Community
The Zelikowsky Lab is dedicated to nurturing a respectful, welcoming, balanced, and inclusive lab environment. We believe that science and discovery are as much about a passionate, positive community as they are about hard work and experiments.
To that end, we actively spearhead and participate in numerous outreach and community-building activities both on campus and across the neuroscience community. We hold ourselves accountable by hosting bi-annual lab meetings to brainstorm ideas to advance community-building, and take stock of our progress.
Below, we highlight some of these efforts.
Utah Women in Neuroscience (UWiN)
As a field, we’ve made important strides toward increasing the representation of women in neuroscience, but we still have a long way to go. We know that women make up half of all trainees (graduate and postdoctoral), but that as women progress through neuroscience career ladders, this proportion drastically decreases, as evidenced by significantly lower levels of female representation at the faculty and leadership levels (Metitieri & Mele, 2021). Importantly, we know that this gap is even more dramatic for women from historically excluded backgrounds (Sibener et al., 2022). In addition, the opportunities for women to secure research funding is also lower than for men, and women’s likelihood of holding multiple grants is drastically reduced compared to white men (Kaiser, 2023). Collectively, these factors and others demonstrate the continued need to highlight, elevate, and support women in neuroscience.
In the fall of 2019, Moriel joined the faculty at the University of Utah and cofounded Utah Women in Neuroscience (UWiN). A number of trainees in the Zelikowsky Lab are also actively involved in UWiN. UWiN was born out of a need to support the career development, advancement, and retention of women in neuroscience, with an emphasis on highlighting the uniqueness of the path to neuroscience that often characterizes a woman’s journey. Towards this goal, UWiN engages in several activities aimed at advancing the representation of women in neuroscience and seeks to draw support from across the neuroscience community in Utah to achieve this goal. You can find more information about UWiN and upcoming events at medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology/uwin.
Women in Learning (WIL)
In 2010, while a graduate student at UCLA, Moriel launched Women in Learning (WIL). The goal was simple: at the time, there were relatively few women speaking at learning and memory neuroscience conferences, as well as strikingly few women in tenured faculty positions in the field, despite the roughly equal number of men and women trainees. In an effort to highlight this gender discrepancy and elevate women in neuroscience, Moriel and her peers started WIL. Women in Learning is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that provides a forum for students or post-doctoral fellows doing scientific research in the broader fields of learning theory, behavior, and neuroscience to seek advice, support, and guidance on the advancement of their careers. We aim to foster communication across all levels of expertise. Our flagship event is our annual luncheon which highlights an established woman in science and provides networking opportunities for trainees. For more information on our events and incredible team, or to get involved, visit womeninlearning.com.
Committee for Respect, Unity, and Engagement (CRUE)
The Department of Neurobiology at the University of Utah is committed to promoting a respectful and engaged environment and believes that unity spurs innovation and discovery and that our department is enriched by the unique perspectives of each member. The department seeks to provide a respectful workplace, where all feel comfortable and valued and aims to promote a scientific community in which all people are able to be active participants. Towards this commitment, the department has established CRUE, which aims to 1) increase outreach and community-building opportunities; 2) increase department-wide communication (town halls) about progress towards CRUE goals; and 3) host monthly CRUE Seminars highlighting speakers from non-traditional backgrounds in STEM. Moriel is one of the faculty members on the CRUE committee and trainees in the Zelikowsky Lab are also active members of CRUE.
Zelikowsky Lab Summer Training in Research (ZSTaR)
One of the most critical, defining experiences an undergraduate student interested in STEM can have is an immersive, full-time summer research training experience. Unfortunately, our system is biased towards providing such opportunities to students who have the means and wherewithal to volunteer full time for free. Historically, it has been challenging for students from non-traditional, economically disadvantaged, rural, or first-generation backgrounds to gain immersive summer research experience, while needing to support themselves. For this reason, the Zelikowsky Lab brainstormed ZSTaR, a 12-week summer program for undergraduate students from backgrounds traditionally marginalized in STEM (URM, first-generation, rural and underserved communities, economically disadvantaged). Each summer, one student is awarded a 12-week, fully-paid research training experience in the Zelikowsky Lab, where they receive research experience, career mentorship, and the opportunity to present and/or publish their work. Applications (CV, one-page Statement of Interest) are due March 1 of each year. To apply, please contact us.
First Generation in Science (FiGS)
FiGS was started by postdoctoral fellow in the lab, Michael Conoscenti, in 2022, after he joined the Zelikowsky Lab. The first person in his family to go to college, Michael developed FiGS as a way support other first-generation college students, who often find themselves struggling with feelings of “other”, imposter syndrome, lack of resources, and more. The mission of FiGS is to 1) sponsor seminars which provide a platform for first-generation graduate students and postdocs to present their research, while also sharing their personal journey to science; 2) host annual keynote talks where scientists with first-generation backgrounds discuss their science and also discuss a topic related to first-generation students in STEM; and 3) sponsor networking events and workshops that foster a sense of community and provide tools and insights on career trajectory and goals. For more information on FiGS, please reach out to Michael Conoscenti at michael.conoscenti@neuro.utah.edu.
Brain Awareness Week (BAW)
The neuroscience program at the University of Utah sponsors our local Brain Awareness Week – a global campaign designed to increase awareness of the benefits of brain research as well as engage students at the high-school level. BAW provides an opportunity for our community to share the basics of neuroscience with young minds across the state. Importantly, this outreach effort is a vital opportunity for teens to gain exposure to neuroscience as a topic of study and as a potential career path. Trainees in the Zelikowsky Lab have been chairing and volunteering with BAW for the last three years. You can find more information on BAW at attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/young-brainiacs and on Twitter.
Additional initiatives we support to promote community-building at the University of Utah:
Intermountain Doctoral Education to Advance Students (IDEAS) in Neuroscience
Rural and Underserved Utah Training Experience (RUUTE)
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)