Diversity in STEM
Keynote Speeches
From Missing Particles to Missing Physicists
This talk discusses how in our roles as science communicators, we have a vital part to play in elevating the visibility of underrepresented communities in STEM, and bridging the gaps between them. I draw comparisons between the support I have drawn from being part of a community of LGBTQ scientists and the difficulties I have faced in negotiating my research with a physical disability. I illustrate this by taking an example from my field, of a group of particles, who are apparently not very good at letting their presence be known!
Public Awareness of Infrastructures (PARI'22), July 2022
From Missing Particles to Missing Physicists
“If one feels that they constantly have to put effort into disguising part of their identity, one cannot give their full attention to their work. It is as if you are constantly watching what you say or how you react to everything in order to hide a major part of your identity.” Claire Malone on Queer(y)ing the Curriculum.
“I also knew that I would have to think about them a little differently to my fellow students. For example, I had to demonstrate in examinations that I had understood the practical techniques that I had been taught. Due to my disability, I don’t have enough control of my hands to be able to pick up laboratory equipment and use it, so I had to effectively borrow someone else’s hands. I practiced giving extremely detailed instructions to my assistant about how to use the equipment in order to perform the experiment. Seeing experiments from the perspective of a series of instructions that I had to give as clearly as possible really helped me get into the mindset I needed to understand how I could perform well in my practicals, which I did. Recognizing that I was able to look at such issues in a different way helped me to find the tenacity to persevere with mastering the practical side of my scientific studies rather than letting my physical limitations stop me.” Claire Malone in her TedTalk titled We’ve Misplaced 96% of the Universe
LGBTQ STEMinar, January 2022
Talks Delivered
Science Over the Rainbow
This talk discusses how science communicators have a vital part to play in elevating the visibility of underrepresented communities in STEM and bridging the gaps between them. Drawing on my experience as a member of both the LGBT+ and disabled communities, I share my journey as a science communicator, initially speaking at conferences aimed at raising the profile of underrepresented groups, through to delivering my TED talk at Abbey Road Studios. I illustrate this by taking an example from my field, of a group of particles, who are apparently not very good at letting their presence be known!
University of York, March 2024
Access to STEM: A conversation with
Dr Claire Malone and Ruth Everard
A fireside chat discussion exploring our experiences of accessing STEM with a physical disability.
ARM, December 2023
Perspectives of Working in STEM with a Physical Disability
In this talk, I shall focus on the environment for underrepresented groups in STEM, in particular the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, drawing from my personal experience in academia. I shall discuss the types of barriers that disabled people can face in accessing academia such as physical, technological and academic/social isolation. I will then examine what institutions can do to break down these barriers with a person-centred approach and the creation of support networks.
SEN in STEM Network, November 2023
Kings College London, November 2023
ANSTRON, Netherlands, October 2023
Confessions of a Disabled Science Communicator
The talk spotlights techniques and best practice used in making science engaging to an audience with learning or physical disabilities. I draw on my experience as the STEM Lead of the Lightyear Foundation, specifically the lessons learned from designing our Virtual Physics Labs. I walk the audience through an experiment, identifying specific strategies that need to be used when catering for this audience. Evidence has shown that our students found experiments with a tactile element more engaging eg including something to feel, smell or taste. Discussion on how techniques could be applied to other outreach activities is encouraged.
Rutherford Appleton Labs, November 2023
Breaking Down Barriers to Accessibility in STEM
In this talk, I shall focus on the environment for underrepresented groups in STEM, in particular the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, drawing from my personal experience in academia. I shall discuss the types of barriers that disabled people can face in accessing academia such as physical, technological and academic/social isolation. I will then examine what institutions can do to break down these barriers with a person-centred approach and the creation of support networks.
CDT BRUM, University of Birmingham, August 2023
Words of advice for young mathematicians
In STEM there is often a culture that a person's identity is irrelevant to them doing research. However, this idea encourages people from minority groups to hide certain aspects of their identity for fear of harassment and discrimination. This self-censorship takes time and energy away from research. This is why it is important to create an inclusive environment in STEM.
