Community
We lead and participate in initiatives that contribute towards our goals of building bridges between scientists and communities, engaging young aspiring scientists, supporting Latinx communities in STEM, and empowering scientifically-literate citizens to make informed decisions.
LatinXinBME
LatinXinBME, co-founded by Profe Ana and Profe Brian Aguado, is a community for all biomedical engineering students, staff, faculty, and professionals who identify as Latinx. Members are connected to each other through friendship and scholarship. The community also promotes and supports the professional and personal development of its members. Through these and other efforts, LatinXinBME seeks to increase the representation of Latinx at all levels of our profession. To join, send an email to latinxinbme@gmail.com! ¡Te esperamos!
SciArt & Social Media – the #MicroMartes Community
Profe Ana uses crocheted art to make the invisible adorable. Art is an incredibly powerful tool to visualize and explain complex scientific concepts. This is particularly important when referring to microorganisms, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. On #MicroMartes, la Profe shares stories and dispel myths in Spanish related to microbiology using microbes that she crochets. The goal is to highlight the importance of the microorganisms within and around us for our health and our planet. She intentionally uses cuteness to attract new people and correct the misconception that all microbes are “bad”. Find her on Instagram and TikTok as @anaerobias.
Multilingualism to Increase Participation in Science
There is a language bias in the current global scientific landscape that leaves non-English speakers at a disadvantage and prevents them from actively participating in the scientific process both as scientists and citizens. We address this problem through a variety of strategies. We design culturally-relevant public engagement strategies for Spanish speaking audiences. We also create opportunities for Spanish-speaking scientists and engineers to practice speaking Spanish professionally. Lastly, we advocate for the inclusion of other languages in scientific spaces.
UnidosNow
Locally, we collaborate frequently with UnidosNow, an organization that seeks to elevate the quality of life of the growing Hispanic/Latino community in the Manatee and Sarasota region through education, integration, and civic engagement. We have created multiple workshops for middle- and high-school students (and their families!) participating in their programs. In these workshops, students get to explore what engineers do, and fundamental concepts related to biomedical and tissue engineering.
Clubes de Ciencia Colombia
We collaborate frequently with Science Clubs-Colombia. The program brings together researchers based in Colombia and abroad to lead intensive project-based learning workshops for young students in urban and rural areas. These projects focus on channeling the students' technical and cognitive scientific aptitudes to tackle challenges of both local and global relevance. The program provides high-quality STEAM education adapted to communities' needs and articulates long-lasting international collaborations using the mobility of the Colombian diaspora. Clubs we have taught or organized have impacted close to 200 students in Bucaramanga, Carcasí, and la Guajira.
See our Resources
Want to learn more about what we do? Check out our educational videos, interviews and fun microbe crochet patterns!
