The Minorities Affairs Committee of the American Society for Cell Biology—Fostering the Professional Development of Scientists from Underrepresented Minority Backgrounds

Abstract

As part of its mission, the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) works to increase diversity in the scientific workforce, in part through the work of its Minorities Affairs Committee. It is for this reason that the ASCB was happy to welcome the special September 2016 issue of CBE—Life Sciences Education (LSE) focused on broadening participation. As a response to this special issue, we update our ASCB community and LSE readership on the society’s efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented minorities in the biological sciences.

Scientific societies advancing STEM workforce diversity: Lessons and Outcomes from the Minorities Affairs Committee of the American Society for Cell Biology

“…Thanks largely to MAC efforts, ASCB was awarded a 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Mentoring, the highest honor bestowed upon mentors who work to expand STEM talent (http://paesmem.net/node/1765). Early on in its history, the MAC helped Society leadership integrate diversity and inclusion goals into the ASCB mission, established working relationships with URM-focused committees at other societies and successfully competed for funding from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to support specific programming, beginning a tradition that has continued to the present day in the form of support from the NSF and the National Institutes of Health (19)(20). The MAC has provided educational and career development opportunities for URM trainees for 30 years (19-20, L. Hammonds-Odie, M.J. Leibowitz, and M. Zavala, presented at the 2017 TWD Program Directors' Meeting, Baltimore, MD, 18 to 21 June 2017), during which MAC members have used their multidisciplinary scientific and pedagogical expertise to mentor and inspire the next generation of cell biologists from URM backgrounds at a variety of academic stages, from undergraduate/graduate students and postdocs to junior faculty.…”

“…The LF program was established in 2000 to provide over 30 faculty members at MSIs with funding for outreach activities supporting cell biology and science career development of students at their home institutions. The LF program has supported workshops, undergraduate research experiences, and outreach to local middle and high schools (20). One of the main objectives of this program was to promote the activities of the MAC and the ASCB at colleges and universities that might not be aware of such activities and to recruit faculty and students to attend the annual meetings.…”

Scientific Societies Advancing STEM Workforce Diversity: Lessons and Outcomes from the Minorities Affairs Committee of the American Society for Cell Biology

“…SEGARRA et al: LESSONS AND OUTCOMES FROM THE ASCB MAC from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NIH (19,20). The MAC has provided educational and career development opportunities for URM trainees for 30 years (19, 20, L. Hammonds-Odie, M. J. Leibowitz, and M. Zavala, presented at the 2017 TWD Program Directors' Meeting, Baltimore, MD, 18 to 21 June 2017), during which MAC members have used their multidisciplinary scientific and pedagogical expertise to mentor and inspire the next generation of cell biologists from URM backgrounds at a variety of academic stages, from undergraduate/graduate students and postdocs to junior faculty.…”

“…The MAC's Junior Faculty/Postdoctoral Fellow Career Development Workshop was held annually during the summer months, for about 30 attendees per year, from 2006 through 2017 (20). The two-to three-day workshops aimed to help trainees develop the skills needed for success as they transitioned into tenure-track positions.…”

“…The Linkage Fellow (LF) program was established in 2000 to provide over 30 faculty members at MSIs with funding for outreach activities supporting cell biology and science career development of students at their home institutions. The LF program has supported workshops, undergraduate research experiences, and outreach to local middle and high schools (20). One of the main objectives of this program was to promote the activities of the MAC and the ASCB at colleges and universities that might not be aware of such activities and to recruit faculty and students to attend the annual meetings.…”