Outreach

Inclusive Astronomy at Boston University

Read our recent Inclusive Astronomy Newsletter here!

In the Spring of 2023, several graduate students at Boston University, including myself, got together to build a group which focuses on the recruitment and retainment of underrepresented peoples in Astronomy and associated fields. Our group has three main pillars: Outreach, DEI initiatives, and an Affinity group.

Since the creation of Inclusive Astronomy, the department has seen a massive growth in outreach initiatives and events, due to the facilitation of planning and executing that Inclusive Astronomy provides. One of our most successful events to date includes #ScienceTrain -- an initiative where we jump aboard the Boston Subways and answer any and all questions about science! When we started, the only participants were Boston University Astronomy graduate students, however, it is not uncommon now for us to be joined by students from other departments and universities in the Boston area.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf Mentoring Program

Did you know that in the past 20 years only 7 Ph.D.s were awarded to Deaf individuals worldwide? Based on the Deaf US population statistics, we should expect 3-4 deaf graduate students, and 3-4 deaf faculty members in Astronomy. As a result of this dispartiy, Prof. P. Muirhead and Prof. J. Nordhaus (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) are working to breaking down barriers for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in astronomy by creating a summer research internship program at Boston University.

In the summer of 2022, I mentored a DeafBlind student from NTID throughout their summer internship. I have been invited to participate in an Eclipse Outreach Program specifically for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing population of Rochester, New York for the 2024 Total Eclipse.

Al The Science Gal

At the height of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, I was looking for a way to continue the outreach efforts that I had been so passionate about during my undergraduate career. Thus, my YouTube Channel, "Al the Science Gal" was born. Here, I post videos about my experience in STEM, as well as professional developement videos. Moving forward, I hope to document my experience in graduate school, interview other graduate students, and discuss diversity in STEM, amongst other things.

Find out more!

Information Regarding Accessibility to the Sciences