Scientific research is a human endeavor that succeeds best when the community of individuals who undertake it are diverse in thought, life experience, and expertise, and when the community of researchers welcomes each individual into an inclusive environment that encourages them to thrive. Sadly, however, research institutions are not free from the systemic racism and bias that has so profoundly and negatively impacted Black Americans. When Black scientists are prevented from fully realizing their potential to make life-saving discoveries or to generate transformative knowledge, we all lose.
Speaking of Research acknowledges and supports the #ShutDownSTEM initiative and we urge our readers to learn more at: https://www.shutdownstem.com/action and to also support this initiative.
From the organizers:
“#ShutDownAcademia and #ShutDownSTEM is an initiative from a multi-identity, intersectional coalition of STEM professionals and academics taking action for Black lives. These efforts build on—and would not be possible without—the long history of Black activism, scholarship, and leadership in the fight for Black lives.
Academia and STEM are global endeavors that sustain a racist system, where Black people are murdered. No matter where you physically live, you impact and are impacted by this moment in history. This is not exclusive to the United States. We must all work against anti-Black racism. The names listed below are the visible contributors, which comprise a partial list of contributors to this collective effort: Brittany Kamai, Yilen Gómez Maqueo Chew, Katelyn Breivik, Mia de los Reyes, Jedidah Isler, Brian Nord, Lucianne Walkowicz, Renée Hłozek, Ximena Cid, Abby Crites, Carena Church, Erin-Kate Escobar, Stacey Lawrence, Danielle N. Lee, Casey Newlin, et al.”
https://www.shutdownstem.com/shareables
Each of the links provides more information, reading, resources, and actions:
- About — #ShutDownAcademia
- Take action #ShutDownSTEM
- Resources Home #ShutDownSTEM
- Amplify black voices #ShutDownSTEM
~Speaking of Research
Additional resources and partial list of scientific society statements (Please feel free to add links in the comments.)
500 women scientists Silence Is Never Neutral; Neither Is Science
https://500womenscientists.org/updates/2020/6/8/take-action
American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA): An Open Letter to Our Community in Response to Police Brutality Against African-Americans and a Call to Antiracist Action
American Psychological Association (APA): https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/06/action-addressing-inequality
International Society of Developmental Psychobiology: https://isdp.org/2020/06/04/isdp-statement-on-risks-of-racisms-to-children
American College for Neuropsychopharmacology: https://acnp.org/about-us/statement-anti-racism/
Society for Conservation Biology North America: http://scbnorthamerica.org/index.php/general/statement-from-the-society-for-conservation-biology-north-america-condemning-anti-black-racism-and-police-violence/
Society for Neuroscience: https://www.sfn.org/publications/latest-news/2020/06/02/sfn-statement-on-diversity,-inclusion,-and-equity
American Society of Primatologists: https://asp.org/society/resolutions/position_on_racism.cfm
This thread of free articles from Science magazine. https://twitter.com/ScienceMagazine/status/1270430534120935425
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