Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Forging Paths to Enhanced InnovationRoundtable Summary Report
Roundtable MeetingMay 29, 2017, Toronto
Hosted by:Dr. Imogen R. Coe, Dean, Faculty of Science
Ryerson University
Dr. Mehrdad Hariri, President & CEOCanadian Science Policy Centre
Ryerson University is leading the dialogue around the need for transparency around Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In Spring 2017, the Faculty of Science (FOS) and the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) hosted a roundtable meeting. Forty four stakeholders from various sectors were brought together to share perspectives and expertise, identify gaps, and propose solutions for implementing EDI in STEM to advance innovation in Ontario. This report summarizes twelve key findings that focus on the need to embrace EDI in both educational and professional pathways. These findings are:
1. Changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes within STEM-based professions
2. Pursuing evidence-based and data-driven programming to enhance EDI in STEM in each sector and organization
3. Building EDI into the culture of academic and professional environments by increasing awareness and training
4. Building EDI into STEM-programming across sectors and organizations
5. Within organizations, build intentionality for EDI into hiring practices and at every other stage of the STEM talent pipeline
6. Building EDI into the work environment by creating, embracing, and supporting inclusivity
7. Asking and listening… and then listening some more
8. What gets rewarded gets repeated; what gets measured gets done
9. Being prepared to manage conflict as a consequence of increasing diversity within organizations
10. Enough talking, more action
11. Holding organizations accountable for EDI in STEM
12. Working together towards common goals
Based on these findings, we present four next steps for bringing together different sectors and facilitating the development of strategies that embrace EDI in STEM:
1 Identify best practices for embracing EDI in STEM within institutions and organizations: Transition from understanding to implementation of the most effective EDI strategies in STEM programs
2 Identify responsibilities in affecting real change:Coordinating efforts between education and the workforce may help reduce duplication of programming and initiatives, and promote shared long-term practices
3 Examine issues of accountability and consequences: Identifying mechanisms and approaches that hold organizations and institutions accountable. Exert consequences for failure to act and incentivize EDI in STEM
4 Rethink STEM:Rethink and reconsider what is valued in STEM with respect to including Indigenous knowledge, feminist perspectives and critical race perspectives, etc.
Fully embracing EDI in STEM and leveraging diversity to drive innovation is a positive step and an urgent economic imperative. Failing to include EDI in STEM will likely have negative consequences on national productivity, economic growth, long-term prosperity, and global competitiveness.
Visit Dr. Imogen R. Coe’s website on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity in STEM:www.ryerson.ca/edistem
Executive Summary
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Contents
Preface...........................................3
Roundtable Overview.....................4
Summary of Findings.....................5
Next Steps......................................15
Appendix.........................................16
Resources.......................................19
PrefaceThis report presents the outcomes of the roundtable meeting “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Forging Paths to Enhanced Innovation” which was hosted on May 29th, 2017 at the MaRS Discovery District, by the Faculty of Science (FOS), Ryerson University, and the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC). This meeting brought together forty four stakeholders from various sectors to share perspectives and expertise, identify gaps, and propose solutions for implementing EDI in STEM to advance innovation in Ontario.
The need to fully embrace EDI in STEM educational and professional pathways has been recognized as a pressing issue globally by organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Global Research Council (GRC) and G20. Failure to do so will likely have negative consequences on national productivity, economic growth, long-term prosperity, and global competitiveness. Consequently, fully embracing EDI in STEM and leveraging diversity to drive innovation is not only a good idea but an urgent economic imperative. In this context, it is crucial for diverse communities to address and inform policy and decision-making approaches that are based on current, complete, and accessible data. The challenge for organizations and institutions is to find effective approaches and intentional actions towards EDI specifically for those in traditionally underrepresented groups, defined by the Employment Equity Act as i) women, ii) people
with disabilities, iii) Aboriginal people, and iv) visible minorities/racialized people. In addition, there is a need for intentionality around the inclusivity of members of the LGBTQ+ community, and to look at intersectionality, and representation of people of colour in STEM, particularly in fields such as “tech”. Supporting a broader, deeper, and richer supply of STEM-skilled individuals in Canada is important for leveraging diversity opportunities and driving innovation.
Ryerson University is leading the dialogue around the need to be transparent and to address EDI, particularly in STEM fields. Dr. Imogen R. Coe, Dean of Faculty of Science at Ryerson University, is a national leader in this area and has highlighted the significant need for more coordinated strategies around embracing EDI in STEM across various sectors in Canada, including industry, business, academia, education, and government. Strategies must be evidence-informed and data-driven.
