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ASBMB MAC: Some Questions, Some Answers, Some Perspectives and Some Activities
This was an article that I wrote as the MAC contribution for the January 2011 issue of ASBMB Today, with the intent of highlighting MAC's participation in the minority-based conferences, i.e. SACNAS, ABRCMS and AMHPS. However, it was deemed too much of an opinion piece and, as such, I was told to rewrite it or not have it published. I chose the latter and have included it here in its original form. Although it does express opinion, it is most truthful and still highlights the participation of MAC in the conferences which was the original intent. I have to ask- How can we realistically address the issues if we refuse to even acknowledge them?
By Thomas Landefeld
What is the problem? The problem is that over one third of the US population is comprised of individuals from underrepresented ethnic groups, i.e. Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders while only about 10% of the scientists at all levels, e.g. students, faculty, professionals are from these groups. Why is that? The pipeline of minority scientists is extremely leaky at all levels, i.e. students in K-12, college, graduate/professional schools, as well as professionals in the sciences, i.e. physicians, dentists, professors, research scientists, etc. Can these leaks be fixed? Most definitely! Why haven't they when over the last ½ century efforts have been made to do so? One major reason is that the efforts have not been financially supported in a way that is required to make the difference. Why has that been? One major reason is prioritization, or more appropriately, the lack thereof. Unquestionably, large amounts of monies are continually poured into endeavors such as the wars, when only a small portion of those costs would help tremendously in sealing some of those leaks. Another related reason is that the concern for fixing those leaks also has not been prioritized. Fixing the leaks is obviously about education and certainly education has not been a priority, especially during the Bush/Cheney regime. And now, despite a White House that does value education and, in particular, is concerned about the current US standing in the world relative to math and science, the funds allocated to education are totally dwarfed by those for the wars, including the one in Iraq that is supposedly over!
Still another factor that contributes to why the leaks are not fixed is the fact that too few individuals in academia really want to fix them. Sure, there is tons of discussions about diversity but when talking the talk becomes walking the walk, many are just too comfortable with the "way things are". This attitude is seen at the highest level of university administration, e.g. Presidents, Provosts as well as at "grass roots faculty" levels. Examples of this include faculty searches that very often not only do not choose a minority candidate but many times do not even review a diverse pool! Similar situations exist in professional societies/organizations which represent major groupings of scientists with similar interests. Just like the institutions, organizations decide how important diversity is to the goals of the organization and, as such, prioritize the efforts and funds accordingly. Of course again, just like universities, there are committees, e.g. MACs as well as task forces, focus groups, etc. specifically designed to address diversity issues. However, if it is only those groups and not the entire organization, it is a waste of time as the groups and the emphasis are truly marginalized.
So one could ask what efforts/priorities would represent genuine ones in the area of diversity? Certainly some of the efforts over the years by the ASBMB MAC are good examples. First, there are now four sessions at the national meeting that are organized specifically by MAC. At one point in time there were none. There is now a Diversity Award and although MAC still is committed to having minorities and those involved in minority issues receive a "non-diversity" award, this is definitely a step in the right direction. There are other efforts that demonstrate the successes of ASBMB MAC; however, I want to highlight one in particular and that is the outreach effort to high school and college minority students. This is best demonstrated by the attendance and participation by MAC at three major conferences. Two of these are focused on college students and these are the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) while the other one, the Association of Minority Health Professional Schools (AMHPS) Symposium, targets minority high school students. We have been attending and supporting SACNAS and ABRCMS for several years now and recently began attending AMHPS. Through these efforts, we are exposing these students to not only the areas of biochemistry and molecular biology, but also the benefits of professional society memberships. Along with that, of course, come the insights about careers in these fields. This information is critically important as many of these students are first generation and, as such, have little idea about the disciplines and the career choices. We accomplish this not just through a presence at the meetings and therefore one-on-one discussions but also through a free one-year membership. At the 2010 SACNAS we signed up 77 students whereas at ABRCMS almost 150 students became members. How many of them with renew their membership next year? Obviously we do not have that answer. However, we do know that they know much more about the discipline of biochemistry and molecular biology as well as what professional societies offer. To further assist them, MAC is making genuine efforts to follow up on a regular basis with these new members. (Also, from a practical standpoint, most of the other major professional scientific societies are making similar efforts.)
Does this work? Yes by all means as these students who are at a formidable stage of their development now know more about the disciplines and careers and, as a result, can make better decisions. The drawback is of course that these groups of students at the meetings are a selected group and unfortunately only represent a small portion of those students who we need to assist in addressing the problem of under representation. So are the efforts by the ASBMB MAC making a difference? No question. Is the difference enough? Unquestionably, no. As such, we have to not only continue such efforts but increase them as well so as to truly demonstrate that ASBMB cares about diversity not only within its organization but also across the scientific and academic communities. Ways to demonstrate this is to increase the diversity of: 1) the ASBMB membership, 2) the recipients of ASBMB society awards, 3) the plenary and session chairs and speakers at meetings and 4) membership on society-wide committees.
When will these changes occur? That answer is obviously not known, although when we consider the funding of our K-12 education, i.e. taxes, as well as the significant funding of Research I and private schools and the sometimes (often) insignificant funding of small teaching undergraduate institutions, constant and continual efforts in this arena by individuals and groups, such as professional society MACs in this arena are essential. Frederick Douglass stated "there is no progress without struggle".
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