Celeste Warren of drug manufacturer Merck discusses diversity in science and medicine and the journey of rising up in the ranks of a major multinational company

Warren is flying the flag of not only underrepresented Black communities but all diverse groups for the betterment of society. She witnessed the injustice her father faced being the first Black teacher in her hometown and the treatment he received in the early years of his career. “I saw his struggles; I saw his successes,” Warren says. “But I saw all of that firsthand, and I saw how that impacted him as a Black man and the things he had to do and the frustrations.”
Warren recently talked about her experiences in a virtual conversation. Here are some of the highlights:
With the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin underway, we also discussed the effects of his involvement in the death of George Floyd—and the impact the Black community was left with as Floyd’s name was added to the list of unarmed Black people who have been killed by law enforcement. You can watch the full, uncut conversation here.
This discussion is part of a speaker series hosted by the Black Employee Network at Springer Nature, the publisher of Scientific American. The series aims to highlight Black contributions to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)— a history that has not been widely recognized. It will cover career paths, role models and mentorship, and diversity in STEM.