Dr. Imogen R. Coe and Dr. Mehrdad Hariri envision this roundtable meeting to be the first of a series of ongoing initiatives including workshops, roundtables and policy papers that will bring together sectors and facilitate the development of a coordinated strategy to embrace EDI in STEM to effectively drive innovation. Dr. Imogen R. Coe and Dr. Mehrdad Hariri thank the participants for their open and transparent dialogue as well as their willingness to commit their time and effort to effective discussions. They also thank the team from the Faculty of Science at Ryerson University who helped host the roundtable meeting and put this report together.
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Workshops for women in STEM and science camps for girls, will not change participation rates of women and under-represented groups in STEM unless the culture and workplace also increase accessibility by removing systemic barriers and bringing in accountability and consequences.- Dr. Imogen R. Coe, Dean, Faculty of Science, Ryerson University
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RoundtableOverviewThe “EDI in STEM: Forging Paths to Enhanced Innovation” roundtable meeting was designed to facilitate a focused problem-solving session by the invited participants, aimed at generating recommendations for EDI in STEM in Ontario.
An overview of the roundtable participants as well as the discussion questions are highlighted in Appendix 2.
The meeting was a series of four, one-hour sessions, where input was collected from the participants. Each of the sessions followed the format below:
Summary of FindingsThe roundtable room-level discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed. Eighty key messages were extracted from the complete transcripts, collated, and summarized into twelve key findings as outlined below:
1 Change perceptions and challenge stereotypes within and beyond your organization
Participants generally agreed that there is a need to challenge stereotypes around what STEM-based professionals look like and where they come from. There is also a need to shift perceptions about the value of what EDI in STEM contributes to an organization. Changes in attitudes are needed, particularly among leaders in organizations (if they are not EDI aware) and should be coordinated with leader-driven actions that support increased engagement with underrepresented groups. One company participant noted that change starts with the culture at the C-suite level of organizations. However, it was also observed that there is some generational resistance to EDI initiatives. Visible leadership in EDI policy and programming by C-suite level executives, particularly male executives, should be acknowledged as being a significant part of a senior leader’s portfolio. For example, Frank Vettese, the Managing Partner and Chief Executive for Deloitte Canada, is also the company’s Chief Inclusion Officer. EDI issues should not be delegated to a senior (often female) executive in HR. Participants broadly agreed that an EDI-infused
culture can, in addition to clear leadership, be fostered through required (possibly mandatory) organizational training which can help to shift perceptions, raise awareness of bias, and create a more inclusive culture. All approaches must be intentional and proactive. An academic sector participant indicated that all employees are required to participate in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) training, which builds awareness in the early days of employment and sets cultural expectations from the start. Similar approaches might be considered to build awareness around the importance of EDI within an organization. Overall, Industry association participants indicated that large companies can develop and manage such EDI-based hiring policies themselves. Industry associations can also influence broader cultures and become enablers for small and medium organizations to implement policies or programming that explicitly raises awareness around implicit biases and promote the EDI culture. Industry, business associations, and consortia can thus be enablers of change.
2 Programming to enhance EDI in STEM must be evidence-based and data driven for your sector/organization
Figure 1: Format of the roundtable meeting
Figure 2: Representation from various
sectors (%)
All sectors’ participants agreed that evidence is needed to meaningfully pursue EDI in STEM fields. However, the consensus was that holistic, extensive and meaningful data are not available or are to obtain, limiting the ability to make data-driven decisions.
A not-for-profit sector participant noted that clear, evidence-based value propositions are needed to address questions such as, “do diverse companies outperform non-diverse companies?” “Is there research and evidence in support?” “Is there evidence
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that organizations or businesses with less diverse and inclusive practices lose economic opportunities?” “Why should the company include diversity?” There was a general consensus that these questions need to be addressed for programming initiatives to be persuasive.
