CSPC 2018

Organized by: Fonds de recherche du Québec, Fanny Eugène

Progress has been slow in increasing diversity in the scientific community. A recent report from the Canadian Association of University Teachers shows that while the representation of women among university professors has improved over the past decade, they are still highly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and their proportion still decreases in all sectors as we move up the academic ranks. Indigenous peoples and some racialized groups are also underrepresented. This panel will present case studies that illustrate how we can improve policies to help increase equity, diversity and inclusion in science. It will bring together perspectives from a university, provincial and federal funding agencies, an international non-profit organization, as well as from the younger generation.

At the institution level, Ryerson University has shown great leadership by intentionally prioritizing equity and inclusion values, as the first university in Canada to create a vice-president post in charge of equity and community inclusion with the mandate of identifying and addressing systemic barriers. At the provincial level, the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation are currently working on UNESCO’s SAGA (STEM and Gender Advancement) project, which will help identify gaps and improve Québec’s science policies to improve gender equality in STEM. At the federal level, the three granting agencies, including the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat are currently putting in place equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plans to embed EDI in every aspect of the research they support. At the international level, the American Association for the Advancement of Science is currently conducting a pilot project called SEA (STEM Equality Advancement) Change, which encourages and recognizes institutions’ efforts toward equity, diversity and inclusion, through an award system based on the United Kingdom’s Athena SWAN model.

A student perspective will be included on this panel, as students can play an important role in shaping science policy, through initiatives such as #Students4theReport, a social media campaign that encouraged the Canadian government to follow recommendations from the Fundamental Science Review committee, including the development of policies aimed at improving equity and diversity in science.