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Spectral Analysis: An LGBTQIA+ Community in Scientific Computing

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 (Central Time) — 3:45PM - 4:30PM

Spectral Analysis is a Birds of a Feather session for the LGBTQIA+ community. It was held at Tapia 2019 with good attendance and community involvement and resulted in broadening HPC and Tapia participation through expanding attendees’ personal and professional networks. The session organizers hope to once again provide an open and accepting environment for members of our community to interact and network, as well as provide an opportunity to share community issues and seek feedback from our peers. It is vitally important that students entering the field see themselves reflected in the professionals representing it at conferences and events. By providing a place for students to meet and speak with career scientists and engineers who are also part of the LGBTQIA+ community, we hope to encourage students to bring their whole selves forward as they enter the workforce and to help find opportunities where they can continue to thrive. This year, in order to build on last year’s topics of interest and to provide the most value to the attendees, the organizers plan to focus on identifying LGBTQIA+ affirming employers, discussing best practices and resources. According to the survey conducted by the Williams Institute, LGBTQIA+ employees who spend considerable time and effort hiding their identity in the workplace, experience higher levels of stress and anxiety resulting in health problems and work related complaints. Therefore, working in an LGBTQIA+ affirming company will lead to the improved health, increased job satisfaction, better relationships with colleagues, and greater work commitment for everyone.

Organizers:
Carissa E. Holohan, Daniel Gens