Kelsey Tull Stilson
They/Them
I am non-binary and I am a postdoctoral anatomy instructor and biomechanist.//
I am a nonbinary evolutionary biomechanist that studies the sensory system of teeth in ‘Didelphis virginiana’. I currently work as a postdoctoral research assistant in the Brainerd Lab at Brown University EEOB department and teach human anatomy for the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
I passionately love human anatomy because it teaches us that we are all made the same on the inside, with the differences coming from our developmental and life experiences over time.
As a kid I loved Star Trek, science, and art. I grew up female, but loved being mistaken for a male, which happened a lot due to my short hair and baggy clothes. I was confused, though, because I still loved frilly dresses and long hair. It seemed to just depend on the day, or year, of my life. I was very lucky to fall into labs that accepted me for who I am and celebrated my weirdness. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, to be sure, but I’ve found that having a strong community (and medical doctors!) that accept you is essential for doing science.
I want us to exist and thrive in these spaces that push different groups out depending on the decade. Diversity is not a banner or a catchphrase, it’s a way of living and respecting other people. Let’s stop driving people out of science and academia.