Even if an organization has embraced the concept of enhanced EDI in STEM, understanding the current state of EDI within their organizations and determining goals for change can prove to be another data-related challenge. An academic sector participant highlighted that evidence-gathering is complicated. For example, the federal government requires each university nomination to the Canada Research Chair (CRC) program to have a clearly articulated equity plan which requires universities to collect various types of data. An academic sector participant further stated it is not clear “whether the data collected are useful or helpful.” “Are data that are aggregated without details really needed?” “How can data be better disaggregated to see what is really happening in terms of diversity?” Other factors affecting data quality include low response rates, for instance, from universities and hospitals. Data collection itself then becomes a barrier to developing policy and programming to address EDI. Yet another aspect indicated by participants from the academic sector is the distrust of the process and intent of data gathering, particularly with regard to self-identification. Reluctance to self-identify (or deliberately providing incorrect information) leads to inaccurate data on levels of participation and representation. The value of both quantitative data, as well as shared narratives, that
inform policy must be appreciated by those in power. Participants from the different sectors highlighted that there is a need for better methods to be developed to capture the most useful data in a systematic, accurate, and holistic manner that uses both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. However, there was consensus that the accumulation of data is not sufficient. Rather, it is necessary to identify the trends, opportunities, challenges etc. from those data, and the focus must be on the use of data beyond collection.
Analyzing the efficacy of changes in policy and programming also requires thoughtful consideration. How do we measure success and outcomes? An industry association participant stated that, evidence of demonstrated economic benefit for EDI enabling programs is required on an on-going basis for programming to be implemented in various sectors. For example, mentorship programs were identified as a popular and frequently proposed approach used in business and industry. However, mentoring needs to be done in a way that clearly demonstrates efficacy since mentoring programs are often promoted and implemented without reference to any data that clearly demonstrates that these programs work. Therefore, there is a need to deliberately and proactively pursue data collection to ensure evidence-based, data-driven approaches to enhancing EDI in STEM are implemented if the diversity opportunity that drives innovation is to be realized.
Students need to be given the opportunity to explore science creatively, without fear of failure, and with some autonomy.- Adapted from Science GRRL, p.52
3 Increased awareness and training in EDI for STEM educators is needed across the educational spectrum
Participants from the not-for-profit sector highlighted the need for enhanced training for teachers from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) and into postsecondary education (PSE) to effectively teach STEM subjects from an EDI perspective. It is critical to support students from underrepresented groups pursuing STEM-based pathways in education and into their careers. EDI awareness in STEM-teaching should be embedded into current educator training structures to
support systemic change. Changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes that exist in the educational system (held by teachers, parents, administrators, etc.) are as important as changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes among business and industry leaders (as outlined in 3.1). A coordinated strategy across these sectors could be useful, eg. WISE Campaign, UK (see pg. 19 - Resources: Best Practices, #5).
4 Design-build EDI into STEM programming for your sector/organization
Academic participants highlighted the need for STEM-programming, including experiential learning opportunities, to have equity and accessibility designed into them from the initial stages. Participants from the government sector were in consensus with the academics who stated that there should be ample opportunities provided for experiential or integrated learning from K-12 through PSE. These opportunities should also extend into the workforce to provide workplace experiences, build mentorships, and grow the talent pipeline. Proactively and intentionally training STEM graduates from a variety of backgrounds and communities, in leadership programs, is important.
Initiatives that direct or encourage young people from diverse communities toward STEM pathways, while building their confidence and providing support are needed. A company participant highlighted that internship programs are mechanisms for promoting EDI which can add value to organizations. An academic participant shared details around a STEM undergraduate research program focused on supporting indigenous students into considering enrolling in graduate school to help increase future capacity for indigenous scholars in STEM (a severely under-represented group in STEM in Canada).
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5 Build intentionality for EDI into hiring, at point of entry and every other stage of the STEM talent pipeline, in your organization
There was consensus across the sectors that EDIawareness and intentionality are essential in the hiringprocess. Different approaches were described. As agovernment sector participant indicated, the hiringcommittee should consist of individuals from diversebackgrounds. A participant from the not-for-profitsector noted that implicit biases must be addressedand eliminated, especially during an organization’shiring process. They noted that diverse candidatesmay not even pass the initial screening for mid-level management because “next level” processes(promotions, secondments, advancement, careerdevelopment) have not taken EDI into account. Askingall interviewees about their opinions, attitudes, andhow they have demonstrated a true commitment toEDI can help in selecting candidates who will promoteand support a culture of EDI, even if that individual isnot from an underrepresented group. One academicexample described a situation where an all-maleinterview panel had received EDI training in advanceof interviews. The panel had a heightened collectiveawareness of EDI and decided that their first interviewquestion to all candidates would be about EDI. Theresponse to this question was considered among themost important in the interview process and allowedthem to select individuals who would help build andpromote the desired culture. Another participant fromacademia contrasted this with the typical approach forhiring CRCs in academic institutions where committeesare expected to be “gender blind and colour blind” whenevaluating candidates, which can result in a lack ofawareness about EDI issues.
