5 Questions with Elle Lett

To celebrate Pride Month, Gladstone is once again featuring panelists from Out in Science by asking them to answer five questions.

Meet Elle Lett, PhD (she/her), a postdoctoral fellow in the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is a Black, transgender woman, statistician-epidemiologist, and physician-in-training. Through her work, she applies the theories and principles of Black Feminism to understanding the health impacts of systemic racism, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination on oppressed groups in the United States.

What is the current focus of your work or research?

I currently focus on mitigating machine learning bias in healthcare applications.

Why is it important to you to be out in science?

For me, there was no other option. As a Black, transgender woman, I never had the privilege of passing, so being out was a necessity. I’ve chosen to also be powerful in it, and to help support other people like myself.

How can organizations create a more inclusive and supportive environment to LGBTQ+ scientists?

Redistribute power. Go beyond diversity and inclusion programming and create diverse and inclusive leadership structures that are community-engaged and accountable.

Have you had a mentor or role model who has been particularly impactful on your career?

No role models, but I’ve had many mentors. They are all united in that they lead with empathy, compassion, and from the perspective of shared learning and growing together.

Can you recommend a book that you think provides an inspirational or exciting view of the future for queer communities?

I recommend the book “Intersectionality (Key Concepts)” by Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge.