Speaker: Reilly E. Boyt founder and CEO of Disabilities Within Ocean Sciences (DWOS) and graduate student in the Big Fish Lab

Topic: Breaking Barriers Below the Surface: Navigating Challenges and Solutions for Accessible Marine Science

Though 1 in 4 people in the US and 20-25% of the global population are disabled, STEM fields- especially marine sciences- witness a substantial underrepresentation of disabled individuals; disabled individuals make up only 3% of those in STEM- 75% less than in any other industry. This disparity is largely due to inaccessibility, inadequate accommodations, and a prevalent culture of ableism in STEM. While recent efforts to foster inclusivity in the scientific community have made progress in some arenas, disabled marine scientists continue to be excluded from vital conversations and initiatives aimed at increasing representation. To truly change our field, it is crucial to identify and address the unique challenges faced by disabled scientists. In order to catalyze this change, OSU graduate student Reilly Boyt, founded Disabilities Within Ocean Sciences (DWOS), a non-profit organization aimed at providing a network and resources for disabled marine scientists and organizations interested in being more inclusive and accessible. Reilly will discuss how DWOS can help our community identify obstacles encountered by disabled scientists while proposing actionable solutions that labs, organizations and universities can take to increase representation and ensure that disabled scientists continue to be an integral part of the evolving scientific landscape.