Diversity Efforts Research Articles

CS=Me: Exploring Factors that Shape Black Women's CS Identity at the Intersections of Race and Gender

Improving equity and inclusion for underrepresented groups in the field of Computer Science (CS) has garnered much attention. In particular, there is a long-standing need for diversity efforts that center on the experiences of Black women, and specific actions to increase their representation—especially given the biases that they often encounter in the field. There is limited research concerning Black women in CS, specifically their conceptions of the field and their overarching CS identity development. More research in this area is especially important given the marginalization that Black women often experience at the intersections of their race and gender. Guided by a combination of critical theoretical lenses, this qualitative study examines Black women's conceptions of what it means to be a computer scientist and the degree to which those conceptions map onto how they see themselves in the field. Moreover, we explore experiences that help to bolster Black women's CS identity. The findings highlight key aspects of what it means to be a computer scientist for the Black women in this study—notably the ability to use computing to make societal contributions. Also, the results accentuate key nuances in the participants’ personal CS identification, particularly as it relates to the resilience required to overcome unique barriers that many Black women encounter when engaging within the field. Moreover, the findings highlight the importance of social support systems to facilitate Black women's CS identity development. Implications for policy and practice within education and industry are discussed.

“Y’all Don’t Hear Me Though”: Insight on Culturally Responsive Teaching from Scholarship on African American Language

While culturally responsive teaching is widely acknowledged as essential to student success, a lack of consistency in what it is called, what it looks like, and how to enact it can present a challenge for educators. Further, the trend toward political polarization has spread fear and misunderstanding of critical race theory and is now taking aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in education and society, including culturally responsive teaching. Thus, it behooves scholars and educators to assert unequivocally that culturally responsive teaching is not an approach that silences or condemns any group of students’ cultural knowledge, beliefs, or perspectives, be they mainstream or underrepresented. Rather, one essential component across multiple nuanced definitions of culturally responsive teaching is a focus on identifying and leveraging all students’ cultural strengths in service of learning. One well-established cultural asset of many African American students, who consistently experience inequitable outcomes in U.S. schools, is their language. As African American Language (AAL) has been identified as the most widely studied language variety in the world, the body of scholarship identifying and exploring its strengths is rich and robust. Using the framework of Foster et al.’s Heuristic for Thinking about Culturally Responsive Teaching (HiTCRiT), this review explores scholarship on the use of AAL in three spheres—everyday discourse, literature and expository texts, and popular media—to illustrate both the challenges and potential of enacting asset-focused pedagogies by leveraging a broad and diverse variety of texts.

Why We Can't Afford to Turn Our Backs on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Three years after the murder of George Floyd, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in the fight to advance equity and systemic change towards racial justice in the US. The Supreme Court's decision last year on affirmative action dealt a significant blow to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts, with thousands of EDI executives leaving or losing their jobs (Chen & Weber, 2023).

Women in leadership matters: Achieving diversity in radiology residency recruitment

Rationale and objectivesTo assess whether academic radiology departments and residency programs with efforts toward supporting and augmenting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are associated with a higher proportion of residents from diverse backgrounds. Materials and methodsProgram Directors within the Radiology Residency Education Research Alliance were surveyed to gather information about program characteristics, incorporation of diversity in resident recruitment, the sponsoring department's commitment to efforts at expanding diversity, and a summary of their current and past residents, staff and faculty members (academic years 2020 and 2023) with respect to a list of diversity characteristics. ResultsSurvey response rate was 51 %. Sixty-three percent (15/24) of participating programs have departmental committees dedicated to DEI work; 46 % (11/24) of programs' departments have a Vice Chair for DEI. Sixty percent (15/24) of programs use their social media accounts to advertise their DEI programming efforts. Ninety-six percent (23/24) of programs participating in the survey use diversity factors to select candidates for their program. Women Leadership was associated with above-median diversity of residents and faculty. ConclusionThis study of radiology residency programs encourages a more prominent role for women in leadership positions within academic radiology departments to drive diversity and inclusion efforts.

