HOW SCIENTISTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE MAKING RESEARCH LABS AND FIELDWORK MORE ACCESSIBLE

The path to Lost Lake was steep and unpaved, lined with sharp rocks and holes.A group of scientists and students gingerly made their way, using canes or a helping hand to guide them. For those who couldn't make the trek, a drone brought the lake — blue and narrow — into view.

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The field trip was designed to illustrate the challenges disabled researchers often face and how barriers can be overcome.

“Just because you can’t do it like someone else doesn’t mean you can’t do it,” said Anita Marshall, a University of Florida geologist leading the outing. The group included scientists with sight, hearing and mobility disabilities.

Marshall’s organization ran the field trip to the lake along the San Andreas Fault, outside of San Bernadino. Her group — the International Association for Geoscience Diversity — and others are working to improve access to field and lab work so that those with disabilities feel welcome and stay.

Taormina Lepore, a Western Michigan University paleontologist who went on the trip, said scientists tend to value a single, traditional way of getting things done.

At Lost Lake, everyone got a view — even if they couldn’t physically get there.

“It’s really about empathy, as much as it is about science,” said Lepore, who also researches science education.

MAKING RESEARCH LABS MORE ACCESSIBLE

Disabled people make up about 3% of the science, technology, engineering and math workforce, according to 2021 data from the National Science Foundation.

Scientists with disabilities say that's in part because labs, classrooms and field sites aren't designed to accommodate them. Students and faculty are still told that they can't work in a lab or do research safely, said Mark Leddy, who formerly managed disability-related grants for the National Science Foundation.