DCL NSF INCLUDES: Bringing Conversations on Diversity and Inclusion in Data Science to the Ecological and Environmental Sciences

作为一个新兴领域，数据科学通过提供跨越多个领域的多种职业途径，有可能扩大少数民族对STEM（科学、技术、工程和数学）的参与。大型环境数据集可用性的增长也导致对具有技术数据科学技能的多样化劳动力的需求。各种组织通过培训、指导和网络机会，支持目前在STEM领域代表性不足的个人进入数据科学职业。然而，其中许多举措是孤立地制定的，限制了交流思想和经验教训的机会。巴特尔纪念研究所及其合作伙伴将举办为期3天的会议，以加强各组织的倡议，从数据科学职业中代表性不足的群体中招募和留住个人。会议与会者（与NSF INCLUDES设计和开发启动试点的选定联盟代表一起）将由学术、培训和商业合作伙伴组成，这些合作伙伴提供数据科学方面的培训和职业机会；项目负责人就这一领域和有关领域代表性不足群体的征聘和保留问题进行研究；有意招聘和留住多元化数据科学人才的雇主；以及具有指导实习生和从事研究和技术工作的早期职业人士经验的个人。会议成果将包括一份会议记录报告；在了解数据密集型环境科学职业中代表性不足的群体的多种职业途径方面，填补空白的具体建议；以及一项持续发展和扩大协作社区的战略，该合作社区的重点是增加数据科学领域的劳动力多样性。对话理念（生态和环境科学数据科学包容性对话）会议将是一个为期3天的会议，其最终目标是建立一个网络改进社区（即环境数据科学包容性网络），加强现有联盟和组织的倡议，以招募和留住数据科学职业中代表性不足群体的个人。通过在为共同目标而努力的现有组织和联盟之间建立联系，这次会议将建立它们为代表性不足的群体提供机会和消除障碍的能力。在这些对话中，特别努力地引入合作者，这些合作者目前可能还不是潜在的利益相关者，这将扩大网络的影响。会议将围绕三个可能的切入点（K-12、高等教育、职业转变/晋升）的潜在职业路径的三个主要组成部分（意识/招聘、培训和保留/指导）进行组织。会议活动将旨在解决与每天相关的以下问题：(1)我们正在努力解决的问题是什么？(2)解决问题需要哪些专业知识？(3)如何构建我们的网络来支持我们的工作？会议成果将包括一份会议记录报告；对INCLUDES网络的具体建议，以填补我们对数据密集型生态和环境数据科学职业中代表性不足群体的多种职业途径的理解空白；以及持续发展和扩大网络化改进社区的战略。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

As an emerging field, data science has the potential to broaden participation of minorities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) by offering multiple career pathways that span a variety of fields. Growth in the availability of large environmental datasets has also resulted in the need for a diverse workforce with technical data science skills. A variety of organizations support individuals currently underrepresented in STEM that are interested in entering data science careers through training, mentoring, and networking opportunities. However, many of these initiatives have been developed in isolation, limiting opportunities for an exchange of ideas and lessons learned. The Battelle Memorial Institute and its partners will host a 3-day conference to strengthen initiatives across organizations to recruit and retain individuals from underrepresented groups in data science careers. Conference attendees (with selected allied representatives from NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilots) will be comprised of academic, training, and business partners that offer training and career opportunities in the data sciences; project leaders conducting research on recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in this and related fields; employers who have an interest in hiring and retaining a diverse data science workforce; and individuals with experience in mentoring interns and early career professionals in research and technical positions. The products of the conference will include a conference proceedings report; specific recommendations for filling the gaps in understanding the multiple career pathways of underrepresented groups in data-intensive environmental science careers; and a strategy for continued development and expansion of a collaborative community focused on increasing workforce diversity in the data sciences.The Conversation IDEaS (Conversations on Inclusion in Data Science for Ecological and Environmental Sciences) Conference will be a 3-day conference with the ultimate goal of developing a networked improvement community (i.e., Environmental Data Sciences Inclusion Network) that strengthens initiatives across existing alliances and organizations to recruit and retain individuals from underrepresented groups in data science careers. By establishing connections between existing organizations and alliances that are working towards a common goal, this conference will build their capacity to provide opportunities and remove barriers for underrepresented groups. Making special efforts to bring in collaborators that may not currently be known as potential stakeholders in these conversations will broaden the network's impact. The conference will be structured around three primary components of potential career pathways (awareness/recruitment, training, and retention/mentoring) at each of three possible entry points (K-12, higher education, career change/advancement). The conference activities will be designed to address the following questions relevant to each day: (1) what is the problem we are trying to solve?; (2) what expertise is needed to solve the problem?; and (3) how might our network be structured to support our work? The products of the conference will include a conference proceedings report; specific recommendations to the INCLUDES network for filling the gaps in our understanding of the multiple career pathways of underrepresented groups in data-intensive ecological and environmental data science careers; and a strategy for continued development and expansion of the networked improvement community.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.