Linking education and practice gaps for inclusive architecture in the AEC industry

PurposeThis study explores the opportunities for a gender-inclusive architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, focussing on the gap between architectural education and practice. This study focusses on three research questions: (1) What factors influence women architects' career retention and advancement in the AEC industry? How can practice outcomes be linked with educational approaches for gender inclusion in the AEC industry? (3) What critical factors can enable structural changes in architecture education, including AEC-related subjects and practice/career pathways towards gender equity?Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a systematic literature review (SLR). The established timeframe for selecting papers in this study considered the last 20 years, as various seminal studies in feminism and gender inclusion in architecture emerged in the early 2000s through the definition of keywords used in two prestigious databases. The academic articles selected were filtered through a process of inclusion and exclusion, following criteria for suitability and relevance using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) diagram.FindingsThis study revealed key trends in the literature review consistent with the research questions, including (1) the disproportionate struggles women face at individual, interpersonal and organisational levels and the gender-based bias from entry and progression in the AEC industry that also requires multi-level interventions; (2) traditional architecture education affects female students and educators who find networking, social capital and leadership opportunities to challenge gender-based stereotypes and promote workplace equity, and finally, (3) observe enablers for fostering equity in architecture and education, which should not be limited to policy-driven interventions but structural transformations through transparency, mentorship, leadership, awareness raising and empowerment of women and men, promoting inclusivity and gender equity in the AEC industry.Research limitations/implicationsThis study considers a global understanding of gender equity in the AEC industry, regional and country-specific analysis needs to be considered in future studies. The study's focus is on women’s inclusion, acknowledging the limitations of conventional binary gender concepts; future studies need to include the experiences of LGBTI + communities and other underrepresented groups. The literature review considers only academic articles; future research should also consider industry reports, government initiatives and organisational documents for a broader understanding of diversity efforts in business.Originality/valueThis paper observes the issues for gender-inclusive architecture within the context of a male-dominant AEC industry through linking architectural education and practice. Studies rarely focus on this link and address workplace issues. This study highlights this link and extends the discussion through the critical literature review, providing a new ground for geographic-specific or intersectional studies.

Building an Equity-Centered Ecosystem: University of Utah Health as a Microcosm.

Academic medicine, and medicine in general, are less diverse than the general patient population. Family Medicine, while still lagging behind the general population, has the most diversity in leadership and in the specialty in general, and continues to lead in this effort, with 16.7% of chairs identifying as underrepresented in medicine. Historical and current systematic marginalization of Black or African American, Latina/e/o/x, Hispanic or of Spanish Origin (LHS), American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Southeast Asian individuals has created severe underrepresentation within health sciences professions. Over the last 30years, the percentage of faculty from these groups has increased from 7 to 9% in allopathic academic medicine, with similar increases in Osteopathic Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy, but all lag behind age-adjusted population means. Traditionally, diversity efforts have focused on increasing pathway programs to address this widening disparity. While pathway programs are a good start, they are only a portion of what is needed to create lasting change in the diversity of the medical profession as well as the career trajectory and success of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) health professionals toward self-actualization and positions of leadership. This article elucidates all parts of an ecosystem necessary to ensure that equity, diversity, and inclusion outcomes can improve.

Name Bias: Application Through the 4-Step Process Using Foundations of Critical Theory in Organizational Settings

The phenomenon of name bias in the workplace has received scholarly attention, particularly within organizational dynamics, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The article aims to identify the ramifications of name bias within organizational structures and how to mitigate it using the foundations of critical theory. The article provides a comprehensive overview of name perception within organizational settings, mainly focusing on the potential biases leading to unintentional or deliberate favoring of individuals in hiring decisions or discrimination based solely on their names. This research highlights the detrimental impact of name bias on organizational dynamics, proving that it hinders progress toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace culture. The article conducts a literature review of articles in peer-reviewed journals selected from such academic resources as ABI/INFORM Collection, Business Source Complete (EBSCO Host), Google Scholar, JSTOR and ProQuest Research Library using the keywords “critical theory”, “diversity”, “equity”, “inclusivity” and “name bias”. Application of critical theory in the hiring process empowers organizations to deconstruct systemic biases, fostering a fairer, more inclusive environment for all candidates. This approach enables scrutiny of neutrality of hiring practices, exposing how seemingly objective criteria can obscure underlying biases rooted in race. Moreover, it unveils the social and cultural significance embedded in names, often intertwined with stereotypes and power dynamics. Organizations are advised to implement a four-step process: 1) raising awareness among staff involved in the hiring process about unconscious bias, including name bias, and its impact on decision-making, and the historical and social context of bias; 2) anonymous screening which is the blind recruitment practice, particularly in the initial stages of the hiring process, which involves removing personal information such as names from resumes to minimize unconscious name bias; 3) diverse hiring panels that include individuals from various racial backgrounds and give voices to marginalized groups. This can help reduce the impact of individual biases and promote a more inclusive decision-making process; 4) clear and standardized criteria for evaluating candidates to ensure that assessments are based on relevant skills, qualifications, and experience rather than subjective judgements influenced by names. The use of inclusive language in job descriptions and communications is needed to avoid terms that may be associated with certain demographic groups. The research findings can serve as a valuable resource for organizations looking for solutions to mitigate the phenomenon of name bias.

