October 11 - International Day of the Girl

October 11, 2020, marks International Day of The Girl. This day commemorates the right to equal education and opportunities for girls and women around the globe. This year, Plan International, an independent humanitarian organization, is highlighting the right to be free on the Internet. Women are disproportionately targeted as victims of online abuse -- women in the sciences are no exception. From getting hit up on LinkedIn to getting Zoom-bombed by men who seek to cause harm, women face unique challenges in being able to navigate online spaces safely. With our lives moving to digital platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the safety of women on the Internet is that much more crucial. That’s why on Day of the Girl, WIS PDX is reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that women and girls have the access to education, and the safety needed to remain and thrive in those spaces.

Natalie is currently working on her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Her research expertise is in DNA damage and repair, as well as chronic pain in a rare genetic disease called schwannomatosis. Natalie started volunteering with WIS PDX in 2019 as a member of the outreach and education team. When not listening to music or doom-scrolling on Twitter, she can be found checking closets for Narnia.