Finding your voice in a diverse audience: Lessons in writing and advocacy

Main textThe story of “Establishing design principles for emissive organic SWIR chromophores from energy gap laws” is a recontextualizing concepts to reach broader community, like so many papers are. I feel at times that battle represents the tension trying be scientist and queer person working on building safe secure community in sciences. Prior this paper, as an experimental materials physical chemist, had been focusing piecing together apparatus study nanocrystal-sensitized upconversion. That project was put hold due difficulties search ideal system crowded field. This started by translating theoretical chemistry physics 1970s 1980s into something could apply clarify 20-plus photophysical dataset values explain it others. To fair, not first transition have made scientist. As undergraduate, my experience synthesizing novel porphyrins with goal forming innovative backbone patterned molecular machines, while keeping separate personal life undergraduate research student. Upon entering graduate school, knew one mind: wanted move away chemical synthesis toward studying properties materials. A second soon dawned me. realized just go LGBTQIA center do work time moved homework bench research. needed find ways support entire self environments. joined supportive group UCLA found friends department, but create more permanent fixture others community. By year, helped initiate later led what now Out STEM chapter, Queer Trans STEM.The aim modernize adapt scientific discussion elaborated 1960s analysis intravibrational relaxation gas-phase dynamics.1Friedman H.C. Cosco E.D. Atallah T.L. Jia S. Sletten E.M. Caram J.R. Establishing laws.Chem. 2021; 7: 3359-3376Scopus (17) Google Scholar, 2Englman R. Jortner J. The law radiationless transitions large molecules.Mol. Physiol. 1970; 18: 145-164Google 3Hilborn R.C. Einstein coefficients, cross sections, f /values, dipole moments, all that.Am. 1982; 50: 982-986Google Scholar Although “energy law” often invoked explaining why declining quantum yields you redshift, rarely applied quantitatively set limits properties. However, feeling different language understatement. It incredibly frustrating realize months absorption coefficients are defined differently chemistry. In hindsight, small blip. Besides eye-opening learning firsthand involved getting first-author manuscript press, biggest challenge writing paper audiences. difficult balance being thorough your knowledge concise people background those get lost details. hope we accomplished our task.I experienced similar issues advocacy work. When designed allyship talk hackathon (QWER Hacks), between impart new useful information covering less obvious basic 101 stuff hour. who gets details, mountain resources newer science job rewarding. Given inherent ability lose forest trees, Chem would without contributions coauthors.1Friedman need make special call out Dr. Emily Ellen Sletten, me frame some findings way accessible audience. am excited see other scientists take concept gap-independent parameter property parameters (Figure 1).1Friedman Recontextualizing audiences has most rewarding parts student.Going beyond other’s work, existing both advocate inclusivity equilibrium challenging yet fufilling. these can full-time jobs appear require very skill sets. skills acquired experiences significantly impact other. tries keep up current events fields deal setbacks mode pushing things forward. helps step back competitiveness publishing (first) academia remembering common goals. Those goals best reached through collaboration team’s come. My inclusive shown how vital school (and presumably beyond) build inside outside workplace. head closer graduation, know will help succeed next adventure. STEM. task. Going lawsFriedman et al.ChemSeptember 23, 2021In BriefNear shortwave infrared emitters wide range applications deep-tissue imaging photonic low yield NIR/SWIR defining struggle Combining experiment theory, model yield. Through designing independent comparison, created roadmap near dyes. Full-Text PDF