T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F D I V E R S I T Y

L O U I S - G R E G O R Y S T R O L G E R S PA C E T E L E S C O P E S C I E N C E I N S T I T U T E

2 0 1 6 N S F A S T R O N O M Y A N D A S T R O P H Y S I C S P O S T D O C T O R A L F E L L O W S S Y M P O S I U M

“ E X PA N D I N G U N D E R R E P R E S E N T E D M I N O R I T Y PA R T I C I PAT I O N : A M E R I C A’ S S C I E N C E A N D

T E C H N O L O G Y TA L E N T AT T H E C R O S S R O A D S ” N AT I O N A L A C A D E M I E S P R E S S , 2 0 1 1

Our sources for the future S&E workforce are uncertain… Non-US citizens… have accounted for almost all growth in STEM doctorate awards, and in some engineering fields, comprise the majority of new doctorates.

… [at the same time] the demographics of our domestic population are shifting drastically… Those groups that are most underrepresented in S&E are also the fastest growing in the general population.

… Diversity is an asset. Increasing participation and success in S&E contributes to the health of the nation.

51% of US population are women 38% of US population are part of a racial or ethnic minority 32% of US population are underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM1

1 Less than 13% of STEM Bachelors degrees, National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering.

Percentage of bachelor and doctorate degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in physics at US institutions

% o

f Deg

rees

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Year of Degree

1995 1997 1999 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

URM PhDURM BachelorsWomen PhDWomen Bachelors

T H E S TA T U S O F W O M E N A N D M I N O R I T I E S , 2 0 1 4

2 Sources: US Census (2014), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completion Survey by Race

Here is the status of women and minorities as of a little over a year ago...

Black or African AmericanHispanic and Latino AmericansNative American IndiansNative Hawaiians or Pacific Islander Americans

In physics (and astronomy, but use these numbers as an example), these group attain a share of degrees much smaller than share of the demographics.

Despite notable growth in the production of female PhDs, female baccalaureates, URM baccalaureates and PhDs, have shown nearly no growth in 20yrs.

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y:

S O C I A L LY R E S P O N S I B L E

Everyone has the right to an equal share of education and the workforce

L A R G E R TA L E N T P O O L S

More STEMists = most meritorious outcomes

…[some] view scientific workforce diversity efforts as antithetical to the ideals of [a scientific] meritocracy.

Kenneth Gibbs Jr., “Diversity in stem: what is it and why it matters”, Scientific American, September 10, 2014.

Why is this-- come to a little later

Why should we care? Science is a meritocracy, advancing the best ideas, concepts, theories— Doesn’t this also apply to the STEMists who are involved in it?

No. The previous graph showed we’re missing a large segment of society, who potentially take with them lost ideas, and so A case is larger talent pools: Don’t want to miss the next Einstein—But maybe, given the state of education and mentorship, not many from these groups are sufficiently prepared to contribute to these fields,

Another case may be that everyone has the right to an equal share of education and workforce, but our social policies (whatever their intention) have kept disenfranchised a large fraction of our population, that also happen to be female and ethnic or racial minorities.

but I can think of other reasons too

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: T H E B U S I N E S S C A S E

National Organizations Survey (1997) of for-profit business orgs. The value-in-diversity on business outcomes

% w

/ g

reat

er t

han

aver

age

pro

fitab

ility

0%

25%

50%

75%

Diversity Index

Low Med High

Racial Diversity Gender Diversity

Companies with larger racial and gender diversity have better than average business outcomes, and are overall more profitable

3 Herring, C. 2009, “Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity”, American Sociological Review, 74, 208

Diversity Index: percentage of workforce who are women:

low < 20 % 20 % < med < 44 % high > 45 %

percentage of workforce in racial or ethnic minority:

low < 10 % 10 % < med < 24 % high > 25 %

A study of for-profit businesses in the late 90s showed that companies with larger racial and gender diversity have more customers, make more sales, have larger market shares, and all around have higher profitability than competitors with less diversity.

Several studies similar to this conducted in the 90s and 2000s all showed very similar outcomes. So it makes good business sense, but science is not a business (at least, it shouldn’t be)

By around 2020, >1/2 of the nation’s children will be part of a racial or ethnic minority. In 2040’s, more than >1/2 of the nation’s workforce will be non-white. In 2060’s, working age population shrinks from 62% to 57%. 4

“There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school, a slower-track school where they do well.”

