Collaborative Research: Design: Strengthening Inclusion by Change in Building Equity, Diversity and Understanding (SICBEDU) in Integrative Biology

While scientific societies have tried to increase diversity through several outreach mechanisms, it has become abundantly clear that systemic changes that impact culture are required to effect true change within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will develop how the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), a professional scientific society that is inherently integrative and focused on early career scientists, can lead the way in such transformative cultural changes. To be effective in advancing the pursuit and dissemination of relevant and timely biological knowledge to the public, membership demographics in SICB should reflect that of society. The goal of SICB’s Strengthening Inclusion by Change in Building Equity, Diversity and Understanding (SICBEDU) program is to create a more welcoming and inclusive scientific society that will more organically grow the number of URGs within the membership of the society, helping to enhance their career opportunities as future researchers within SICB disciplines. SICB’s Broadening Participation (BP) Committee has laid the necessary foundation for the success of this culture changing SICBEDU effort. A preponderance of literature suggests that until URGs feel truly included and validated as scientists these increases in diversity are unlikely to lead to true cultural change within STEM fields. SICBEDU plans to build a SICB IDEA community by providing Inclusive, Diversity, Equity, and Acceptance (IDEA) training to the executive committee, which includes division chairs, creating a leadership that engages the society's membership in developing a more equitable and inclusive scientific home for each member, especially those that are traditionally underrepresented. The proposed activities will train leadership such that they become role models for members and provide the necessary tools to implement IDEA. Additionally, SICBEDU will provide development activities centered around IDEA to enable future participation in leadership roles and build community within the society. SICBEDU further educates and guides current members by providing IDEA-based workshops plus important community-building activities. Workshops and integrative activities will be aimed at promoting dialogue among SICB members about the benefits of having a diverse society and working together to build a welcoming and inclusive community of integrative and comparative biologists. SICBEDU activities are invested in training scientists in pioneering ways that will enable future STEM scholars to lead the charge for integrating IDEA into this field of science. The short-term goal is to increase the IDEA knowledge base and support in the society by 10% a year, while the long-term goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive space that allows for creativity, sharing/exchanging ideas, and addresses difficult solutions in STEM amongst the diverse membership. SICBEDU activities provide an avenue that acknowledges complex societal problems and utilizes diverse opinions from different backgrounds to find innovative solutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.