IDEAS Committee

UM-MIND is proud to sponsor the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism in Science (IDEAS) Committee. This committee was founded in 2020 by a coalition of students and faculty in the Program in Neuroscience (PIN) with the goal of facilitating positive change by reducing barriers that limit the success of marginalized groups in science, both within our neuroscience community and beyond. While now supported by UM-MIND following our institute’s founding in January 2023, the IDEAS Committee maintains strong connection with PIN and is driven in large part by trainees and faculty in the program, including multiple PIN student representatives and a trainee chair.

The IDEAS Committee's activities include: 

• creating student-composed IDEAS Memos
• hosting IDEAS Chats where trainees and faculty present on their experiences, IDEAS-relevant issues, or present diversity-related journal clubs
• organizing the IDEAS Seminar Series
• planning and executing the annual IDEAS Day

Upcoming Events:

IDEAS Memos

The IDEAS Memos were first created by the inaugural IDEAS Trainee Chair and PIN PhD Candidate Daniela Franco, and are now composed by a dedicated subcommittee led by Trainee Chair and PIN Student Sissi Huang. These Memos educate and give pointers on promoting inclusion and combating racism, promote community events, share relevant resources, and provide features on members of our community who contribute to diversity and inclusion. Read past memos below and email zhengyihuang@som.umaryland.edu with any content submissions!

Look through the current IDEAS Memo here:

IDEAS Day

IDEAS Day is an annual event involving trainee presentations, panels on IDEAS-relevant subjects, a marketplace of community groups, an art competition, and more!

The inaugural IDEAS Day was held on May 13, 2024. Read a great article on what took place on page 10-12 of the fall 2024 issue of the PIN BrainStorm newsletter!

IDEAS Seminars

The IDEAS Seminars provide a forum to support the committee’s goals of reducing barriers that limit the success of marginalized groups in science within our neuroscience community and beyond. Speakers present on their research but are also encouraged to discuss their efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion in neuroscience and/or their scientific journey that led them to where they are now. Past IDEAS speakers have included:

• Sherilynn Black, PhD, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education and Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, Duke University
• Bryan Dewsbury, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Principal Investigator, Science Education & Society Research Program, Florida International University
• Angeline Dukes, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota; Founder & President, Black in Neuro
• Kale Edmiston, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School; Past Co-Director, Vanderbilt University Program for LGBTQ Health
• Hugo Tejeda, PhD, Stadtman Investigator and Chief, Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health; Program in Neuroscience Alumnus
• Tracey Hermanstyne, PhD, Assistant Dean, Academic Pathway Programs, and Assistant Professor, Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis; Program in Neuroscience Alumna
• Marguerite Matthews, PhD, Section Chief of Career Preparation, Office of Programs to Enhance the Neuroscience Workforce, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

IDEAS Committee Members

The IDEAS Committee consists of many Program in Neuroscience students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff who all help to make our neuroscience community within UM-MIND a welcoming and inclusive environment. Interested in joining? Email mvenniro@som.umaryland.edu.

Faculty

• Marco Venniro, PhD, Department of Neurobiology & Faculty Chair
• Donna Calu, PhD, Department of Neurobiology
• Barbara Juarez, PhD, Department of Neurobiology
• Brian Mathur, PhD, Department of Pharmacology
• Megan Rizzo, PhD, Department of Physiology

Trainees

• Sissi Huang, PIN PhD Student, PIN Trainee Chair
• Andreas Wulff, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pharmacology, Secretary and Postdoc Trainee Chair
• Audra Kramer, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology
• Jimmy Olusakin, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neurobiology
• Stephanie Pollitt, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology
• America Bustos Segura, PIN PhD Student
• Phylicia Cooper, PIN PhD Student
• Antonio Figueiredo, PIN PhD Student
• Maithily Hingmire, PIN PhD Student
• Loryn Johnson, PIN PhD Student
• Ruchael McNair, PIN PhD Student
• Oluwatomiwa Oladunni, PIN MD/PhD Student
• Amanda Pacheco-Spiewak, PIN PhD Student
• Ria Parikh, PIN PhD Student
• Lakota Watson, PIN PhD Student

UM-MIND/PIN Support

• Todd Gould, MD, Department of Psychiatry & Director, Program in Neuroscience
• Tom Longden, PhD, Department of Physiology & Associate Director, Program in Neuroscience
• Ashley Marquardt, PhD, Program Manager, UM-MIND
• Jenn McFarland, PhD, Academic Services Specialist, PIN