Justice Antonin Scalia, US Supreme Court, 2015 arguments of Fisher v. U. Texas (Austin)

“As minority groups increase as a percentage of the US population, increasing their participation rate in science and engineering is critical if we are just to maintain the overall participation rate in science among the US population.” 5

4 Colby, S., and Ortman, J. 2015, “Projections of the Size and Composition of the US Population: 2014 to 2060”, US Census Bureau 5 “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future”, 2007 The National Academies Press

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: T H E C R O S S R O A D S A R G U M E N T

sometime around 2040, these children will be fully realized into the nations workforce, making the majority non-white.

all the while, the working age population is shrinking

Degrees not increasing:

At the crossroads of a path that is potentially disastrous an overall a less knowledgeable, and necessarily less competitive US workforce,

the solution to the problems with student body diversity cannot be to set up a system in which not only are minorities going to separate schools, they're going to inferior schools.

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: T H E C R O S S R O A D S A R G U M E N T

America COMPETES Act of 2007 & 2010:

aims to improve K-12 STEM education incentives for pursuing science and engineering graduate degrees

… Insufficient to meeting the emergent demographic [shifts]. A national effort to sustain and strengthen science and engineering must also include a strategy for engaging underrepresented minorities… a vastly underused resource and a lost opportunity.

— “ C R O S S R O A D S ” , N A P, 2 0 1 1

acknowledged a plan must be in place to sustain US scientific and technological leadership, and put forth actions aimed at improving K-12 STEM education, and providing incentives for students to pursue S & E undergraduate and graduate degrees.

several studies written on the growing disconnect with technology: tech strives to make knowhow (and knowledge) less important; society has become less interested in attaining technological competence.

The Weight of a Cow

6 Wason, E. 2015, “The Case for Diversity”, LSA Magazine, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Regents of the University of Michigan

Average = 1,197 lbs

1 , 3 2 5

1 , 1 9 8

1 , 2 6 8

1 , 1 4 0

1 , 0 9 41 , 1 0 9

1 , 2 9 2

1 , 1 2 8

1 , 2 2 0

Actual = 1,198 lbsCrowds make accurate

predictions.

Diverse crowds often make most accurate predictions.

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: A M A T H E M A T I C A L C A S E

At the 1906 West of England Fat Stock and Poultry Exhibition, 787 people guessed the weight of a steer on display.

Works best when diverse rationale, (experimental data), and basis for conclusions

2006 Netflix Prize: $1M to algorithm, increases the accuracy of its movie recommendations.

2007 BellKor (US AT&T Labs): +8.43% improvement 2008 BellKor + BigChaos (Australia): +9.44% 2009 BellKor + BigChaos + Pragmatic Theory (Canada): +10.09%

Crowds make accurate predictions.

Diverse crowds often make most accurate predictions.

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: B Y T H E N U M B E R S

6 Wason, E. 2015, “The Case for Diversity”, LSA Magazine, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Regents of the University of Michigan

Final entry called “BellKor in Pragmatic Chaos”

“What unique perspective does a minority student bring to a physics class?… Just wondering what the benefits of diversity are in that situation?”

Chief Justice John Roberts, US Supreme Court, 2015 arguments of Fisher v. Univ. of Texas (Austin)

Benefits of diversity in research requires diversity in classroom

T H E C A S E F O R D I V E R S I T Y: B Y T H E N U M B E R S

Crowds make accurate predictions.

Diverse crowds often make most accurate predictions.

The benefits of diversity in research can only be achieved with a diverse workforce, which requires diversity in the classroom.

Implied outcome of the absence of diversity— less accurate scientific outcomesAffects everyone who participates in scientific endeavors

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

The keys to improving the participation of women and minorities is physics is to improve preparation, recruitment, climate, and retention.

Percentage of doctorate degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM fields at US institutions in 2014

% o

f PhD

s

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Biology Chemistry Astronomy Math Engineering Comp. Sci. Physics

4%3%6%3%2%7%8%

WomenURMs

Higher Education Research Institute (UCLA) : Women and URMs aspire to STEM fields at the same rates as their male, non-URM counterparts since late 1980s

8 Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completion Survey by Race

Similar percentages are seen at all pipeline levels from Bach. to early career.

