April 13, 2014

You Should Know: Dr Caleph Wilson and 1st Generation STEM

The hashtag #ScholarSunday is very much like #FollowFriday or #FF for short. Dr. Raul Pacheco (@RaulPacheco and raulpacheco.org). He created it as a vehicle for academics to engage with each other and alert our Twitter followers to who the intelligent, thought-provoking, and awesome colleagues we follow to keep us on our toes, challenge our assumptions [...]

By DNLee

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Inspired the online academic community I have found and been supported by, plus the rocket-like rise of #BlackandSTEM (yes, another hashtag), I want to use this platform I have to raise the profile of the many, many other amazing, smart, and accessible diverse scholars out in this vast science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and social sciences blogosphere.

As my own #ScholarSunday salute, I will introduce readers to an individual and/or blog-social media community that they may have been sleeping on. All of my advocacy is intertwined -- raising awareness of diversity in science, raising the profile of scholars of color, reminding academics that individuals from under-represented and under-served communities exist and we contribute heartily to this enterprise we call education, and calling on journalists and media outlets to diversify their sources -- it is one and synergistic. I may only be an inconsequential scientist and science blogger, but I leverage what resources I have and when I can to create the academic and career community I desperately want to experience before I depart this earth. I hope you enjoy the series.

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Introducing..... Hey Dr Wilson/1st Generation STEM by Dr. Caleph Wilson.

This blog highlights STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and public interest topics. It also, is an aggregation source for articles that he has written for other media outlets. Nested within the website - Hey Dr. Wilson is 1stGenSTEM. Whereas the website aggregates his articles and op-ed pieces he's published at EBONY, the Planetary Society, and Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 1stGenSTEM is a social media community engaging followers via multiple SM platforms.

Caleph B. Wilson, PhD. is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a biomedical researcher in T cell Genetic Engineering.

In his own words...

I modify T cells to teach them to target cancer and/or HIV infected cells.

Links to some of his engaging material

Kiera Wilmot Avoids Prison, but Now What?, Ebony.com May 16, 2013
Connecting Scientist Mentors with Students Who Have The Desire to Learn, guest post at The Planetary Society May 2013
National Postdoc Appreciation Week: Judy Swan Kicks It Off with a Proposal Writing Workshop at Penn, Biomedical Postdoctoral Council’s Newsletter Fall 2013
Building STEM Bridges: Scientists Overcoming Isolation by Building Community, guest post at The SciCurious Brain at The Scientific American Blog Network October 18, 2013
HBCUs Need to Seek Leaders from Non-traditional Sources, Diverse Issues in Higher Education January 14, 2013
There is also a great video interview of him speaking with Dr. Bethany Brookshire at Eureka! Lab about his research and outreach activities. Interview: On doing science and bringing others in

In addition to Dr. Wilson's research and online outreach activities, he is also a co-founder of the National Science & Technology News Service - a media literacy projects to connect journalists with African-American STEM professionals to serve as sources for science, tech, environment and health news stories.

See a video explanation and demonstration of the activity here.

You can engage Dr. Wilson and 1st Generation STEM at the following social media services:

Website: http://www.HeyDrWilson.com

Twitter: @HeyDrWilson and @1stGenSTEM

LinkedIn: Caleph B. Wilson

G+: First Generation STEM

Facebook Fan page: First Generation STEM

Connect with him and be sure to leave a comment. Tell him you found him via The Urban Scientist (me, @DNLee5) and#ScholarSunday.

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