I currently serve as chair for the APS Division of Plasma Physics Committee for the Concerns Of studeNts aNd Early Career scienTists (CONNECT), which advocates for and provides resources to students and early career scientists in the fields of plasma science and engineering. We partner closely with other DEI-focused national groups like the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Organizing Collective Committee, Women+ in Plasma Physics and Plasma Pride to collect statistics and provide regular events aimed at making plasma physics more accessible to students and early career scientists from all backgrounds.

CONNECT also organizes APS-DPP Student Day, which is an annual event hosted at the APS-DPP conference where young scientists can network, present work to peers from other institutions and discuss mental health and diversity issues in plasma physics. Student Day has grown every year since its inception in 2019 to a record breaking ~215 students in 2023. We would like to continue to nuture this growth to make the conference enviornment feel as welcoming as possible to all of those involved. Student Day is designed for students at all levels, from undergraduates for whom this is their first academic conference to advanced graduate students who are interested in learning about different plasma-related topics or presenting and communicating their research to other early-career scientists in a friendly and low-stakes environment.

Participants of the 2022 APS-DPP Student Day hosted by CONNECT.

For more information on CONNECT and other related projects, please visit the CONNECT website.