Further along the talent pipeline, succession planningshould be EDI-intentional. For example, a company
participant shared that EDI at the management or executive levels is not achieved even in organizations that have incorporated EDI at the lower levels. A common approach to increasing EDI at higher levels of organizations is through mentorship programs.However, one industry association participant stated that the traditional mentorship model of a mentor and protégé is no longer used. Their focus is now providing young professionals with an opportunity to build their network, for instance by using Ten Thousand Coffees which enables one-on-one engagement opportunities - either a phone conversation, a skype call or a meeting over coffee. This allows young professionals to network with a broad pool of more experienced and established professionals and build connectivity in the network. Incorporating networking into the mentorship program appears to have more value than traditional mentorship models. A company participant noted that “women leaders force conversations around diversity, which may not happen without the voices of women at the highest level,” hence the need for intentionality around EDI in a leadership pipeline program. Industry associations participants also noted that EDI-based leadership development is important in developing role models and champions in all sectors, allowing youth from equity-seeking groups to see themselves in those roles in the future. Finally, company participants pointed out the importance of embracing generational diversity where younger people in the organization could enable solutions to problems that have not been addressed by older employees. The academic sector participants noted that reaching critical mass of equity-seeking groups enables future progress of EDI opportunities in STEM.
Global Research Council participants should advance equal opportunity in research, and develop mechanisms that encourage people from all backgrounds to pursue scholarly and scientific careers, contributing to research excellence.- Action statement from Global Research Council in 2014, comprised of the heads of science and engineering funding agencies from around the world
6 Build EDI into the work environment in your organization
Company participants highlighted the importance of creating inclusive work environments embracing all cultures, abilities, and backgrounds. There was consensus that all organizations should create employee-friendly work environments, providing its employees with flexible work schedules, and extended leave when needed. For example, a company participant described a program that allowed employees to bring their children to work so that the children can gain an understanding of what their parents do and the broader work of the company. Company participants also pointed out the importance of recognizing multicultural employees in events and celebrations. The design of physical space to support EDI is also important. A company participant asked “how does one design the physical environment to support the inclusion of diverse populations encompassing women, marginalized people, disabled people, etc.?” One participant noted that building and programming design can be heavily driven by risk management, rather than innovation, therefore limiting the ability to create inclusive environments. Recognizing that diversity drives innovation and that designing building spaces that embrace diversity will pay off in the long run requires practitioners to change their mindset and shift their approach.
7 Ask and listen….and then listen some more
Several participants spoke about the importance of seeking inputfrom equity seeking groups in developing inclusive EDI programsand policies. A participant from a not-for-profit organizationexplained that the term diversity encompasses all possibleethnicities. However, diversity needs to be considered in termsof intersectionalities. Within racialized groups in STEM —forexample, the South Asian population, the Black population, and theIndigenous population— have very different experiences regardinginclusion in (or more likely exclusion from) STEM-related pathwaysand professions. Grouping together distinct communities under asingle umbrella of “diversity” will fail to achieve the goal of developinginclusive programing and will not result in full representation ofindividuals from these communities in STEM-related professions.Engaging specific marginalized groups in an intentional andculturally aware manner, while designing programming to enhanceEDI in STEM-related pathways (whether educational or in theworkplace), is critically important and requires engagement withthose communities. There was a general agreement among theparticipants on the importance of this approach. In addition, aparticipant from the corporate sector noted that safe communicationchannels need to be in place within the organization so these voicesare heard by the leadership. “Because, when participants sitting inthis room are talking about issues of diversity, there is a communityoutside this room who stands to benefit. Until the voices of thepeople who are impacted are … heard, efforts are isolated andthe accountabilities set may not have [the intended] benefits.” It isimportant to ask and listen to responses, and then keep listening.
