Shaping scientific knowledge is dependent on the communities that create it; scientific community, culture society and should I dare mention citizens. While science communities claim that the process is esoteric, social movements question whether all forms of knowledge are represented in the scientific process, and whether greater involvement of under-represented groups needs to be taken into account. Several studies have shown the importance of having diversity of ideas and how people think – which sets the scene for a more successful culture of innovation and discovery.

Individuals are not classified by one factor but by various characteristics such as cultural, structural, and economic. The concept of intersectionality, in fact, addresses the various dimensions of identity and social systems such as race and gender at the intersection of these variables. This definition has now expanded to include disability, sexual orientation, occupation and economic disadvantage.

Equitable participation in the scientific workforce is hindered by systemic barriers that prevent minority populations from even gaining entry to science or face discrimination, harassment, and challenges in the workplace forcing them out of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) entirely. A study conducted in 2021 in America highlighted that LGBTQ professionals are 30  per cent more likely to experience workplace harassment in comparison to those who do not identify as LGBTQ. People with disabilities rarely state their disability due to their fear of not receiving funds. In the US, women still represent a small percentage (28.4 per cent) of the workforce, and the disparity becomes greater when considering the specific domain they belong to.

Equitable participation in the scientific workforce is hindered by systemic barriers that prevent minority populations from gaining entry to science or face discrimination, harassment and challenges in the workplace forcing them out of STEM entirely

An intersectional approach can provide policymakers with an understanding of how, for example, women of colour are at a disadvantage as they face racist and sexist evaluators when applying for funding. This lens helps to view the problem with a multiple facets approach.

The question then is how we, as a society, can deconstruct implicit (subtle and unconscious) and explicit (blatant and conscious) bias.

An apparent institutional bias is the apparent disparity between female and male authors in publishing in academic journals. Another barrier is whether the researcher’s first language is English, resulting in marginalised groups experiencing lower paper submissions.

As individuals and institutions, even on a local scale, we have to look at our workplaces, committees and boards, and question whether there is truly a representation of different people. Having individuals from various backgrounds such as age, gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation is not simply equitable, but also promotes scientific progress.

Danielle Martine Farrugia is a PhD student, science communicator and lecturer.

Sound Bites

•       Intersectional inequalities in science: The following study analyses scientific papers to investigate the relationship between scientists and the science that they create. The paper finds that there is a strong relationship between the characteristics of scientists and their research topics. This indicates that diversity changes what science they decide to focus on which tends to limit minoritised individuals from career advancement. The paper suggests that science policies consider this relationship to improve equitable participation in the scientific workplace.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2113067119

•       A study that investigated the report cards collected when individual researchers applied for grants from a funding body were collected from 38 countries in North America and Europe. While the data showed that there have been improvements in representation of women in STEM, there are quite a number of institutions that have few women in senior positions or roles where women are speaking at scientific meetings. The researchers have also reported that there is a lack of policies that support women in science throughout their careers.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/671036

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Did You Know?

•       Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” around 28 years ago to help explain the oppression of African-American women.

•       Dr Mae Jemison was the first African-American woman astronaut to travel into space in 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

•       Geerat Vermeij is an evolutionary biologist who uses his acute sense of touch to study molluscs as he lost his sight during childhood.

•       Claire Halliday’s limited hearing has not kept her back from furthering her doctoral studies in investigating Leishmania parasites.

For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think.

Photo of the Week

Photo: Moritz Goretzki

Last weekend, Science in the Citadel 2023 transformed Gozo. The photo shows the Kids Dig Science event by the Malta Chamber of Scientists, in which actors Jeremy Grech and Sean Briffa held a puppet show to engage people with science. The festival targeted families and children who were invited to participate in various activities at the Citadel in a relaxing atmosphere. Festivals such as Science in the Citadel are vital to present science in an informal space and make it accessible to a larger cohort of society.