In January 2025, I painted a portrait every day from 500queerscientists.com. 500 Queer Scientists is a visibility campaign for LGBTQIA+ people working in STEM, initially created to provide a sense of community for marginalized queer people. Since its inception, over 500 LGBTQIA+ people have shared their stories and photos. These stories and photos are particularly powerful in academia where there are pressures and expectations to conform to approach a straight white male. In a harsh environment where clinical depression is multitudes higher than the general public, being openly queer is incredibly brave.
Initially exhibited as part of DC’s Fun-A-Day, a piece has also been exhibited in Washington Studio School’s juried A Matter of Pride group exhibit.
1. Abby Beilman – I am queer and I am an aquatic biogeochemist and geographer.
2. Mark Losavio – I am bisexual and I am a marine biologist.
3. Rhian Davies – I am queer and I am a data scientist and statistician
4. David Jones – I am gay and I am a molecular physiologist.
5. Lisa G. Aspinwall – I am lesbian and I am an experimental social psychologist.
6. Riss Kell- I am non-binary and I am a marine biogeochemist and microbiologist.
7. Alyse Maksimoski – I am queer and I am a neuroethologist.
8. Alwin Paul Alias – I am gay and I am a PhD scholar in clinical psychology and a registered clinical psychologist.
9. Marilù Casini – I am non-binary and I am a biomedical scientist.
10. Christopher Lim- I am gay and I am a protein engineer.
11. Edward Apraku – I am gay and I am an environmental engineer and budding electrochemist.
12. Morgan Coburn – I am bisexual and I am a neuroscience outreach educator.
13. Kristine Loh – I am asexual and I am a chemical engineer.
14. MIlo Taylor – I am non-binary and I am a neuroimmunologist.
15. Antoine Perrier – I am gay and I am an ecologist and evolutionary biologist.
16. Peyton Thomas – I am queer and polyamorous and I am a fish physiologist.
17. Aspen Ellis – I am queer and I am a seabird conservation ecologist.
18. Brent Rubio – I am gay and I am a chemist and biochemist.
19. Kristal Cain- I am queer and I am a queer biologist and senior lecturer in animal behavior.
20. Erikah Souza – I am trans and I am a mathematics teacher in basic education at public schools in Brazil.
21. Mykyta Dementyev – I am gay and I am a materials scientist and engineer.
22. Finley Reynolds – I am genderfluid, demisexual and neptunic, and I am an ecologist.
23. Aspen Coyle – I am transfemme and queer and I am a biologist.
24. Karan Mahe – I am gay and and I am a neuroscientist.
25. Mikayla Balch – I am trans and I am a biochemical engineer.
26. Moon Bhuiyan – I am queer and I am a researcher focused on ethical AI and sustainable transportation!
27. A.M. Kirsch – I am trans, non-binary, lesbian, and I am a neurophysiologist.
28. Adelind McGoldrick – I am non-binary, asexual, and pan-romantic and I am a student.
29. Jörg Enderlein – I am gay and I am a biophysicist.
30. David Green – I am queer and I am an ecologist and open science advocate.
31. Mel Baldino – I am queer and I am a restoration ecologist.