No silver bullets— fields with higher success have worked to address two or more of these key areas

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

• Targeted mentoring programs • Partnerships with community/2-year

colleges and minority serving institutions

Get involved early!

REUs, summer internships, and other undergraduate mentoring programs:

• Expose students to forefront research in astronomy, and astronomy enterprise fields

• Provide opportunities for growth, achievement, and personal development

• Place students in a cohort of friends and colleagues for their future

• Need selection criteria to engage students lacking research experience but with a propensity for scientific research (creativity, organization, and tenacity)

• Basis for National Astronomy Consortium (NRAO/AUI/NSBP)— augment to summer programs (see 313.01, E. Mills, “The National Astronomy Consortium”)

Always looking for mentors! Find ways to engage women and URM students in your work

2015 Space Astronomy Summer Program at STScI

As postdocs— you can take action—- now!

Important adjustment— look for students who lack research experience, but are keen toward science, and show some important skills— look for creativity, organization, and tenacity, not just python/IDL experience.

When you get the chance see,

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

• Targeted mentoring programs • Partnerships with community/2-year

colleges and minority serving institutions

Get involved early!

Minority serving institutions and community (2-year) colleges draw URMs

Find ways to partner for undergraduate workforce

DCA-Stars, Howard U./STScI/GSFC/U. Md and 313.02, K. Sheth, “Creating Future STEM Leaders”

% o

f Phy

sics

Bac

helo

rs D

egre

es

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013

Hispanic and Latino Americans from HSIsAfrican Americans from HBCUs & BSIs

70%

60%

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completion Survey by Race

The number of physics students at two-year colleges is on the rise. These draw URMs and women due to affordability.

MSIs are still a large draw for URMs because of environment, cultural inclusion

Consider these students too. Find partnerships with their faculty for co-mentorship opportunities.

There are 100s of MSIs around the country.. odds are, one not to far from where you work.

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

Support Bridge programsTransition (or Bridge) programs provide • academic preparation for PhD programs • graduate research experience 1 - 2 yr

B R I D G E T O P H D I N T H E N AT U R A L S C I E N C E S

P H Y S I C S P H D B R I D G EI M E S - M O O R E F E L L O W S H I P

A P P L I E D P H Y S I C S

% o

f Phy

sics

Deg

rees

0%

5%

10%

1995 1998 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014

URM PhD URM Bachelors

5±1%

California State University Long Beach Florida State University

Indiana University The Ohio State University University of South Florida

University of Central Florida

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completion Survey by Race

As you transition to junior faculty members, keep some of these important opportunities in mind.

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

Encourage participation (at all levels) in societies for women and URMs in physics and astronomy

% o

f Phy

sics

Deg

rees

10%

20%

30%

1995 1998 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014

Women PhD Women Bachelors

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completion Survey by Race

Building the cohort for colleagues, through cultural inclusiveness.

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

Plan for Astro2020!State of the Profession/Infrastructure Study Groups: • broad range of topics— facilities (incl.

comp. centers), EPO, demographics • due early 2019 • short, ≤ 10 pages

NRC convenes panels to review white papers, provide report to Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics,

Reviewed along with reports from Science Frontiers panel and Program Prioritization panels (published separately)

Synthesized into the final Survey report.

A S T R O 2 0 2 0

E V E R Y T H I N G I S AW E S O M E !

H O W T O TA K E A C T I O N :

• family friendly practices • inclusion policies • zero-tolerance policies toward

harassment and bullying

As community members

Inclusive Astronomy Conference 2015, Nashville, TN

The benefits of diversity in research can only be achieved with a diverse workforce, which requires diversity in the classroom.

TA K E - A W A Y P O I N T S :

Diversity (gender, ethic, racial, and geographical) should a priority for the 2020’s, not just a goal.

Must devise policy (2020 Decadal, institutional action plans) to address concerns on diversity.

Funding (especially Federal) should be tied to metrics in inclusion.

Astronomy must acknowledge responsibility as ‘good citizens’