Diversity starts with respect
“This was the first time and place my opinion was asked and mattered,” said one of Pheronym’s interns during an exit interview. He decided to pursue a science career due to his work experience with us. This is a result of providing equal opportunity, which was my dream ever since I started my Ph.D. You may be surprised that among the many places I worked, my Ph.D. advisor’s lab was the only place that provided equal opportunity. It really created a respectful and healthy environment for accepting differences of appearance or opinion, and opened our minds to new possibilities, leading to creativity and productivity.
I came to the United States (US) on a fellowship for graduate studies. I was very excited to get an opportunity to work on cutting edge research in a more socially progressive society, meaning the equal opportunity for everyone. My initial experience did not live up to my imagination of the socially progressive society, but I chalked it up to culture shock. So I talked to friends and selected a few laboratories for my Ph.D. education where I could conduct cutting edge research. I also looked for labs where international students were treated equally. I lucked out. My Ph.D. advisor Dr. CL Guy’s lab had a very diverse group of scientists; graduate students from China, Korea, and me from Turkey, a visiting scholar from Israel, and an American lab manager. It was a respectful…
