About
Did you know that if you added up all the Black and Latino biology doctorates awarded in a given year it would add up to only 8.7% of that year's Biology PhDs?
If you belong to an historically excluded group in higher education, it can feel like you are essentially "locked out" of scientific careers. This problem starts at the ground floor, because most undergraduate research positions are unpaid. Without science exposure and training, you will not discover that becoming a scientist is possible and profitable. Furthermore, if you have already discovered that science is your passion, without any academic research on your resume, your odds of getting into a doctorate program become very slim. If you need an income to put yourself through college, participating in non-paid academic research is simply not an option. Instead you need to work a job that pays for your living expenses. We identify this as a structural and systemic problem of our society, interwoven with racist roots of our educational model.
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Insects 4 Inclusion is a project dedicated to creating equitable scientific opportunities for historically excluded groups of students in entomology by financially supporting them so that they can get a foot in the door of scientific academia. We aim to level the playing field with paid research internships, so that socioeconomic limitations do not prevent any student from getting valuable research experience.
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In order to raise this money, Insects 4 Inclusion sells arthropod photography, natural history, music and art. 100% of profits go directly to opening doors for aspiring biologists that belong to a historically excluded groups in science. Simultaneously, we stimulate discussions about how to promote diversity and inclusion in our society, with emphasis in scientific environments. We are together in this learning journey, so Insects 4 Inclusion acts as a fertilizer for our own growth. Finally but not less important, we take every opportunity to share with the community the wonders of the insect world. We are always looking to expand our collaboration networks, and already have received donated prints from people all over the world!
Let's support diversity & inclusion in Entomology!
Our Mission
Promote diversity and inclusion in Entomology through paid research opportunities for students that belong to historically marginalized groups.
Encourage people to learn about racism and overcome their own biases. This is a crucial first step, because paid internships without an environment of inclusivity are bound to fail.
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Spread stories of real BIPOC researchers that have overcome the struggles of getting into academia. Specifically, these stories highlight the importance of paid research opportunities and an inclusive environment to grow.
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Educate people about arthropods through our photography, art, social media content and natural history descriptions. All donations fund research opportunities for BIPOC students interested in Entomology.
