Dr. Ramón Barthelemy is currently an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Dr. Barthelemy’s current research applies qualitative and quantitative methods to study workforce preparation of underserved student populations and the impact of student perceptions of diversity and inclusion on final course grades and learning outcomes. During his tenure as a Fulbright Fellow, his work in Finland included researching physics education and teaching collegiate courses on international education and equity in science. As an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science Policy Fellow, Dr. Barthelemy’s assignment with the U.S. Department of Education included work on national STEM education equity where he also wrote national policy on the matter. Dr. Barthelemy’s extensive publication portfolio includes the focuses on experiences of women in graduate physics and astronomy and LGBT+ persistence in the field of physics. Dr. Barthelemy earned his BS in Astrophysics from Michigan State University and his MA and PhD in Physics Education Research from Western Michigan University.
Historically, gender and sexual minority (GSM) and LGBT+ persons have been excluded from many discourses, analyses, and research conducted on issues of gender. This dates back to the beginning of the women’s rights movement where lesbian and transgender women were explicitly excluded from activism and policy advocation. Furthering the goal of intersectionality in STEM discourses and research is crucial. As its originator Kimberlé Crenshaw puts it, intersectionality is “a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects.” Fulfilling this vision means including all voices, particularly the most disadvantaged in STEM communities.
In order to promote the vision of intersectionality and be fully inclusive in the STEM community GSM persons should be considered for their unique perspectives and historic oppression. This meta-synthesis will offer an important resource for future work by combining and integrating the existing disparate work on GSM persons in STEM with the larger education and workforce literature. This is necessary not only to support best practices and further research, but also to provide a platform in which funding proposals can be based. As was pointed out in a 2012 APS session on LGBT+ persons in physics, funding agencies have been hesitant to include LGBT efforts in their portfolios of research projects. Without such funding, bringing GSM STEM voices to the forefront will be near impossible. A meta-synthesis of existing work will offer academic rigor to support such funding and GSM/LGBT+ advocacy in STEM.
