Celebrate All Scientists: Dr. Raven Baxter
February is Black History Month, and LSC is celebrating Dr. Raven Baxter, a research biologist and active supporter of fostering diversity in science and technology.
Dr. Raven Baxter is one of the scientific community’s biggest champions and promoters. In addition to her successful career as a research biologist, “Dr. Raven the Science Maven” has amplified the message that science is for everyone through social media and collaborations with young scientists of all backgrounds.
Dr. Baxter was born in Buffalo, New York, and earned both bachelor's and master’s degrees in biology at Buffalo State College. She then went on to earn a PhD in science education from the University of Buffalo. Trained as a molecular biologist, Baxter has researched the evolution of structure and function in protein chaperones which, as their name suggests, are molecules that guide new proteins to their proper spot in a protein chain. She has also worked with high-throughput drug discovery—a process that looks at large numbers of compounds to identify a specific biological target—as a means to advance disease treatments.
Using this wide foundation in the technical aspects of science, Baxter has become well known for furthering effective scientific communication for people of all ages and backgrounds. As part of this outreach, she has worked with multiple groups and corporations to aid science and scientists by helping to close the gender gap in the STEM workforce, introduce high school students to lab techniques, and host international science fairs. Baxter also has a large following and presence on social media, where she is very active in communicating science of all types to the public.
You can find more information on Dr. Raven Baxter on her website.