Camp of Mathematical Queeries, Online, August 2023
How to Improve Inclusion in Academia
In this talk, I shall focus on the environment for underrepresented groups in STEM, in particular the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, drawing from my personal experience in academia. I shall discuss the types of barriers that disabled people can face in accessing academia such as physical, technological and academic/social isolation. I will then examine what institutions can do to break down these barriers with a person-centred approach and the creation of support networks.
Scottish University Partnership for Environmental Research Doctoral Training, July 2023
From Missing Particles to Missing Physicists
This talk discusses how in our roles as science communicators, we have a vital part to play in elevating the visibility of underrepresented communities in STEM, and bridging the gaps between them. I draw comparisons between the support I have drawn from being part of a community of LGBTQ scientists and the difficulties I have faced in negotiating my research with a physical disability. I illustrate this by taking an example from my field, of a group of particles, who are apparently not very good at letting their presence be known!
FermiLab, Chicago, USA, June 2023
STFC, International Women's Day March 2023
Improving Diversity in STEM, IGPP, October 2022
International Conference of Female Scientists , (UKRI and iWiS), October 2021
Short Discussion:
STFC, March 2023
Lessons Learned from Working in STEM with a Physical Disability
In this talk, I draw from personal experience of completing a PhD in High Energy Physics to illustrate some of the major challenge facing people with physical disabilities in academia. I draw analogies between the community of scientists with disabilities and other minority groups in STEM. I discuss strategies that Universities should adopt to support students with disabilities as well as organizations that exist to aid access to STEM for this community from the beginning of their education.
IT Connect Day, ARM, January 2023
University of Birmingham, November 2022
Working in Academia with a Physical Disability - a personal Perspective
Claire’s passion to understand the world around her has led her to complete a PhD as part of the high energy physics group at the University of Cambridge. As the root of her interest is in understanding the behaviour of the fundamental particles that comprise our universe, her research focused on analysing data from the LHC at CERN to complete our understanding of the universe in terms of its basic building blocks. She is also passionate about communicating her enthusiasm for physics to as wide an audience as conceivable, as well as advocating for the inclusion of groups that are typically under-represented in science subjects. Claire has had the opportunity to speak about increasing the inclusivity of science many times, through her TED Talk and at conferences promoting the research of women and LGBTQ scientists. Throughout her career, Claire has had to devise techniques of studying to negotiate the fact that she cannot use a pen/keyboard directly due to her physical disability, cerebral palsy. In her spare time she also enjoys reading (and sometimes writing) sci-fi novels!
LCBTQ+ Researcher Celebration Event, University of Birmingham, June 2022
DiSTEMM Cardiff, February 2022
Science in Action: Can we avoid a climate catastrophe?
Just a few days before COP26 opens in Glasgow, the World Meteorological Organisation reported record greenhouse gas levels, despite a fall in CO2 due to pandemic restrictions. The UN Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report also revealed that current country pledges will only take 7.5% off predicted greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, well below the 55% needed to limit global warming to 1.5C. Worse still, many large emission producers are not on track to meet their countries’ pledges.
Rachel Warren, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, tells us the 1.5C limit is still achievable if we work in tandem with nature. Research by Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), illustrates this. Her contribution to the WMO Greenhouse Bulletin revealed that New Zealand’s indigenous forests play a bigger role in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere than previously thought.
Also on the programme, Abinash Mohanty, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, has been mapping climate vulnerability in India and explains why communities should be at the forefront of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. And particle physicist Claire Malone shares her insights on how we can help women thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
BBC World Service, October 2021
Working at CERN with a Physical Disability: A Personal Perspective
In this talk, I draw from personal experience of completing a PhD in High Energy Physics to illustrate some of the major challenge facing people with physical disabilities in academia. I draw analogies between the community of scientists with disabilities and other minority groups in STEM. I discuss strategies that Universities should adopt to support students with disabilities as well as organizations that exist to aid access to STEM for this community from the beginning of their education.
