Addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism in 21st Century STEM Organizations

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The National Academies provides analysis and sound scientific judgment to inform policy decisions and to guide scientific endeavors. This project addresses the need for greater diversity within the science enterprise with the goal of making the STEM workforce a more accurate reflection of the population. It will synthesize what is known about longstanding inequities and historical, cultural, and institutional norms that have worked to the disadvantage of people of color as well as what is known about how to address these inequities. The project will articulate an agenda for organizational culture change to address racism and promote diversity as well as a research agenda to further advance diversity science. It is anticipated that the final report will provide recommendations for the benefit of both science and society.In this project, a committee of experts will examine the extent to which systematic racism is a barrier to STEM careers for historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups; analyze data that point to effective approaches for addressing diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism; and identify gaps in the research needed to support continued progress in DEI in STEM. Previous research has produced a rich picture of the factors that have shaped STEM workplaces, including longstanding inequities and historical, cultural, and institutional norms that have worked to the disadvantage of people of color and other marginalized groups. A key focus of this study will be on mechanisms to produce organizational change. Diversity science, a growing field, offers lessons on how to address the systemic barriers to full participation in STEM for underrepresented minorities. Application of these lessons can expand the intellectual depth of science by integrating new perspectives into the nature and process of scientific inquiry.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.