Written by Tumay Aslay
Photo courtesy of https://www.scimaven.com/
Dr. Raven Baxter, 27, is not just an award-winning science educator and molecular biologist; she is a trained pianist and a self-taught sound engineer, creating science education rap videos to educate the public while representing voices of the Black community. Her COVID-19 prevention rap video titled "Wipe It Down", has a total of half a million views across all platforms.
"When I made my first music video, Big Ole Geeks, in 2019, I was absolutely terrified. I knew I was creating something that had never been done before. Representation that simply didn’t exist for Black women in STEM. Even though it was so terrifying for me to shatter the perception of what scientists are, I knew I had to do it. I wanted to own the narrative for myself. I was tired of trying to fit into a stereotype that didn’t represent me. Ever since then, I’ve continued shaping and demonstrating my diverse representation of what a scientist is, and encouraging others to be their unapologetic selves. Bring more of our identities into what we do and how we represent ourselves," she captions one of her recent social media posts.
Her passion for science started at a young age as she attended space camp, and later studied molecular biology in college as she earned her Ph.D. in curriculum, instruction, and the science of learning at University at Buffalo. Dr. Baxter is now the founder and co-host of a STEM talk show, STEMbassy, and Black In Science Communication, a group that was created to amplify the voices of the unrepresented Black community in science. She now is also the new Director of Diversity Initiatives at UC Irvine’s School of Biological Sciences.
Since its launch in 2020, the STEMbassy has created a safe atmosphere for people from all backgrounds to gather and talk about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the context of politics, culture, and social issues. In a time when the relationship between science and politics remains uneasy, the mission of Dr. Baxter is inspiring. Recently recognized as a global influencer in several publications, including Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, Baxter’s profile is growing as a strong voice of Black representation in science. “STEMbassy is founded on a desire to impact change in the current state of STEM social culture. Injustices that occur outside of the STEM field have a direct impact on the STEM field and those that occupy it. I am learning that it's incredibly important to have people in the conversation that are willing to impact change through action.” As she wrote it in a social media post, “Without action, there is no change”.
You can check out Dr. Raven’s online science fashion store Smart Pants at https://smartypants.store/ and follow her on IG @raventhesciencemaven for some STEM inspiration!