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，数据科学有可能通过提供跨越各个领域的多种职业途径来扩大少数群体对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了对具有技术数据科学技能的多元化劳动力的需求。各种组织支持目前在STEM中代表性不足的个人，他们有兴趣通过培训，指导和网络机会进入数据科学职业。然而，其中许多倡议是孤立制定的，限制了交流想法和经验教训的机会。巴特尔纪念研究所及其合作伙伴将举办为期3天的会议，以加强各组织的举措，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（与来自NSF INCLUDES设计和开发启动试点的选定联盟代表）将由提供数据科学培训和职业机会的学术，培训和商业合作伙伴组成;项目负责人对招聘和保留该领域及相关领域代表性不足的群体进行研究;有兴趣雇用和保留多元化数据科学劳动力的雇主;以及在指导实习生和研究和技术职位的早期职业专业人员方面有经验的个人。会议的成果将包括会议记录报告;填补在了解数据密集型环境科学职业中代表性不足群体的多种职业道路方面的差距的具体建议;以及持续发展和扩展协作社区的战略，该战略专注于增加数据科学领域的劳动力多样性。（关于生态和环境科学数据科学包容性的对话）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化的改进社区（即，环境数据科学包容性网络（Environmental Data Sciences Inclusion Network），加强现有联盟和组织的举措，从数据科学职业中代表性不足的群体中招募和留住个人。通过在致力于共同目标的现有组织和联盟之间建立联系，这次会议将建设它们为代表性不足的群体提供机会和消除障碍的能力。作出特别努力，让目前可能不被认为是这些对话的潜在利益攸关方的合作者参与进来，将扩大网络的影响。会议将围绕潜在职业途径的三个主要组成部分（认识/招聘，培训和保留/指导）在三个可能的切入点（K-12，高等教育，职业转变/晋升）。 会议活动的目的是解决以下与每天有关的问题：（1）我们试图解决的问题是什么？(2)解决这个问题需要什么样的专业知识？以及（3）如何构建我们的网络以支持我们的工作？该会议的产品将包括会议记录报告;具体建议包括网络，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的群体的多种职业途径的理解的差距;这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得支持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。

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.