Trends in Docent Practice

ABSTRACT In recent years, the role of the professionally trained volunteer docent has taken many twists and turns. Guided by institutional strategies and missions, docent programs have flexed, shifted, and altered to meet institutional needs. This article provides an overview of recent trends and practices presented at the National Docent Symposium Council’s biennial meetings. It includes examples of changing trends in recruitment, training, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The State of Supplier Diversity Initiatives by Large Corporations: The New Sustainable Supply Chain?

We describe the state of supplier diversity efforts by large corporations from an international perspective. We examine data for the companies in the 2020 and 2022 Fortune Global 500 and find that corporate definitions of diversity are dynamic and vary across regions. Furthermore, while supplier diversity efforts are not yet widespread, these initiatives are increasingly common, especially in the form of references to diversity in companies’ supplier codes of conduct. Companies in North America and in certain economic sectors, such as the financial and healthcare sectors, are more likely to have such efforts in place. Based on our data, companies that report on their internal diversity and companies that have other forms of supplier sustainability initiatives are also more likely to have supplier diversity initiatives. We argue further that supplier diversity efforts will follow a trajectory similar to other supplier sustainability efforts. Finally, we suggest possible avenues for future research on supplier diversity.

238 Equity Considerations and Impacts when Implementing Remote Technologies

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The Institute of Translational Health Science (ITHS) Remote Technologies for Research Reference Center (REMOTECH) aims to support researchers using remote technologies. Understanding barriers specifically for engagement of diverse populations is critical to improve equitable access and increase diverse participation in research. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We conducted semi-structured interviews with researchers (N=30) within the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) region, identified through participation in a previous survey as well as those known to have previously implemented remote technologies at ITHS institutions. We solicited specific concerns regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) related to remote research participant recruitment, retention, and implementation, as well as outcomes and potential solutions. Interview transcripts were coded, summarized, and emerging themes were identified. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The pandemic necessitated a shift to the use of remote research engagement strategies. Our interview findings show that researchers have a desire to: increase diversity through remote engagement options; decrease participant burden; and understand and include strategies that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts. While geographic diversity was positively impacted by the use of remote technologies, significant barriers and challenges currently exist in the use of remote technologies with respect to other types of diversity, for example access to technologies and limited financial resources. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Remote technologies in research could increase diversity, but interviewees shared barriers and challenges that prevent that from happening. Researchers would benefit from equity-oriented digital literacy resources to use with diverse populations. Such tools can also be used to guide study design/procedures, materials, and processes.

Equity and access in higher education: Legal perspectives and management strategies

Ensuring equity and access in higher education has become a paramount concern for institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders worldwide. This review delves into the legal frameworks and management strategies essential for promoting equity and access within higher education systems. Firstly, legal perspectives provide a foundation for understanding the rights and responsibilities of both institutions and students. Various laws and regulations, including affirmative action policies, anti-discrimination statutes, and accessibility mandates, shape the legal landscape of higher education equity. Analyzing landmark court cases and legislative acts elucidates the evolving nature of these legal frameworks and their implications for fostering inclusive environments. Secondly, effective management strategies play a pivotal role in translating legal mandates into actionable initiatives. Institutional leaders must prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across all facets of academic and administrative operations. Implementing proactive recruitment and retention practices, establishing support services for underrepresented groups, and fostering a culture of inclusivity are among the key strategies employed to enhance accessibility and promote equity. Moreover, leveraging technology and data analytics can facilitate evidence-based decision-making and resource allocation, thereby addressing disparities in educational outcomes. Collaborative partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and industry stakeholders also amplify the impact of equity initiatives and expand access to higher education opportunities. Navigating the complex intersection of legal requirements and management imperatives is essential for advancing equity and access in higher education. By embracing a holistic approach that combines legal compliance with strategic planning and proactive interventions, institutions can foster environments where all individuals have equitable opportunities to succeed and thrive academically.

