Dr Jodi Watt - My experience as an LGBTQIA+ postgraduate & PhD student

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.

As Pride month comes to an end, Jodi shares their experience as an LGBTQIA+ postgraduate and PhD student. They discuss the challenges and variability of being 'out' and queer in academia, highlighting both supportive and discriminatory experiences. Josi emphasises the importance of acknowledging the mental, emotional, and physical burdens that LGBTQIA+ individuals may carry in a heteronormative world, which can impact their scientific career. They also express the desire for more representation and role models in academia who identify similarly, as well as the significance of using LGBTQIA+ lanyards, badges, and pronouns in creating a supportive environment. Jodi highlights the opportunities for involvement in extra-curricular experiences that can enrich one's CV and mentions the legal protections provided by The Equality Act 2010 in the UK. Finally, they affirm that it is not only acceptable but essential for LGBTQIA+ individuals to occupy and feel comfortable in scientific spaces.

Find the original text, and narration here on our website.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/guest-blog-my-experience-as-an-lgbtqia-postgraduate-phd-student/

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Dr Jodi Watt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi's academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context.

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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.