Diversity Issues in Neuroscience

“Over the last 20 years or so, I’ve seen a large increase in the number of women who have entered neuroscience, but at the same time, the number of senior women faculty and the number of women in leadership positions continue to lag. The situation is even more dire for underrepresented minority groups,” says Eric Nestler, director of the Friedman Brain Institute and president of SfN.

Watch this talk, which he delivered at an Icahn School of Medicine town hall, for an overview of the challenges recruiting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in neuroscience, an exploration of research on the impacts of implicit bias, and a discussion of tangible steps that can be taken to increase inclusion in the field.

Commitment to Diversity — #DiverseBrains

The Friedman Brain Institute leadership advocates unanimously for proactive promotion of diversity and inclusivity at all levels of all its activities both on campus and off campus. As a statement of this importance, we affirm that we will only participate in and organize symposia, panels, etc. that include women scientists, and we will work toward racial/ethnic diversity as well.

Speaker

Eric Nestler, MD, PhD

Eric J. Nestler is the Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience, director of the Friedman Brain Institute, and dean for academic and scientific affairs at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The goal of his lab is to better understand the molecular mechanisms of addiction and depression in animal models. Nestler is past-president of SfN. Nestler completed his MD from Yale University School of Medicine; PhD from Yale University; internship in medicine and psychiatry at Mclean Hospital; and residency in psychiatry, fellowship in pharmacology, and fellowship in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.