Bias Reduction Practices in Underrepresented Groups in Ophthalmology Resident Recruitment

Best recruitment practices for increasing diversity are well established, but the adoption and impact of these practices in ophthalmology residency recruitment are unknown. To describe the adoption of bias reduction practices in groups underrepresented in ophthalmology (URiO) residency recruitment and determine which practices are effective for increasing URiO residents. This cross-sectional survey study used an 18-item questionnaire included in the online survey of the Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology (AUPO) Residency Program Directors. Data collection occurred from July 2022 to December 2022. The data were initially analyzed on January 16, 2023. Participants included residency program directors (PDs) in the AUPO PD listserv database. Descriptive analysis of resident selection committee approaches, evaluation of applicant traits, and use of bias reduction tools. Primary outcome was diversity assessed by presence of at least 1 resident in the last 5 classes who identified as URiO, including those underrepresented in medicine (URiM), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual plus, or another disadvantaged background (eg, low socioeconomic status). Multivariate analyses of recruitment practices were conducted to determine which practices were associated with increased URiO and URiM. Among 106 PDs, 65 completed the survey (61.3%). Thirty-nine PDs used an interview rubric (60.0%), 28 used interview standardization (43.0%), 56 provided at least 1 bias reduction tool to their selection committee (86.2%), and 44 used postinterview metrics to assess diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (67.7%). Application filters, interview standardization, and postinterview metrics were not associated with increased URiO. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed larger residency class (odds ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.09-1.65; P = .01) and use of multiple selection committee bias reduction tools (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.13-1.92; P = .01) were positively associated with increased URiO, whereas use of interview rubrics (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.87; P = .001) and placing higher importance of applicant interest in a program (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.92; P = .02) were negatively associated. URiM analyses showed similar associations. Ophthalmology residency interviews are variably standardized. In this study, providing multiple bias reduction tools to selection committees was associated with increased URiO and URiM residents. Prioritizing applicant interest in a program may reduce resident diversity. Interview rubrics, while intended to reduce bias, may inadvertently increase inequity.

Carrying the Weight of Campus Change: The Role of Student Equity Leaders in Community College

ABSTRACT This article uses in-depth interviews to explore the experiences of four community college administrators leading policy efforts to advance racial justice efforts. Through a critical organizational lens, we document the unacknowledged labor associated with being the central figure driving institutional equity efforts and the primary person on campus responsible for overseeing and carrying out racialized organizational change. Our analysis yielded two themes: Feelings of taxation, isolation, and being burned out and the difficulty of navigating spaces of resistance to improve racial equity. The findings from this work have implications for policy and practice related to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, reframing community college leadership, and understanding racialized organizational change.

Democratizing Law Librarianship: Reducing Barriers to Entry through Alternative Pathways to the Profession and Increased Support to Students. A Call to Action

Law librarianship is a constantly evolving profession driven by the evolution of law practice, legal education, government, and law itself. Changes in these drivers are in turn influenced by factors such as technology, culture, client needs, American Bar Association Standards, bar exams, diversity and access efforts, faculty research, instructional trends, and law school rankings. Law librarians proudly keep up with these changes—and even stay ahead of them—as we impart new knowledge and skills to users of law libraries and legal information resources. As we proceed through the third decade of the twenty-first century, the legal information profession is engaged in dialogue about the perpetually shrinking pools of qualified candidates for law librarian positions. Additionally, law librarians have been lamenting for decades that the legal information profession does not accurately reflect the diversity in our communities. The literature reflects that those conversations began in earnest in the 1970s and continue today. This article addresses both compelling issues and offers concrete strategies to tackle them simultaneously, thoughtfully, and intentionally. The entire profession is invited to play a role in this effort.

Collaborative Multiple Players to Address Label Sparsity in Quality Prediction of Batch Processes.

For decades, soft sensors have been extensively renowned for their efficiency in real-time tracking of expensive variables for advanced process control. However, despite the diverse efforts lavished on enhancing their models, the issue of label sparsity when modeling the soft sensors has always posed challenges across various processes. In this paper, a fledgling technique, called co-training, is studied for leveraging only a small ratio of labeled data, to hone and formulate a more advantageous framework in soft sensor modeling. Dissimilar to the conventional routine where only two players are employed, we investigate the efficient number of players in batch processes, making a multiple-player learning scheme to assuage the sparsity issue. Meanwhile, a sliding window spanning across both time and batch direction is used to aggregate the samples for prediction, and account for the unique 2D correlations among the general batch process data. Altogether, the forged framework can outperform the other prevalent methods, especially when the ratio of unlabeled data is climbing up, and two case studies are showcased to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Representing the Underrepresented

