diversity

A few years ago U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar toured my lab and when she walked in the door she exclaimed, “Who said that there are no women in science!”  I am respectful of diversity and this is reflected in the composition of my lab group. It is true that I attract many female students who presumably are seeking a mentor who helps them feel like they fit in. But I also have had  many male students, LGBTQ students, and an ethnic mix that has included Native Americans, African Americans, Africans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, and students from numerous Asian countries. I have also had several students participate in my lab through the NIH-sponsored Bridges and Pathways Program and the McNair Scholars Program at the College of St. Scholastica most of whom came from families where neither parent had previously attended college.  Everyone is welcome in my lab if they are willing to commit to hard work, scientific integrity, and expenditure of their positive energy on collaborative projects.