This special SciMom Chat was held in honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Feb 11th). The online discussion aimed to raise awareness of the unique challenges faced by scientists with disabilities—especially mothers—and explored actionable strategies for fostering a more inclusive STEMM sector.
Persons with disabilities have remained significantly underrepresented in STEMM, facing systemic barriers such as inaccessible workplaces, biased hiring and promotion practices, and institutional policies that failed to accommodate diverse needs. Ableist attitudes and discrimination—both implicit and overt—further marginalized disabled scientists, limiting their access to funding, leadership opportunities, and professional recognition.
The event featured three prominent voices in the field:
Dr. Lisa Meeks, Professor of Medical Education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a global leader in disability inclusion and founder of Docs with Disability, a global network that works with individuals across STEM disciplines.
Emma Collington, a PhD student in molecular genetics and co-founder of the STEM with Disabilities initiative.
Dr. Kara Ayers, a psychologist and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities who co-founded the Disabled Parenting Project.
Lisa opened the discussion with a clear overarching conviction to her work:
“Individuals with disabilities need to be in science and medicine to inform what we
believe to be true in these spaces, and inform patient care and innovation and treatment”.
She provided an overview of her research into the systems and structures that exclude people with disabilities, many of which overlap with the barriers women face, particularly stigma and discrimination. Through the ableist lens pervasive in our society, disability is often perceived as a weakness or a deficit.
Key barriers include discrimination in the admissions process, lack of institutional support, and the absence of visible role models, mentors, and a community, all of which contribute to the steepdrops in representation of disabled STEM professionals as they move up career stages. Too often, disabled individuals face unworkable options, such as being told to take leave during a health flare, even though continuous productivity is expected in academic careers.
Lisa also introduced the concept of the “disability tax”, the additional burden of advocacy and self-management that disabled individuals must bear on top of their regular work. She stressed the need for a counter-narrative by sharing stories of successful disabled scientists and physicians. This counter messaging needs to start early, in our children.
Kara emphasized how disabled individuals in academia often feel invisible and are forced to conform to nondisabled norms. Institutions rarely provide space for disabled people to fully show up as themselves, and many are expected to hide their disability. She furthered Lisa’s assessment of the need for representation, not only in science but in positions of power, in the media, and especially among mothers.
Kara issued a call for allyship:
“You can't be an ally from .. across the room …. You need to be alongside a person.”
She emphasized the importance of accessibility and accommodations, because “the active work to unlearn ableism is something that we have to work together on.”
Kara Ayers added a crucial perspective on the intersection of disability, parenthood, and academic careers. Kara noted how unusual it is for moms in academia to have more than one child. As a mother of three, Kara addressed how traditional academic cultures often penalized caregiving responsibilities and failed to accommodate disabled parents.
Emma shared her personal journey as a disabled PhD student in molecular genetics. She spoke candidly about the challenges of navigating academia while managing her disability, including the repeated need to disclose her condition and educate others about her needs. Emma described how her efforts were often met with skepticism or superficial support. Feeling isolated and lacking true role models, Emma was inspired to co-found the STEM with Disabilities initiative, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of disabled scientists and promoting inclusivity in the field. She has a powerful encouragement:
“Don't let anyone tell you, you can't do it …Try it because you don't lose anything in the process, and you may learn something about yourself.”
Through their lived experiences and professional insights, Lisa, Kara, and Emma illustrated the systemic barriers faced by disabled scientists and outlined clear, actionable steps toward greater equity. The event served not just as a moment of reflection, but as a rallying call. Inclusive science is better science.
SpeakerS:
Lisa Meeks, PhD, is a Professor of Medical Education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a global leader in disability inclusion. As founder of the Docs with Disabilities Initiative, she has driven policy and practice advancements that reshape health professions education. Her research, published in journals like JAMA and Academic Medicine, focuses on equity and dismantling ableism in training. Dr. Meeks is deeply committed to creating inclusive environments where all trainees can thrive.
Website: Docs With Disabilities | Twitter: @meekslisa | LinkedIn: lisameeksphd
Emma Collington (she/her) is a PhD candidate in molecular genetics at the University of Waterloo. She studies mitochondrial metabolism in anaerobic eukaryotes. Emma has a connective tissue disease caused by mutations in her collagen and fibrillin genes, which results in her joints, organs, and blood vessels being too elastic. When not studying or sleeping, Emma is involved in her local disability community: she is a co-founder of the STEM with Disabilities Project and works for the program that trained her own service dog, Marlowe.
Website: STEM with Disabilities | Instagram: @servicedog_marlowe and @stemwithdisabilities | Twitter: @STEMwDisability | LinkedIn: emma-collington
Dr Kara Ayers is the Associate Director of the University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCCEDD), a psychologist and an Assistant Professor whose research interests include parenting with a disability, disability culture in media, and health inequities experienced by people with disabilities. In addition to conducting research and teaching, Kara also analyzes policies to decide how they would impact people with disabilities and then works with policymakers to improve those policies. She is a mother of three children.
Website: Disabled Parenting | Twitter: @DrKaraAyers | LinkedIn: karaayers
This special event was FREE for all.