Dr. Jaye C. Gardiner, a pancreatic cancer researcher at Fox Chase Cancer Center, is promoting diversity in STEM fields through the comics she draws, writes Hector Davila Jr. for the Technical.ly.
Gardiner is a cofounder of JKX Comics, which promote science education through art, and she draws portraits of diverse scientists for the #UniqueScientists Twitter account.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Earlier this month, she was named an American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN ambassador.
Also known as If Then She Can, the initiative promotes women working in STEM fields by empowering current innovators and inspiring the future generation of pioneers.
Gardiner explained that the idea behind the IF/THEN collaboration “is to elevate 125 women as high-profile role models and to help promote us in a lot of different media outlets in different ways.“
As a result, she said, “middle schools girls can see us and be inspired, because middle school is the age that they found for girls to start dropping off their interests in STEM-related fields.“
Gardiner added she is excited to bring JKX Comics and #UniqueScientists to her IF/THEN ambassadorship.
Read more about Gardiner’s efforts at the Technical.ly by clicking here.
