Introducing the Black Microbiologists Association
Authors: Kishana Taylor, Ariangela J Kozik, Chelsey Spriggs, Nikea Pittman, Ninecia R Scott
Journal: The Lancet Microbe (2021)

In 2018, fewer than 5% of doctoral degrees in microbiology in the USA were awarded to Black scientists.1National Science FoundationWomen, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. Data tables: table 9-25.https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/dataDate accessed: January 29, 2021Google Scholar According to a 2017 report, of all US tenured professors in the life sciences, only 2·3% are Black; only 1% are Black women.1National Science FoundationWomen, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. Data tables: table 9-25.https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/dataDate accessed: January 29, 2021Google Scholar The proportion of life science faculty of any rank who are Black is 2·6%.1National Science FoundationWomen, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. Data tables: table 9-25.https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/dataDate accessed: January 29, 2021Google Scholar We suspect that the numbers are even more devastating in microbiological disciplines, although, to our knowledge, these data are not available. Similar barriers are faced by Black scientists internationally.2Higher Education Statistics AgencyWho's working in HE?.https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/staff/working-in-heDate accessed: January 29, 2021Google Scholar This environment of persistent underrepresentation and subsequently culturally violent spaces contribute to the high attrition rates of Black microbiology trainees and junior faculty from academia. This, in addition to the impacts of systemic racism and White supremacy faced and continuously enforced in our everyday lives, makes survival in these spaces exceedingly difficult for Black scientists. Despite continued efforts at discussion over decades, little progress has been made in uprooting these barriers that continue to deprive science of the voices, ideas, and skills of Black people. In June 2020, the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, USA, sparked conversations on effective actions around race and equity within academic spaces. The Black in X movements began with the creation of Black Birders Week,3Winter L Black in X addresses long-standing inequity in STEM. The Scientist, Nov 16, 2020https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/black-in-x-addresses-long-standing-inequity-in-stem-68158Date accessed: January 29, 2021Google Scholar which was precipitated by a different incident in Central Park (NY, USA) on the same day as Mr Floyd's murder. Emphasis was finally being placed on the structural and cultural changes needed for the retention of Black trainees and junior faculty, in addition to the need for Black scientists in leadership positions;4Montgomery BL Lessons from microbes: what can we learn about equity from unculturable bacteria?.mSphere. 2020; 5: e01046-e01120Crossref PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar both of which are often left out of the mainstream academic discourse. In September, 2020, we ran Black in Microbiology Week, which was a week-long celebration designed to showcase and connect Black microbiologists across career stages and subdisciplines and amplify their contributions to the field. The goal was to provide a platform to discuss racial disparities in microbiology as a discipline and, by extension, health disparities within microbe-mediated diseases. Additionally, we sought to engage with the broader community to increase general microbiology knowledge—especially given the backdrop of the global pandemic, which has disproportionate impacts on the lives and livelihoods of Black and Brown people. In a relatively short timeframe, we organised a week-long virtual conference where we highlighted the major subdisciplines of microbiology (bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, microbiome science, and virology) as well as a day to discuss science education, non-academic career options, and racism in the microbial sciences. This included panels for each day of Black in Microbiology Week, which consisted entirely of Black microbiologists from their respective subdisciplines. The week was an overwhelming success, bringing in more than 2500 registrants from 49 countries. We engaged a wide range of participants from academia and industry and members of the general public. The Black in Microbiology community widely expressed a crucial need for more robust career and professional support, ensuring access to the networks, mentoring, and resources necessary for a fruitful career in microbiology, both in and out of academia. It is with these goals in mind that we plan for the future of Black in Microbiology, now known as the Black Microbiologists Association (BMA). The BMA looks forward to continued engagement and partnership with other scientific organisations, scientific journals, funding agencies, and institutions to further promote and enhance the professional networks, career development, and advancement of Black microbiologists. Future events will consist of an annual Black in Microbiology Week along with regular programming such as symposia, workshops, and more as we continue to build our membership and organisational partnerships with institutions, ally organisations, and the public. Although the BMA will continue to do the work of uplifting Black microbiologists, we cannot resolve these issues on our own. Historical and continued structural disenfranchisement of Black people means that multifaceted solutions and plans are necessary to mitigate these barriers. Focusing only on singular pieces of the puzzle will result in continued expulsion of Black talent from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics spaces. We welcome and encourage allyship from individuals and organisations with the shared vision of a more equitable scientific enterprise. We declare no competing interests. If you would like to become a member or affiliate member of the BMA, please complete the membership form. To contact BMA leadership, please email [email protected] .