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Black scientists matter
T Gabriella Bocchetti
he idea behind Africans in STEM is a simple one. “We wanted to give students involved in STEM research who are African or African heritage a forum to connect, share ideas and collaborate,” says third-year PhD student and Gates scholar Sandile Mtetwa, who founded the organisation with three other African students here in 2019.
Sandile Mtetwa and Head of Department, Dr James Keeler With the surge of interest in the Black Lives Matter STEM departments throughout October, and can still be movement earlier this year, the group decided to expand viewed on the Africans in STEM website. on this idea. “We wanted to include issues “I think this project is that a lot of Black students in general The exhibition is divided into a series of important because it really might face, not only in Cambridge but posters of notable Black scientists. The uncovers hidden stories in other UK universities,” says Sandile. first two sections, Historic Black Legacies about Black people We held an event earlier this year to in STEM and Black Legacies in STEM, in STEM.” discuss these issues, and we found a lot highlight Black scientists past and present of students were concerned about the from around the world. Sandile Mtetwa under-representation of Black students, especially in the sciences,” says Sandile. The third section, Black (Early Career) Scientists in Cambridge, features Black scientists in Cambridge, In response, Sandile and Africans in STEM co-founder including Jerelle Joseph, who was a Gates scholar in Cynthia Okoye, a PhD student in Pharmacology, wanted to the Wales group and is now a postdoc in the Cavendish commemorate Black History month by creating something Laboratory, and David Izuogu, a PhD student in the that showcased and celebrated black scientists in STEM. Thom group. The resulting exhibition, entitled “Past & Present: Black Legacies in STEM”, was displayed in Chemistry and four other
Although Africans in STEM started with four members, two have since left Cambridge, which means Sandile and Cynthia
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