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8 What gets rewarded gets repeated; what gets measured gets done
In addition to improving data collection (key finding # 2), there was consensus among participants that the current sets of metrics used to evaluate “excellence” or “performance” in academia, or the workplace, may need to be revised and reconsidered through an EDI lens. Addressing this issue is particularly important if people are to harness diversity in STEM as a driver of innovation, since opportunities for novel approaches, meritorious ideas, and unique perspectives are likely to be missed because people pay attention to excellence, which traditionally, is narrowly defined. This was emphasized by participants from the innovation sector who noted that leveraging the diversity opportunity in STEM will require changes in organizational culture, mindset and long-held perceptions of what constitutes “excellence”. Furthermore, many sectors recognize the challenge of addressing the pervasive (but inaccurate) idea that embracing diversity comprises excellence. This may be a particular challenge in academia where standard metrics for excellence (number of papers, number of citations, number of grants, etc.) are well established and resistant to change. Participants from the government highlighted that funding bodies can
lead by considering innovative approaches to defining measurements of excellence in STEM, framed within an EDI context. Academic participants also agreed. A corporate participant added that moving beyond individuals, team formation and performance evaluation can benefit from an EDI lens. Furthermore, participants from academia highlighted that there is a need to develop performance measures in organizations to recognize and reward employees who practice and promote EDI in a clear, transparent and well-articulated manner on the principle that rewarding appropriate behaviour will incentivize others. Not-for-profit organizations indicated that all sectors should celebrate accomplishments and differences in EDI environments. A company participant indicated that they provide awards to women. The government group highlighted the role of EDI champions in each organization to reach under-represented groups. A consensus was that there should be champions in each organization who promote diversity and inclusivity and these individuals can be critical in encouraging equity-seeking groups to consider pursuing and staying in STEM-based professions and career pathways.
9 Be prepared to manage conflict as a consequence of increasing diversity in your organization
One participant highlighted that, while the benefits of diversity in driving innovation and out of the box problem solving are clearly established, organizations often overlook the potential consequence of emerging conflicts as diversity/integration increases within an organization. This is a valid concern for all sectors and is often overlooked in terms of promoting enhanced EDI. Managing conflict as a consequence of increased diversity requires increased awareness and proactive management. Each sector must see that it has receptive capacity and the skill sets to manage diversity and conflict appropriately.
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Unless people see themselves represented, roles where they can believe, diversity does
not mean anything.- Not-for-profit sector participant
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10 Enough talk, more action
Companies indicated that the desire for change is not enough: Action is needed. Most organizations set goals and develop programs and initiatives but a major challenge is implementation. It was noted that the government’s role in setting the tone for change is not enough and stronger action is required (e.g. legislation). Other sectors’ participants echoed the same message and highlighted that it is one thing to have a plan and another to implement plans and monitor outcomes. Several organizations are proactive and intentional, but implementation is challenged due to significant resistance. Mechanisms to overcome resistance are not well known and more could be done in this area to support individuals and organizations trying to affect change. Companies added that EDI should be an embedded priority and not an optional one. Discussions relating to diversity will often take place but other priorities, such as project deadlines, will take precedence. An academic participant stated
that the resistance to implementation of EDI is due to challenges in the current power structure. Changing the culture means that some individuals feel that they will have to relinquish power to make their organizations more inclusive. Dealing with these types of challenges needs proactive planning. Industry associations provided their observations. They felt that elements of successful implementation of EDI initiatives involve strong governance, sufficient resources, accountability and consistency, and inclusivity. Academics indicated that organizations need resources to provide EDI reference materials and access to specialists to support the design and implementation of EDI into programs and policies. There is also a need to increase awareness of implicit biases with formal training programs before implementing EDI initiatives. Having an EDI resource widely available is essential to providing and ensuring that advice and information is available regarding best practices and action steps.
11 Hold organizations accountable for EDI in STEM
A mechanism for public reporting of EDI in STEM-related activities, plans, and status, need to be established and implemented for all sectors. Not-for-profit organizations highlighted that publicly reporting implications of non-compliances of EDI by organizations may make them more accountable. Industry associations indicated that having businesses publicize their diversity status and provide justification for non-compliances may help the government move EDI initiatives forward. They added that the role of government needs to be clear. For example, this could be a legislated requirement that all types of businesses report diversity measures in their annual reports and to the government, rather than implementing quotas. Fines could be imposed on businesses that do not comply. Businesses and industries should be compelled to prioritize their diversity status and justify their actions to the public. A participant indicated that social media would take care of the rest in holding organizations accountable. Another participant asked whether non-compliance would hold such significant impact. One question raised was whether recognitions, which are currently in place such as the “Best Diversity Employer”, influence people’s decisions in wanting to work for a specific organization. Company participants stated that all sectors should create an
environment where organizations can afford to meet EDI goals by raising awareness through individual experiences that highlight unmet EDI goals. Public reporting would also enable the development of benchmarks and could enable differentiation of companies based on their EDI efforts. Participants from the innovation sector also agreed that there is a need to hold organizations accountable for non-compliance or, failure to fully embrace EDI. For example, the federal government’s requirement for the inclusion of detailed equity plans for funding programs, such as the Canada Excellence Research Chair, holds universities accountable by withholding funding, if non-compliant. Even companies with buying power like the Fortune 500 could include EDI evaluations in their procurement/funding policy to hold their supply chain accountable. Industry associations highlighted that government is the largest purchaser of services in this province and could thus leverage its purchasing power to hold organizations accountable i.e. through procurements, grants, and licensing. However, it was pointed out that the approach to hold organizations accountable for EDI needs to be developed and well justified and speaks to the previous point of public reporting to be able to make fair comparisons between organizations bidding for the same tender.
