SSR Diversity Committee

Diversity Committee 

SSR is dedicated to building a strong and representative society that supports a diverse and inclusive membership. The Diversity Committee’s priority is to ensure that the voices of SSR members who self-identify as underrepresented are heard, from the speakers chosen to present at our annual meeting, to the composition of society leadership, and in the education of our society’s trainees. In order to facilitate these important components of inclusivity and support, the Diversity Committee serves as a nexus for resources for career advancement and training, financial support for attendance at our annual meeting, and as a resource for where issues of concern to underrepresented members of SSR can be raised for discussion. The Diversity Committee is committed to facilitating the diversification of the scientific workforce in the field of reproduction.

Support:

Burroughs Wellcome Travel Fellowships for Underrepresented Minority Trainees and Junior Faculty Travel fellowships available for underrepresented minority trainees and junior faculty to enable their participation in the SSR Annual Meetings. The fellowships include complementary meeting registration, up to USD $1,200 for housing, food, and travel expenses; and complimentary SSR Membership through the next calendar year. Learn more about the Burroughs Wellcome Travel Fellowship HERE. 

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

2022 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

Trainee 

Daniela Chavez, Smithsonian's National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, USA
Imaobong Inyang, Iowa State University, USA
Ruth Opoku, University of Missouri Columbia, USA
Ramses Santacruz-Marquez, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, USA
Hector Nava Trujillo, University of Missouri Columbia, USA


2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

Faculty 

Noelle Ozimek, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA

Trainee 

Alexis Jones, University of Missouri – Columbia, USA
Helena Debiazi Zomer, University of Florida, USA
Endia Fletcher, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA
Meshach Asare-Werehene, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, USA
Amanda Maldonado, University of Illinois, USA
Daniella Heredia, University of Florida, USA
Kamiya Bridges, NIEHS/ Winston – Salem State University, USA
Lauren Mayo, Tuskegee University, USA


2020 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

Faculty 

Fernando Mesquita, Federal University of Pampa, Brazil
Hilda Guerrero Netro, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico
Omonseigho Talton, Avila University, USA

Trainee 

Crystal Roach, Iowa State University, USA
Alyssa Gonzalez, Dominican University of California, USA
Laetitia Lecante, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Canada 
Daniela Reyes, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 
Ayana Henderson, Harvard Medical School, USA
Wendena Parkes, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA

2019 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 


Faculty

Fernando Biase, Auburn University, USA
Angela Maria Gonella-Diaza, University of Florida, USA
Sharron Manuel, Northwestern University, USA


Trainees

Ky’Era Actkins, Meharry Medical College, USA
Zully Contreras-Correa, Mississippi State University, USA
Carolina Gonzalez-Berrios, Auburn University, USA
Sophia Jean, Delaware State University, USA
Alejandra Ontiveros, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Shally Wolf, Portland State University, USA

2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

Faculty:
John Odhiambo, Florida A&M University, USA 

Trainees:
Berta Nieves Vazquez, Rutgers University, USA
Estela Jauregui, University of Arizona, USA
Khalda Fadlallah, Tuskegee University, USA
Sarah Munyoki, University of Pittsburgh, USA

2017 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Travel Awards Recipients 

Faculty:

Zelieann Craig, University of Arizona, USA
Kamilah Grant, Tuskegee University, USA

Trainees: 
Ashley Lindo, West Virginia University, USA
Brittany Foster, Louisiana State University, USA  
Arlette Rwigemera, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Canada 
Diana Monsivais, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Erica Pandolfi, University of California San Diego, USA
Lauren Mayo, University of Missouri, USA 

 


Community:

SSR members are encouraged to support and participate in activities designed and implemented by the Diversity Committee to expand diversity and inclusion in our scientific society. Meet with committee members and trainee representatives at the annual meeting’s booth to discuss your ideas on our committee’s activities and communication. Attend our sponsored Diversity Panel to hear diverse voices in science discussing their perspectives, career trajectory, and opinions that are important to shaping and advancing diversity and inclusion in our scientific community. All SSR members, trainee and faculty and staff alike, are welcome to attend the committee’s meeting when we convene at the annual meeting to discuss upcoming diversity events, participate in current discussions in expanding events and resources, and to meet the members of our committee. Consider volunteering to serve on the Diversity Committee to help in our efforts to make SSR a diverse and inclusive society.

2018 Diversity Luncheon Speaker
Clayton Yates, Professor, Tuskegee University

Diversity Committee Members  

Diversity Committee Members

  • Angela Gonella Diaza, Chair
  • Dawit Tesfaye, Associate Chair
  • Laura Schulz, Past Chair 
  • Paul Dyce
  • Géraldine Delbès
  • Klemenetina Fon Tacer
  • John  Odhiambo
  • Paula Cohen
  • Pamela Monahan
  • Mario Binelli
  • Zhibing Zhang
  • Lei Lei
  • Celina Checura
  • Kamilah Grant
  • Amy Flowers, Trainee Rep
  • Viviana Garza, Trainee Rep

  • Diana Monsivais, Board Liaison 

Diversity Subcommittee Members  

Diversity Subcommittee Members

Burroughs Wellcome Fellowship

  • Dawit Tesfaye
  • Mario Binelli
  • Géraldine Delbès
  • John Odhiambo
Speaker's Bureau
(coming soon)

Social Media 
(coming soon)
LGBTQ
(coming soon)
Accessibility 
(coming soon)

Resources

Blogs

Diversity Blogs

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Black History Month
Hispanic Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month
Pride Month
Veteran's Day
Other

Feedback

SSR is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive community for all of its members. We would like to hear from you and we recognize that you may have comments that you are not comfortable sharing publicly.

Therefore, we would like to ask the following questions,

  • Have you ever felt excluded at SSR, perhaps because of your gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, country of origin, disability, age or any other factor?

  •  Do you have suggestions to improve the SSR to make it fully supportive of all members?

If you would like to share your thoughts, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS HERE .  All comments are anonymous. 

Please know that answers will be shared with the Diversity Committee, and potentially the Board of Directors, but will remain completely anonymous.









 


2018 Diversity Luncheon
51st SSR Annual Meeting
New Orleans, LA 



2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fellows Recipients
SSR 51st Annual Meeting
New Orleans, LA  


2019 Burroughs Wellcome Travel Fellowship recipient Angela Gonella-Diaza, DMV., MSc., PhD., Assistant Professor, North Florida Research & Education Center, University of Florida


"I was the recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome in 2019. For me, as a new faculty, it was a great honor and a big opportunity. After finishing my Ph.D. and Post-Doctoral Research in Brazil, I start working at the University of Florida. The Burroughs Wellcome award allows me to assist to the SSR meeting for the first time and to contact and personally meet other members of the SSR’s diversity committee. Since then, I have been working with the committee to address new strategies to measure the diverse climate in our society."