Diversifying Science through Comics

This week on Meet a Scientist, get to know Kelly Montgomery, a Ph.D. candidate studying neurodegeneration at University of California San Francisco, co-founder of JKX Comics, and one of our inaugural fellows for our Fellowship for the Future program. Her fellowship project — I see you, Women in STEM — involves writing graphic novels featuring the diversity of STEM women who exist at the intersection of multiple identities. In this interview, she talks about the power of representation in narratives of science, her art and entrepreneurship, and her goals for her fellowship project. You can follow her on Twitter at @_heyheyMONET.

When did you first identify as a scientist? What does your research look like today? 

It took some time to see myself as a scientist. Perhaps it is because I have always subconsciously nurtured the misconception that I was not a "real" or "respectable" scientist until I had achieved candidacy or my degree. Around others, I tiptoed around using this phrase. I often introduced myself as a trainee or student, omitting the phrase scientist in its entirety. But as I have become more confident in my research and the work that I conduct, I have also felt more comfortable proudly affirming that I, in fact, am a chemical biologist and asserting my position in this space. 

Today, I work on understanding how tau proteins, which are proteins implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, self-associate to create the characteristic fibrilar lesions observed in patients’ brains. These fibrils are linked to the onset and progression of diseases like Alzheimer's, Picks, and Parkinson's.  

What does your project for the fellowship center on and how do you envision future success? 

My project focuses on creating graphic novels about women in STEM who exist at the intersection of multiple identities. This is an important endeavor for me because it is an opportunity to intentionally amplify women's voices in STEM and allow them to share their own unique stories. Success for this project quite simply is exposure. People (our society) benefit from having complete and diverse narratives. I believe that sharing women's stories and amplifying their voices is the biggest win I could ask for. 

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We live in an era where DC and Marvel comics are such huge presences, especially in the movie industry. Tell us how you, a creator and imaginative force in comics, navigate that realm? Who/what are some of your favorite creators, comics, and conventions? 

I have always loved comics and cartoons. Some of my earliest memories are Saturday morning cartoons with my siblings. Though this was years ago, I can still vividly recall major themes and plot points from my favorite shows such as As Told By Ginger and Hey Arnold!. Storytelling has always been a major influential aspect of my learning. Today, some of my favorite creators, I believe, still carry that lighthearted spirit, but also thrive in their ability to tell both meaningful and captivating stories. This is my metric. I hope to tell stories that are memorable, have a lasting impact, and create a persistent, imaginative, and hopeful desire in the reader. 

An illustrator that currently inspires my childlike creativity is Christian Robinson. A show and comic book that I follow religiously is The Flash. I really like its underlying hopeful tones. 

It was recently reported that Black women are starting businesses at the fastest rate of any other racial demographic. Tell us more about your entrepreneurial spirit and adventures? 

Stepping into this realm has been both an unintentional and fantastic adventure. My intent when starting to share my art was solely for the purposes of helping others succeed. Seeing how my work has both taken form and been well received has been the biggest motivator to pursue entrepreneurship.

When you're not busy with your research and creating comics, how do you take the time to rest and recharge? 

I find time to recharge by running. I recently began half marathon training and it has been incredibly freeing running with no destination in mind. Hitting the pavement is my time to let all my thoughts go and take in the sights for an hour or so a day.

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Kelly Montgomery is a Ph.D. student in Chemistry and Chemical Biology at University of California San Francisco. She is also an artist and co-founder of JKX Comics, working to simplify STEM concepts from multiple disciplines to create engaging comics to increase students' scientific literacy. You can follow her on Twitter at @_heyheymonet and visit her website kellymonet.com to see more of her work.