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Engage more men as allies to promote and implement EDI in STEM.- Company sector participant
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12 Work together towards common goals
There was an enthusiastic consensus on the need to improve sector cooperation and coordination around EDI in STEM programming and initiatives. Many organizations and sectors have common goals and thus seek complementarities in approaches. Most participants agreed that the sharing of best practices is very useful and that collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches are all necessary to achieve common goals. All sector groups also agreed that continued and intentional collaboration will be essential in advancing EDI in STEM to harness diversity. Sharing of information and best practices (through mechanisms such as this workshop) will help all sectors and organizations to avoid “reinventing the wheel”. Moreover, this may allow the sharing of resources and the development of shared or better understood benchmarks. Sharing best practices and success stories of embracing EDI in STEM in some sectors can help to incentivize
and inspire actions in other sectors. Identification of challenges and barriers, as well as targeted solution-finding by bringing together diverse groups was also noted. A coordination and integration of strategies will be inherently more powerful and effective if coordinated from K-12, through PSE and into the workforce, stewarded at all levels by government (federal and provincial) and supported by the industry associations, and not-for-profits. Several sectors highlighted that programs promoting EDI in STEM from other countries, such as Athena SWAN, WISE Campaign, and SAGE, could be considered as leading practices and adopted in Canada. Although, other participants noted that Canada and Ontario will likely need to develop their own made-at-home programs. Decisions on best approaches are hindered by a lack of data reflecting current state of the landscape and most effective interventions.
Societies thrive in a sustainable way when inclusion and innovation help expand the
opportunity.- Adapted from a corporate promotional program
Next Steps:
Participants’ feedback following this meeting confirmed that the format of this roundtable was particularly useful in bringing together different sectors who are facing similar challenges and seeking common goals. For many, this was the first time they had interacted with members of other sectors with the willingness to engage openly and constructively. Several participants expressed a desire to engage more extensively with colleagues from other sectors. In conclusion, the feedback received clearly indicated that there is a need for more dialogue across sectors to share approaches and mutually supportive strategies that will harness diversity opportunities and drive innovation across the board.
To this end, the team proposes a consequent roundtable meeting which will focus on the approaches below:
1Evidence-based approaches for institutional and organizational change to embrace EDI in STEM:
There is a need to transition into understanding and implementing the most effective programs that embrace EDI in STEM. Participants from various sectors acknowledged an urgent need to understand best practices in other places and to look at ways to effectively change their own organizations. Presenting best practices from other jurisdictions such as the US, UK and Australia - across sectors - would be useful for many.
2Identifying responsibility:
Currently, it is still unclear which sectors are responsible for leading and affecting real change. While the K-12 landscape is crowded with primarily not-for-profit initiatives to support girls and youth in STEM, there is relatively low awareness of the level of responsibility for promoting and embracing EDI in STEM throughout the lifespan of an individual. Thus, the challenge remains in identifying the key role and responsibility of both the government and institutions in ensuring EDI in STEM. Identifying areas and/or timeframes of responsibility, and looking to more coordinated efforts along the spectrum of K-12, PSE, and into the workforce may help in reducing duplication of programming and initiatives, and promoting shared long-term practices. Further clarification of roles and areas of influence would be helpful.
3Accountability and consequences:
Issues of accountability and consequences need further investigation since current expectations that organizations will self-monitor appear to be failing (i.e. the “comply or explain” for women on boards initiative). Identifying mechanisms and approaches that hold organizations and institutions accountable exert consequences for failure to act and incentivize EDI in STEM will be helpful across the board.
