In Support of Diversity in Science

It wasn't exactly a New Year's resolution, but Scibling Abel Pharmboy announced a new mission for Terra Sigillata this year:

Terra Sigillata will broaden its focus area to become an open platform for scientific and career development issues specific to underrepresented or underserved minority groups as described in the US by the National Institutes of Health: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans/Alaska Natives who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment, Hawaiian Natives and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands, persons with disabilities, and underserved groups such as disadvantaged rural Whites or other low-income groups.

I actively encourage interested parties to submit to me items of interest, research findings, fellowship program announcements, news from minority institutions and student organizations, essays - anything that others feel would give greater exposure to individual and group efforts in the sciences on behalf of those who have not historically had substantial representation in the sciences or, more precisely, are not currently represented across the ScienceBlogs network.

Bottom line: If you aren't seeing it in the scientific blogosphere, I want it seen here.

In a blogosphere of often uncivil discourse, Abel is a calm and honest voice. I encourage all of you, even if you are not scientists, to bookmark Terra Sigillata, and to send Abel stories that reflect the true diversity of science. (And ditto for sciart - send it my way!)