Picture A Scientist image

Thank you to everyone who joined us in our screening of Picture a Scientist and our expert panel discussion on November 3, 2022.

For those who missed the screening or would like to view it again, it is currently streaming on Netflix and can be rented via various other services. Below are some additional resources to help further your understanding of the obstacles faced by women in STEM and opportunities turn what you learned into action.

Did something awesome in response to the screening or found other helpful resources? We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at futurerivers@uw.edu. We hope to see you at a future screening event!

Film Resources

Post-Screening Questions for Reflection

  1. How do you picture a typical scientist now? Has it changed from before the film?
  2. How did you feel after watching the film?
  3. Did anything surprise you? Why or why not?
  4. What new ideas do you have about ways to make science more equitable for everyone?
  5. Has the film changed your perspective at all on diversity in science?
  6. How can institutions and companies change mentorship or management structures to better protect people from potential harassment and inequity?
  7. How do some of the experiences shared in the film compare to your own?
  8. How can the science community accommodate identities who don’t have clearly visible markers of marginalization (e.g., sexual orientation, low-income, disability, mental health, etc.)? How might the struggles of folks with these backgrounds be different from those portrayed in the film?

Picture a Scientist is an invitation not just to examine our own biases (in our organizations, in the systems that govern our lives, in ourselves), but to be vigilant in recognizing and dismantling those biases. Here are some ways we can begin the work together to enact meaningful change.

Get Involved

You can volunteer your time and donate to such organizations working toward a more equitable society. Many great organizations focus on equity, justice, and inclusion in STEMM, such as:

Be an Ally

  • Work within your department/work unit to destigmatize childcare and family leave.
  • Work to create new internal mechanisms for reporting and addressing harassment. Analyze and address how effective those mechanisms are.
  • Lead by example.
  • Amplify voices of women and minority scientists in your organization. 
  • Work to hire and promote women across your institution/company.
  • Work to change processes in your organization to make them less prone to bias and more accountable for sexual harassment and discrimination. 
  • Fight to make service (mentorship, outreach, commitment to inclusive science) — not just teaching, research, or productivity — play a larger role in tenure and promotion decisions.
  • Mentor a young person in science and show them the power of diversity.
  • Hold a workshop related to implicit bias.
  • Host a learning section about how tenure or promotion decisions are made in your institution/company.
  • Ask a female or non-binary colleague what gendered challenges they have faced in the workplace – and listen to what they have to say.

Educate Yourself

Articles

Books and Podcasts

Trainings and Other Resources

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