4Rethink STEM:
Consider more discussion around what “STEM” is and reconsider what is valued and what is not, particularly with regard to incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing, feminist perspectives, critical race perspectives, etc. into what is broadly understood and valued as scientific knowledge.
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Appendix 1Appendix 1. Roundtable Meeting Participants from Various Sectors:
Dr.
Imog
en R
. Coe
, Dea
n, F
acul
ty o
f Sci
ence
, Rye
rson
Uni
vers
ity
Dr.
Meh
rdad
Har
iri, C
hief
Exe
cutiv
e O
ffice
r, C
anad
ian
Scie
nce
Polic
y C
entr
e
Academia
Allison Sekuler Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University
Dawn Bazely Professor, Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability, York University
Denise O’Neil Green Vice President, Equity and Community Inclusion, Ryerson University
Grace-Edward Galabuzi Associate Professor, Dept of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University
Imogen R. Coe Dean, Faculty of Science, Ryerson University
Jennifer Grass Assistant Vice President, University Relations, Ryerson University
Marisa Sterling Assistant Dean, Inclusivity & Diversity, York University
Steven Liss Vice President, Research & Innovation, Ryerson University
Vivek Goel Vice President, Research & Innovation, University of Toronto
Innovation Supporter
Claudia Krywiak Vice President, Corporate Planning, Development & Strategic Initiatives, Ontario Centres of Excellence
Danika Goosney Executive Director, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat
Isabelle Gingras Vice President of Human Resources, National Research Council
Mehrdad Hariri Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Science Policy Centre
Pamela Kanellis Director, Research & Global Academy Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
Ridha Ben-Mrad Associate Academic Director, Mitacs
Serge Villemure Director, Scholarships, Fellowships & Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering, Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council
Usha Srinivasan Vice President, Venture Programs, MaRS Discovery District
Industry Organization
Brian Lewis President & CEO, MEDEC
Jason Field President & CEO, Life Sciences Ontario
Julie Bryski Director, Talent Initiatives, Toronto Financial Services Alliance
Mark Patterson Executive Director, Magnet
Sandro Perruzza Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
Not-for-Profit Organization
Eugenia Duodu Chief Executive Officer, Visions of Science Network for Learning
Francis Jeffers Founder & Executive Director, Canadian Multicultural Inventors Museum
Mahadeo Sukhai Director of Research, National Educational Association of Disabled Students
Michael Bach Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion
Ruby Latif Research Associate, Diversity Institute
Sajedeh Zahraei Senior Manager, Professional Development and Training, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
Tasha Smith Student Success Teacher, Aboriginal Education Centre, Toronto District School Board
Vandana Juneja Senior Director, Catalyst, Canada
Government
Akosua Alagaratnam Policy Advisor, Ministry of Children & Youth Services
Andi Argast Policy Advisor, Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science
Brian Timney Executive Director, Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance
David Bartucci Manager, Highly Skilled Workforce Division, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development
Jennifer Targonsky Senior HR Consultant, Diversity & Next Generation Programs, City of Toronto
Jessica Norup Director of Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council Liaison, Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada
Shirley Kendrick Director, Curriculum & Assessment Policy Branch, Ministry of Education
Company
Alix Edmiston Digital PR Consultant, Red Hat Canada
Jacqueline Silvera Senior Manager, Diversity and Mediation Services, University Health Network
Kelly Smyth Director for Talent, Learning & Development, Cisco Canada
Luc Villeneuve General Manager, Red Hat Canada
Nita Arora Regional Head, Country Clinical Operations, Roche, North America
Ronnie Persad Manager of Application and Solution Architecture in the Information Technology Services Department, Toronto Transit Commission
Safdar Abidi Principal, Higher Education, Perkins+Will
18 | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity in STEM: Forging Paths to Enhanced Innovation
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity in STEM: Forging Paths to Enhanced Innovation | 19
Appendix 2
1. Diversity as a spark to
innovation - the opportunity and its value to you
1a: Assume that diversity is an opportunity for driving innovation, how does diversity in STEM add value to your organization?
1b: Is/has the diversity value been significant enough for your organization to implement policies / approaches to capture the diversity value proposition? and what is an example of it?
2. What can be done to capture
the diversity opportunity
2a: What does it mean for your organization, when you imagine capturing the diversity opportunity in STEM ?
2b: What do you see as enabling factors in your organization(s) to pursue the diversity goal?
2c: What do you see as limiting factors or barriers in your organization(s) to pursue the diversity goal?
