The Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Diversity Interest Group hosted a STEM panel in which women discussed their challenges and triumphs as a minority in STEM.

Kerrie Wilkins-Yel, PhD, assistant professor of counseling and school psychology at UMass Boston, discussed how the inequities women of color face in the STEM field affects their mental health.

“Implicit is the understanding that there is mutual exclusivity between these groups, and if we see these groups as exclusive, we are also rendering invisible the voices and lived experiences of women of color,” Wilkins-Yel said.

Wilkins-Yel has mentored many women in STEM fields and has experience working with marginalized groups. She said barriers that led to mental health issues and decreased interest in STEM included the feeling of having to leave one’s identity at the door, antagonistic relationships with advisors, gendered racism, and racial trauma.

Educational institutions should be addressing marginalized groups specifically in order to make a difference in the STEM environment, according to Wilkins-Yel.

Moderator Heleen van't Spijker, PhD, postdoctoral associate in molecular medicine asked panelists to talk about a time they felt unwelcome in their field. The panel responded with stories about times they were disappointed in their peers because they felt unwelcome and in their professional environment.

Panelist Jean King, PhD, dean of arts and sciences at WPI, discussed the importance of communities supporting marginalized groups in order for them to succeed.

“Community is important and as we think about our identities, we need community to persist. I found support here to do what I wanted to do,” Dr. King said.