, Brazil, OSA Student Chapter for a 5 July LGBT STEM Day public event to include experiments showing how different colors of light can be used in a wide variety of applications.
The OSA and OSAF are among 50 organizations that support the Pride in STEM/LGBT STEM Day initiative founded in 2016 by Dr. Alfredo Carpineti with his husband Chris and Matt Young, a graduate researcher at the University of Nottingham, U.K. Pride in STEM and its supporters believe that a day of recognition can help raise awareness and increase support for LGBT scientists and science students– an important component of the global effort to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM. Throughout the year, OSA hosts programming focused on improving diversity and inclusion in optics and photonics.
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About The OSA Foundation
The OSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation established by the Optical Society (OSA) in 2002 to carry out charitable activities that support the society’s mission of promoting the generation, application, archiving and worldwide dissemination of knowledge in optics and photonics. The Foundation helps cultivate the next generation of leaders and innovators in the optics and photonics community as they move through advanced degree programs and become active members of research, engineering and business communities around the globe. The Foundation also works to secure OSA Awards and Honors program endowments. For more information, visit osa.org/foundation.
About The Optical Society
Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org.
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