While the effects of last week’s devastating news continue to wash over the US and beyond, we still want to celebrate #pride and give visibility to #LGBTQInSTEM. So today’s highlight is by guest artist Aedan Gardill (@aedansarchive) of the fabulous @schuylerborges! Schuyler Borges is a graduate student at the University of Northern Arizona, where they have pioneered their own astrobiology research by collaborating with professors in various departments (biology, astronomy, geology) and colleagues from other universities around the world. Their research focuses on studying cyanobacteria in Antarctica to understand the type of life we could find on exoplanets. By measuring the spectral signature of different bacterial communities in a (for most of the year) Antarctic dried up stream bed. Using this spectral information, these bacterial communities in the stream beds can be remotely detected using satellite imaging. In the future, when more powerful telescopes are available, this information can be used to detect bacteria living on distant planets. Outside of academia, Schuyler passionately works with THRIVE Lifeline (@thrivelifeline), a crisis hotline dedicated to helping those with marginalized identities in STEM with mental health crises. Identifying as non-binary themselves, they want to make sure their peers with marginalized identities have the support they need in academia. Thank you for being you @schuylerborges! #PrideInSTEM #OutInSTEM #LGBTQinSTEM #Pride #astrobiology #antarctica #cyanobacteria #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CfUoM5uOkh_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
