Scientific Societies Integrating Gender and Ethnoracial Diversity Efforts: A First Meeting Report from Amplifying the Alliance to Catalyze Change for Equity in STEM Success (ACCESS+)

Abstract

Professional STEM societies have been identified as an important lever to address STEM diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this Perspectives article, we chronicle the highlights of the first Amplifying the Alliance to Catalyze Change for Equity in STEM Success (ACCESS+) convening held in September 2021.

Refining a DEI Assessment Tool for Use in Optimizing Professional STEM Societies for Gender Equity

“…Evaluation results from preliminary work with the first ACCESS+ cohort of five biological Societies indicate that DEI change leaders value the EEST for structured conversations, as well as for raising awareness of the breadth, and depth, of what can be done. Cohort one also valued the professional support from the ACCESS+ team during office hours, and at the Annual Convening (Campbell-Montalvo et al, 2022b ). To date, pilot efforts support the EEST's potential efficacy, along with ACCESS+'s programming, to provide systemic support for Society leaders to create consequential DEI change.…”

“…Upon receiving the completed Society EEST, ACCESS+ provides Society reports and recommendations. DEI Action Plans informed by EEST results are created at an annual ACCESS+ convening (Campbell-Montalvo et al, 2022b ). Ongoing support for identified DEI actions (e.g., helping Societies develop their data monitoring and reporting strategies), as well as deeper exploration of EEST results and other cohort driven topics, is provided via monthly Society DEI change leaders' Community of Practice meetings.…”

Tailoring DEIA Programming through Current Field Analysis: Promoting Allyship in STEM of University Graduate Students

“…This process begins with an emphasis on fostering a sense of belonging [26][27]. In addition to gender and race, we now understand that marginalization affects various identity dimensions, including non-heterosexual orientation, pregnancy, family caregiving, religion, age, cognitive and physical disabilities, and immigrant status, within the STEM fields [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. Addressing institutional biases and barriers, developing academic intervention strategies, and addressing academic achievement gaps among diverse groups in STEM education may ultimately increase underrepresented individuals' persistence and representation in STEM careers by reducing attrition [2,34,[40][41].…”