Meet 500 Women Scientists Atlanta
We’re excited to continue our Pod tour with 500 Women Scientists’ pods in Atlanta — the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.; the final stop of the Western and Atlantic railroad; the traditional home of the Eastern Cherokee and Muscogee/Creek tribal nations — all set within the beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains.
Quick Facts about 500 Women Scientists Atlanta:
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Member Count: 300
Pod Composition: We are STEMM and social scientists; postdocs, research scientists, science educators, faculty, and grad students from multiple universities, colleges, and research institutions.
STEMM Fields: Psychology, Public Health, Climate Change Adaptation, Molecular Biology, Infectious Diseases, Agriculture, Hydrology, Ecology, Biomedical Engineering, Data Science, Neuroscience, Civil Engineering, Earth Science, Biochemistry
Social Media:
Instagram: @500womensciatl
Twitter: @ATL500WomenSci
Website: Atlanta 500 Women Scientists (google.com)
Pod Mission: As a local pod, our mission is to advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the sciences, increased scientific literacy through public engagement, engagement in science policy, and empowering women in science in our community in Atlanta and the surrounding areas.
Our People: Pod Leaders / Coordinators :
- Meg Sosnowski — Ph.D. Candidate — Department of Psychology, Georgia State University)
- Marisa Levy — STEM Education & Tech
- Abhilasha Saroj, Ph.D. — Postdoctoral Fellow — Georgia Tech
- Heidi Blanck, Ph.D. — Public Health Researcher
- Virginia Silvis, Ph.D. — Climate Change Adaptation Researcher
Q & A
How have you grown the Atlanta pod and ensured a diverse group of women scientists attend the pod meetings?
We continue to be active on social media and brainstorm new ways to branch out during this virtual time. We recently launched our Instagram page + have launched a ‘Get to know Your Pod’ series!
Tell us about your past activities and successes. Are there any favorites that you want to share, and how they are important to your community?
We have continued to participate in our Atlanta Science Festival and are currently planning our 2022 participation!
The Atlanta Science Festival celebrates the world-class learning and STEM career opportunities in metro Atlanta. The Festival is engineered by Science ATL and 50+ community partners, and featured 90+ virtual, self-guided, and outdoor events for curious kids and adults. They are committed to expanding access to science learning opportunities for all in metro Atlanta, and our evaluations show that the racial/ethnic diversity among Festival attendees closely matches that of the metro Atlanta region. You can learn more in their latest report.
What future plans does your pod have?
Continuing to grow our pod, and hosting a Twitter conference later this month! Check it out October 22nd on our Twitter page, via #ATLWomenSci2021.
This online conference provides Graduate and Early Career ‘self-identified women’ or non-binary scientists an opportunity to grow their digital presence and provides space for those who haven’t been able to attend in-person conferences over the last year to present their work.
In addition to the conference, we have offered two workshops: “The Ins and Outs of Professional Social Media for Academics” and “Preparing for your Twitter Conference Presentation” — which were open to the public.
Have you formed any local connections with schools, universities, or grassroots STEMM organizations?
We have connections and partnerships with: Union for Concerned Scientists, Atlanta Women in Science, ScienceATL, Science for Georgia
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Feeling inspired? Want to join a pod? Learn more here. [Edits by Kara Bocher, Pods Coordinator & Anushka Gole, Director of Communications at 500 Women Scientists]
