Rochelle Diamond

Diamond grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and was a tomboy as a child.[1] In her senior year of college, Diamond married a male friend. Her husband was aware that she was lesbian, but was somewhat accepting. They divorced after 10 years of marriage.[1]

Diamond came out to her family as lesbian in her 20s.[1] Diamond earned a dual bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1974.[1]

Diamond is the applications specialist and lab manager of the flow cytometry and cell sorting facility at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California.[1][2] The lab studies immature cells in the human immune system and the signals that influence what specialist roles the cells take on.[2]

Diamond became interested in activism after experience homophobia in her personal and professional life.[1] In 1981, she was forced out of City of Hope Research Institute where she worked because a coworker discovered she was gay and began sabotaging her lab experiments.[1][2]

Diamond helped start the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) an organization that enables young queer scientists to network with each other.[2] She is now the chair of the organization.[3][1][4] Diamond has devoted her work with NOGLSTP to empowering LGBTQ+ people in STEM and fighting against discrimination that LGBTQ+ individuals face in the workplace.[1][2] She believes that "scientists and engineers are more productive when they can be themselves."[2] Part of her work to increase the visibility of queer people in STEM includes keep a running list of "queer scientists of historical note" and supporting a mentoring program for young students and scientists to meet older people in their careers of choice.[1]

Diamond married chemist Barbara Belmont after they met in the queer activist community in Los Angeles. They have been married for more than 30 years.[1]

• Queer Scientists of Historical Note list