ACE EDI Presents: A Black Academic’s Journey Across Continents Toward Belonging in Science

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

• Hybrid event
• 3388, Mackenzie, Carleton University
• 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
• Tbd meeting link

• Contact
• Rima Mattar, rimamattar@cunet.carleton.ca

Join Carleton Science and Dr. Eugene Fletcher, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology for the next ACE EDI event: A Black Academic’s Journey Across Continents Toward Belonging in Science.

Scientific ability travels easily, but the rules of how to be a scientist often changes with each transition. In this talk, Dr. Eugene Fletcher will reflect on his academic journey from undergraduate training in Ghana, through doctoral and postdoctoral work in the UK, Sweden and Denmark, to becoming an assistant professor in Canada.

Moving across borders and continents made Dr. Fletcher realize that each move resets the unwritten rules that govern how to be a scientist, rules that are rarely taught but are deeply consequential. Central to this talk is the concept of the hidden curriculum and how it shapes perceptions of competence and contributes to imposter syndrome. He will also discuss how building strong social capital can help individuals navigate the informal knowledge, norms, and expectations that influence access to opportunity, legitimacy, and advancement in science.

Drawing on personal experiences and concrete data from literature, he will examine how these invisible systems affect belonging, particularly for Black scholars, international trainees, and first-generation academics. The talk will conclude by inviting everyone to pause to consider some practical intentional actions we can take to make the hidden curriculum more visible in research labs and lecture rooms at Carleton and beyond.

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