CERN Seminar: Disabilities in Academia, November 2021
From Chemistry Labs to Chocolate Shops
Join me on a grand tour of the known and unknown parts of the Universe in terms of its fundamental constituents.... including an exclusive view of the life at a researcher at CERN
Winston Society of Clare College, February 2020
Cavendish Inspiring Women, February 2019
Workshops
Making science engaging to people with learning and physical disabilities
People with disabilities are severely underrepresented in STEM fields in the UK due to the barriers they face often from an early age. This is detrimental both to the advancement of STEM and society as a whole as a plethora of evidence shows a workforce that isn’t diverse tends to narrow focused solutions. The unique ways in which disabled people interpret and interact with the world, typically perceived as an obstacle to their inclusion, are arguably among humanity’s best chances at solving some of our planet’s biggest problems.
The workshop spotlights techniques and best practice used in making science engaging to an audience with learning or physical disabilities. I draw upon my own experience negotiating a scientific career with a significant physical disability as well as my role as the STEM Lead of the Lightyear Foundation, specifically the lessons learned from designing our Virtual Physics Labs. I identify specific strategies that form an essential toolkit when catering for this audience, designed to support outreach professionals in making their activities more inclusive. Evidence has shown that our students found experiments with a tactile element more engaging e.g. including something to feel, smell or taste. Discussion on how techniques could be applied to other outreach activities is encouraged.
IOP Communicators and Outreach Conference, November 2023
SciComm BIG Event, Birmingham, July 2023
Science over the Rainbow and Do My Wheels Look Big in This?
LGBT people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) face some unique challenges compared to other minorities in the workplace, both due to their lack of visibility as a social group and the prevailing climate within STEM. Although there are a number of support networks within the UK, LGBT people in STEM still have to overcome issues, ranging from homophobic and transphobic attitudes of other members of staff to worries about the security of their employment. In this talk, I will give an overview of the academic climate experienced by LGBT people in the workplace, specifically in STEM as well as suggesting some possible strategies to address the under-representation of LGBT people in STEM.
BiCon, Hosted multiple workshops, August 2019
Articles and Blog Posts Published
How networking can bolster diversity in physics
Physicists who want to solve the world’s great challenges don’t just need deep technical expertise, but also excellent networking skills. Claire Malone explains that getting the most out of networking is all a question of practice – and providing those opportunities is key to increasing diversity in physics.
Physics World, December 2023
The benefits of making a more accessible discipline
Claire Malone highlights the importance of creating a better working environment for those with physical disabilities
Physics World, May 2022
Interviews
Aces Interviews with Claire Malone
Welcome to the next Aces Interviews. Powerful conversations to empower and inspire.
Today I’m speaking with Claire Malone, a science communicator and inclusion consultant. She holds a Ph.D. in Particle Physics from the University of Cambridge, in which she analysed data from the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN. Claire is passionate about making science accessible to as wide an audience as possible and frequently contribute to public discussions about the best strategies to communicate science to diverse audiences.
Aces Training Ltd youtube, February 2023
Is disability tech delivering?
Why does tech not understand my speech?
Physicist Dr Claire Malone is facing a problem: no speech-to-text software understands her. She is living with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects her movement and muscle coordination, including her speech. Claire shares how much of a difference this tech could make in her life, and Gareth speaks to Sara Smolley, the co-founder of Voiceitt, one of the leading companies in the area, about how close we are to having software that can understand people like Claire.
BBC World Service Digital Planet, August 2022
Queer(y)ing the Curriculum: Claire Malone
A series produced by lgbtQ+@cam to interview researchers on the way in which we can 'queery' the curriculum. How do we queer the curriculum? And why is it important?
This video features Claire Malone, an experiment research student in the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge.
LGBTQ Cam, January 2020
Approaching Disability like a Scientist
By Laura Dattaro
People with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM.