RCN: LEAPS Realizing Inclusion in Societies for Environmental Biology (RISE)

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Professional scientific society efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in STEM have traditionally focused on programs for recruitment of individuals from underrepresented groups. While these programs have achieved some success, the demographics and culture of Environmental Biology societies remain largely unchanged. Therefore, the societies on this planning proposal will focus on leadership, examining the power structures within societies and exploring best practices to create inclusive environments. Society leaders will receive training and tools to help them identify and remove structural barriers in their societies to create cultural change. Through this collaborative proposal, each of the societies will bring insight from their past and current efforts, building towards a shared understanding and intellectual exchange around best practices for changing the culture of societies.This project aims to cultivate an inclusive environment in professional societies by building capacity of leaders of societies to identify and to dismantle structural barriers in societies. Participants in this project include three Environmental Biology societies (Ecological Society of America, Society for Freshwater Sciences, The Wildlife Society) and three societies dedicated to broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM (American Indian Higher Education Consortium; Society for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences; and the Society for Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science). Leaders from these societies will participate in activities designed to strengthen collaborative relationships while building their capacity to identify and remove structural barriers to inclusion in professional societies, including: (1) Leadership Summits – regular convenings to build relationships and trust, to discuss successes and challenges, and to participate in training and identify synergies between existing programs, (2) Immersive Experiences at Partner Conferences –society leaders will actively contribute to conferences focused on broadening participation to strengthen society partnerships while boosting cultural competency of leaders, and (3) AAAS SEA Change STEMM Professional Societies DEI Self-Assessment – the societies will utilize this tool to identify policies and procedures that create barriers to inclusion in their programs and work together to develop solutions.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.