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ASM Programs and Publishing

ASM is committed to providing accessibility accommodations and support services, including American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, captioning services and alternative (alt) text, across the Society’s published content and events.      

ASM Journals has  for people with color vision deficiency (CVD). Furthermore, several ASM Journals have published articles on accommodations for, and the inclusion of, scientists with disabilities in lab and classroom settings.     

Visuals on our website include alt text to provide descriptions for people using screen readers. Captioning services are also available for video content, including a variety of webinars.

Committing to Inclusive Diversity With Equity, Access and Accountability (IDEAA)

As we recognize scientists with disabilities and their achievements, we also acknowledge remaining barriers in the field. According to ASM’s 2020 DEI Taskforce Report survey, scientists with disabilities represented about 18% of respondents. This is not representative of . To address these gaps, we aim to increase equitable inclusion and access within and across our activities, programs and offerings to ensure that we create a more inclusive environment for a diverse community. With these efforts, we will work to build a membership that reflects the demographics of the U.S. population and the entire spectrum of professionals strengthening and promoting the field of microbiology.

Disability as Diversity in STEM: A New Perspective

The story of disability sits at the heart of the human experience. It is important to be mindful of the complexity and nuances that characterize the value of disability and to explore how continued transformation is redefining diversity and its significant impact on the landscape of STEM.

Neurodiversity in the Lab: A Symphony of the Minds

Neurodivergent individuals harbor a unique set of skills, but they are often marginalized rather than empowered, due to societal misconceptions. The lab, though filled with opportunities to do research, is also a dynamic rapid-pace workspace, and it is critical to build a lab environment that fosters a sense of inclusion for neurodivergent scientists and educators.

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Providing equitable accommodations for students who are blind and visually impaired will not only help with student retention, but also set students up for success in their academic pursuits.

Traversing STEM With Disabilities: Spotlight on Kyle Card

Kyle Card, Ph.D., shares how his identity as a scientist with Mobius syndrome and Hanhart syndrome have impacted his experiences in STEM and discusses the importance of increasing institutional awareness about accessibility and accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Adapting as a Disabled Scientist: Spotlight on Chris Rensing

Chris Rensing, Ph.D., and Distinguished Professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in Fuzhou, China, has hereditary spastic paraplegia. Learn more about his research team and their investigation of how microbes utilize heavy metals and compensate for metal toxicity.

Advocating for Deaf Scientists: Spotlight on John Dennehy

For most of his life, John Dennehy, Ph.D., tried to hide the fact that he was born deaf. Today, “I feel a responsibility to raise awareness for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves.” From researching large mammals to a focus on the tiniest of lifeforms (analyzing SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater), learn about Dennehy’s journey in STEM.

Undergraduate students who are deaf are eager to engage in research but often feel marginalized due to lack of appropriate accommodations. This Journal of ������ý and Biology Education article features interviews with 4 ASL interpreters who provided full-time accommodations to teams consisting of 1 deaf student and 2 hearing peers during a 6-week internship.

This article explores how to support students who require a service animal, with the hope that scientific organizations will establish clear guidelines to educate students, faculty, administrators and the general public on the challenges associated with guide dogs in a microbiology laboratory.

When creating figures, it is important to consider that individuals with color vision deficiency (CVD) may not perceive all colors. While there are several CVD-friendly color palettes, they are often insufficient for working with microbiome data. This article introduces microshades, an R package for creating CVD-accessible microbiome figures.

Shannon Vassell, ASM's Senior IDEAA Program Officer, and Leah Potter, ASM's Communications Specialist, discuss the session, “������ý for the Blind and Visually Impaired,” which was presented by Barbara Heard, Ed.D., an associate professor of biology at Atlantic Cape Community College, at ASM Microbe 2022.

John Dennehy Discusses Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19 and Beyond

ASM's COVID-19 Research Registry hosted the virtual discussion "Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19 and Beyond" in May 2023. Here, John Dennehy, Ph.D., shares his expertise on testing wastewater for pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.

ASM Members have access to the COVID-19 Research Registry Virtual Journal Club Archive, where you can watch past recordings and stay abreast of the latest SARS-CoV-2 research.

Get Involved at ASM

Interested in becoming involved with ASM’s DEI efforts?

• Explore opportunities to volunteer for ASM’s IDEAA web writing team.
• Volunteer as a committee member.