Stories of Pride: Alfredo Carpineti

In celebration of Pride Month, SPIE spoke with members of our community about their experiences as LGBTQ+ scientists in optics and photonics as well as within the greater STEM community. Our first conversation is with Alfredo Carpineti (he/him), a queer Italian astrophysicist, science journalist, and social activist.

Alfredo is the chair and founder of Pride in STEM, an award-nominated British charity dedicated to supporting and showcasing LGBTQ+ people in science, technology, engineering, and maths. Pride in STEM and other sibling organizations launched and continue to promote LGBTQ+ STEM Day, the International Day for LGBTQ+ people in STEM, which is celebrated annually on November 18. In 2020, he was recognized as one of the 101 “LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world today” by Attitude magazine. 

Is there an LGBTQ+ person in your life who has inspired you?

Collaborating with so many LGBTQ+ people inside and outside of STEM means that I am fortunate to have been inspired by many incredible individuals. It is almost a disservice to only pick a few, but needs must, so I would like to highlight Professor Peter Coles who was the first out senior astronomer I had ever heard of; Dr. Shaun O'Boyle and Dr. Shubhangi Karmakar, and the work they have done for LGBTQ+ people in Ireland; Dr. Jamie Gallagher for being a sci-comm legend; and Dr. Ben Britton, Dr. Ashley Spindler, Dr. Joby Hollis, Dr. Matt Young, Dr. Craig Poku, Sheldon Goodman, Lara Lalemi, Dr. Jake Taylor, and Dr. James Claverley for their work with Pride in STEM and everything they do personally. Last, but certainly not least, my husband, Chris.

How can allies actively support LGBTQ+ scientists and engineers?

It is crucial for allies to be educated on the needs of the community and also on the type of attacks that the community receives. In the most recent slew of media and political attacks against the community, we witnessed well-meaning allies unintentionally worsening the situation due to a lack of knowledge of issues and patterns. 

It is also important for allies to demand action. Conversations on diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice have been going on for years. It is important that those nice words and promises are followed up with action. 

What is one piece of advice you can offer the LGBTQ+ scientists and engineers of the future?

It can be daunting and sometimes might feel like a solitary journey, but I promise you that you are not alone; more importantly, there are many people working to make it easier for you to pursue a career in STEM. Our hope is that one day we won't even have to say this. 

EDI at SPIE

SPIE believes in the development of collaborative environments that value participation from individuals with different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds, which ultimately have a positive impact on the science of light. Explore our EDI activities.