The NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office will be hosting a talk on Identifying Barriers and Supports in STEM Recruitment Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth and Young Adults as part of their Scientific Webinar Series, with Florida State University assistant professor, Casey D. Xavier Hall, M.P.H., Ph.D. This event will take place on March 29, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT via Webex, and registration is required to attend!

Dr. Xavier Hall will speak on his recent research and publication Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students to further discuss barriers faced by SGM in STEM. His research is housed in the College of Nursing’s community based research center, Center of Population Sciences for Health Equity.

Recent research has identified barriers faced by sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults in STEM higher education and professional careers. However, there is limited work focused on SGM youth, which can add insights into formative experiences that impact children’s and adolescents’ early STEM interests. Although a robust body of research has accounted for how structural racism and misogyny constrain diversity in the STEM workforce, research on SGM adults’ experiences has left unexamined how these systemic forces intersect with heteronormativity and transphobia in STEM contexts to create unique barriers of persistence and success among SGM people of color. To address these gaps in the literature, this presentation highlights findings from analyses examining STEM recruitment and retention issues among SGM youth and young adults, including anti-SGM bullying, STEM identity, perceptions of STEM climate, and STEM career intentions. The findings raise implications for transforming STEM educational and professional practices to eliminate barriers that SGM populations encounter and promote inclusion across intersections of racial, gender, and sexual identity. 

Additional information about the event, including speaker biographies and registration, can be found on the SGMRO Scientific Webinar Series webpage. This event will be recorded and shared on the SGMRO website. We hope to see you there!