3. Best practices for
promoting diversity in other
countries
3a: What do you think of the approaches shared? Do you see them as feasible to implement in Ontario? Would your organization participate/support such initiatives?
3b: What are one or two initiatives your organization has undertaken or would think are good initiatives to pursue to capture the diversity opportunity in STEM that are useful to share with others?
4. How to acquire a Corporate Social Responsibility-type mindset towards accountability for diversity in STEM
4a: How to hold organizations accountable for implementing diversity initiatives in their organizations?
4b: What mechanisms should be implemented to make the organizations accountable to implement diversity initiatives?
4c: What are the consequences if goals are not met?
Appendix 2. Roundtable Discussion Questions Resources:
References shared during the roundtable session
1. Achieving Diversity in STEM, Advancing Innovation, Canadian Science Policy Center: Diversity in Science, 2016: https://imogencoe.blog.ryerson.ca/events/cspc-diversity-in-science/ (Accessed on March1.2017) - goo.gl/5L5Do4
2. Collaboration for Team Science, A Field Guide by NIH, 2010 https://ccrod.cancer.gov/confluence/download/attachments/47284665/TeamScience_FieldGuide.pdf?- goo.gl/Shx1g5
3. Dads for Daughters in STEM Campaign Overview, Canada, 2004, http://www.firstroboticscanada.org/dadsfordaughtersinstem/ - goo.gl/rj8hQB
4. David Onley: An Interview with David Onley: On Leadership, Inclusivity, and Re-conceptualization, 2012, Disability Studies, Vol.12,No.3, http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/3276, accessed on Aug 8, 2017 - goo.gl/KhnnDR
5. Defining a New Culture: Creative Examination of Essential Requirements in Academic Disciplines and Graduate Programs (Discussion paper essential requirements, co-authored by Mahadeo Sukhai), 2014, http://cags.ca/documents/publications/3rdparty/Discussion - goo.gl/kWfhY4
6. Mentoring in Academic Medicine: Office for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Partnership (Sharon Strauss), 2010, J Gen Intern Med 25, 72–78,.https://mfdp.med.harvard.edu/mentoringinacademicmedicine , accessed on July 8, 2017- goo.gl/jeZrJG
7. Perceptions and Experiences of the Workplace among Canadian Computer Science and Engineering Students -A Gender Analysis (Elizabeth Croft), 2012, https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/handle/10214/3520, accessed on July 8, 2017 - goo.gl/qcQ59x
8. Seven Actionable Strategies for Advancing Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Cell Stem Cell, Volume 16, Issue 3, p221–224, 5 March 2015 - DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2015.02.012
9. Time for a National Strategy on Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity in STEM in Canada 2017: https://imogencoe.blog.ryerson.ca/blog-posts/time-for-a-national-strategy-on-equity-diversity- and-inclusivity-in-stem-in-canada/ (Accessed on March1.2017)
Best practices from other countries
Relevant reports
1. Athena SWAN charter, UK, http://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charters/athena-swan/ accessed on June 5, 2017 - goo.gl/effnsR
2. Male Champions of Change, Australia, http://malechampionsofchange.com/ accessed on Aug 8, 2017- goo.gl/xHBBY2
3. SAGE: Science in Australia Gender Equity, https://www.sciencegenderequity.org.au/science-in-australia-gender-equity-sage-pilot-2015/ accessed on June 5, 2017- goo.gl/shWEYd
4. UC Davis ADVANCE, USA, http://ucd-advance.ucdavis.edu/ accessed on Aug 10, 2017- goo.gl/gCxQhj
5. WISE campaign, UK, https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/ accessed on June 5, 2017- goo.gl/yraxrs
1. Gender in the Global Research Landscape, 2017, https://www.elsevier.com/research-intelligence/resource-library/gender-report - goo.gl/9wK2mY
2. STEM 2026: A vision for innovation in STEM Education , 2016, goo.gl/ZtBaPi https://innovation.ed.gov/files/2016/09/AIR-STEM2026_Report_2016.pdf
3. Through both eyes, the case for a gender lens in STEM, 2015, -SCIENCE-GRRL -Stem-Report_FINAL_WEBLINKS-1.pdf- goo.gl/U4Bqkw
4. The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in Canada, Report-McKinsey Global Institute, June 2017, http://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/gender-equality/the-power-of-parity-advancing-womens-equality-in-canada - goo.gl/frjEFd
