Biophysical Society Newsletter | September 2017

7 / 20

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 7
SEPTEMBER 2017
The US Travel Ban: A Dream Unfulfilled
My name is Roya; in Persian it means dream.
My mother tells me never to stop dreaming and
my father taught me to always be positive and to
work to achieve my dreams. Recently, I achieved
my first big dream by earning a PhD in Structural
Biology at the University of Freiburg. I am a
protein crystallographer.
For each PhD student, one of the goals is to
present their work at an important conference in
their field and get some suggestions and advice
from experts about how to improve their work.
Annually, the Biophysical Society meeting is held
and eagerly I had prepared to present my project
results to other scientists and experts. Unfortu-
nately, I was not given the chance to present my
work and this marked a sad time in my life when
someone stopped me from reaching my goal.
Maybe you ask yourself why? Or how? Answers
to these questions are the reason why I write this
article.
As I have stated, I am Iranian and Iran is one
of the six countries involved in the new travel
ban to the United States. I could not attend the
BPS meeting just because I’m Iranian. In my
PhD thesis, I worked on new approaches to treat
chronic inflammatory disorders and cancer. Sev-
eral questions run through my mind: Would the
results of my project help specific nationalities?
What are the religious beliefs of the people who
will read my article? What is the skin color of the
people who will use the drugs that maybe will be
produced based on my PhD results? I know these
questions sound silly in relation to why I was not
given a US visa, but because of my birth place,
which I did not choose, I was denied a visa and
my dream. Even if I had a chance to choose, I
would choose the same country, same city, same
neighborhood, and family.
My mother's advice ignited my hopes. Therefore,
despite the travel ban, I went ahead and ap-
plied for my dream job as a postdoctoral fellow
at Vanderbilt University in the group of Walter
Chazin . He and his group treated me like a col-
league and as a friend. I will never forget their
tireless efforts and the time they devoted to me
by explaining their work via a shared screen;
sometimes without a fast internet connection.
And how many weeks and months has Profes-
sor Chazin spent following my visa application
process, investigating the problems, and trying to
solve them? To be honest, I could not thank him
and his department staff enough for their uncon-
ditional support and the massive kindness they
have shown me without regard for my nationality
or my religion. This is what scientists do to make
the world a better place, unlike politicians who
don’t understand that science is politically neutral.
Nevertheless, finally I had to give up my dream
to become a postdoc in the United States. But I
do not give up my belief that all people have the
right to pursue their dreams, independent of their
nationality and religion.
—Roya Tadayon, BPS Member
Have your studies or career been affected by travel restrictions
to the United States?
The Biophysical Society would like to hear from you. The Society will use the information to demonstrate to elected officials
how the restrictions hurt scientists, scientific discovery, and the US economy. Personal information will not be shared without
permission. Visit to share your story.
The Society leadership recognizes that the implementation of the order has been limited by the courts, but an appeal has been
filed and it is possible that the order will be reinstated. Thus, the Society will continue to collect information and be prepared
to act as necessary.
Roya Tadayon