Postdoctoral Fellow McGill University Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
As an arachnologist who primarily studies spiders, I am immersed in a variety of communities devoted to the study of terrestrial arthropods. I am particularly involved in the Entomological Society of Canada (as a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee and the Student and Early Professional Affairs committee), and the American Arachnological Society (as a member of the Outreach and Education committee). In this talk I will share some of the ways that my colleagues and I are working to make positive changes in entomology. In the same way that the definition of the word "entomologist" can be expanded to include arachnologists and myriapodologists, "entomology" is flexible enough to encompass a broad array of activities undertaken by diverse groups of people. Important contributions to entomology come not only from members of our professional societies and institutions, but also natural history societies, online networks of arthropod enthusiasts, K-12 students, and beyond. My goal is to provide broad inspiration and some specific examples of practical actions that can help make the discipline of entomology and our community more inclusive and accessible, and actively support the participation of all kinds of people in entomological science.
