The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery hosted the “Celebrating Latinx voices in STEM” symposium in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Inclusion in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Oct. 5.
The symposium — created and hosted by UW assistant professor of Plant Pathology Claudia Solis-Lemus — featured Latinx scientists Victor Savala, Marya Oyala-Merced, Angel Adames Corraliza, Daniel Pimentel-Alarcon, Lucia Gutierrez and Alejandra Quintos.
Each scientist presented 15–20 minute talks on their individual research areas. Topics included system optimization for plastics recycling, the study of the tropospheric ozone and its effects on Earth, the mathematics surrounding the waffle cone and more. This series of short talks were all recorded and added to El Zoominario, which is accessible to on Youtube.
According to Solis-Lemus, the symposium’s goal was very simple.
“We just want to increase visibility of the Latinx community on campus and also connections for people within the community and those who are not Latinx,” Solis-Lemus said.
Solis-Lemus said this symposium is also so important due to the drastic disparities that exist within Latinx representation. Faculty within nationwide universities do not match the exponentially growing Latinx population within America, Solis-Lemus said. Though college faculty has become more racially and ethnically diverse, the numbers still remain far less in comparison to students of color.
In 2021, the STEM workforce consisted of 15% Latinx people, which is an increase compared to 11% in 2011, Solis-Lemus said. But Solis-Lemus said this does not account for — or represent — the rapidly growing population of the Latinx community.
In 2014, the Latinx population surpassed the white population in California and similarly in Texas in 2021, Solis-Lemus said. Solis-Lemus said those who are Latinx must permeate into universities to match the ever-growing population.
WID also hosted a “How much do you know about Latin America?” game Oct. 6, and keynote speaker Ana Maria Porrras spoke on “Latina in STEM — Finding my Research Identity through Comunidad” Sept. 25.
