Catchup – Salon – Unconscious Bias

In this session we talk about Unconscious Bias.

Unconscious bias lurks silently in the corridors of our minds, subtly influencing our perceptions, decisions, interactions and research without our conscious awareness. It shapes our views and can inadvertently lead to discriminatory practices in virtually every aspect of society—from hiring processes to healthcare, how you deliver a study. Recognising and addressing these biases is crucial, as they can perpetuate inequality and hinder diversity. So how does can unconscious bias manifest in research? Is it a problem? How do you address it? Did you realise it was happening? We explore and debate in this weeks Salon.

Professor Michael Coleman – is the van Geest Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge. Michael leads a team that comprises exceptional researchers from around the world, who work across a variety of disciplines in a highly collaborative environment. His research sits at the interface between basic and clinical neuroscience, translating advances in axon and synapse protection to treat and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr Daniel Ruiz-Gabarre – is a postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Edinburgh within the UK Dementia Research Institute. His interests range widely from molecular biology and neurodegeneration to sociolinguistics and science communication. He is currently researching molecular mechanisms of Small vessel disease and its implication in vascular dementias, with a focus on preclinical models such as the Atp11B KO rat model. Dan is proud to introduce himself as gay, a pharmacist and neuroscientist. He is a member of PRISMA, a Spanish association defending gender, sexual and affective diversity in STEM and Innovation and he has contributed to the creation of an Equality Committee.