In recent years, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has bolstered its diversity efforts, and in 2021 they announced a new equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) plan to be implemented through 2025, designed to better serve underrepresented groups in Canadian media. Throughout the past decade, CBC has made multiple efforts to increase EDI practices throughout its organization. However, scholarship has identified the limitations of previous policies in making a meaningful impact, and research documenting the underrepresentation of diverse groups in Canadian news media is almost non-existent. The objective of this study is to acquire a deeper understanding of how CBC News programming reflects Canada’s current cultural diversity by studying how diverse groups are represented in CBC News programming. To measure this, a two-week content analysis of written and televised CBC News was conducted, which explored and categorized emergent themes in the representation of diverse Canadians and the journalists who cover diverse stories. The data revealed CBC's extensive coverage of Indigenous communities and a commitment to empowering diverse journalists with the opportunity to tell such stories about the communities to which they belong. To further investigate the latter phenomenon, a discourse analysis of diverse stories written by self-identifying journalists was conducted. This section highlighted how self-identifying journalists incorporate personal experience to tell more impactful stories about the communities they identify with. Finally, this report illuminates potential oversights in CBC’s coverage of underrepresented groups in news media. This report encourages CBC to conduct an internal organizational review to evaluate how they can improve news coverage of underrepresented groups before the conclusion of their current EDI plan in 2026, suggesting the continued empowerment of self-identifying journalists and including more diverse perspectives into the newsfeed as potential solutions.

Diversity Management Strategies: Perspectives from Multinational Corporation

This study aims to investigate diversity management strategies within Multinational Corporations (MNCs). Through in-depth interviews and analysis, study examines the strategies utilized by MNC to promote diversity and inclusion in their workplaces. The research identifies key themes and challenges encountered in implementing diversity initiatives, shedding light on the nuanced strategies utilized by corporations to navigate cultural, demographic, and organizational complexities. The finding emphasize the importance of customized diversity initiatives that are in tune with local contexts while also aligning with global corporate goals. Additionally, the study underscores the pivotal role of leadership commitment, organizational culture, and employee engagement in driving effective diversity management practices. In conclusion, this study enriches the comprehension of diversity management within MNCs, providing valuable insights for both practitioners and scholars to improve diversity efforts and cultivate inclusive work environments.

Capacitating Pedagogy to Inclusive Excellence through Bienvivance for Zero Waste of Human Resources: European Case Studies during the Lockdown on Vocational Education and Training

The lockdown during the pandemic questioned the learning and working conditions but underlined crucially the teaching pedagogy and new essential teachers’ roles and competencies, and on the whole, the operational framework of education for quality of education for all. The research was carried out through a European Project and gathered at training centers in two countries focusing on learning and pedagogical issues during the lockdown through focus group discussion methodology and labels analysis. If planning, material resources, and health issues came out as relevant difficulty categories, the findings underlined collaborative projects and capacitating pedagogy as efficient and helpful. The findings also questioned the quality-of-life framework at school and the teaching pedagogy and new teachers’ roles as competencies to cope with such a situation to support transformative learning. The outcomes suggested a positive operational framework, the innovative bienvivance paradigm, derived from medical methodology, which can help school organizations by inner development for outer changes to integrate diversity, equity, and educational quality efforts into their missions. It aims at serving inclusive excellence toward human resource sustainability and zero waste of human resources. It can be seen as an effective framework for quality and equity in education. It supports the UN and UNESCO recommendations and the psycho-socio-economic optimization of human resource issues, which are crucial in these human resource mobility and migrations waves, and broadly copes with global changes.

Beyond Homes Around a Mosque: Muslim-Led Community Development in a Major U.S. City

This paper examines Dream of Detroit (DREAM), a Muslim-led community development initiative, and its impact on Muslim community-building and Detroit's Dexter-Linwood neighborhood. DREAM addresses housing, economic development, sustainability, and cultural preservation. Born from diverse community efforts, it aims to combat housing insecurity, blight, poverty, and racial disparities.
 DREAM has successfully renovated vacant homes, engaged local youth, and empowered residents to shape their community's future. While facing funding challenges and gentrification risks, DREAM's commitment to equity, inclusion, and partnerships positions it as a model for sustainable community development rooted in Islamic values.
 This case study showcases the power of faith-inspired, community-driven approaches and comprehensive strategies in revitalizing marginalized neighborhoods. It offers insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers seeking effective community development models in diverse urban settings.

Abstract P109: HDL Cholesterol Confers Exceptionally Strong Cardioprotective and Metabolic Effects in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Populations

Relative to the general population, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities are significantly more prone to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Our population-based longitudinal study focuses on HDL cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk among NHPI and other (comparison) populations. Given the importance of health disparities in cardiovascular disease among the people of Hawai'i, this study holds considerable importance for establishing more diverse, equitable, and inclusive healthcare and precision medicine approaches. Specifically, we communicate a novel data-driven finding, revealed from a statistical and machine learning analysis of epidemiological data from the NIH All of Us Research Program, showing that the cardioprotective effect of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is significantly stronger in NHPI populations relative to other racial/ethnic demographics (including White, Black, and Hispanic/Latinx communities). Our results indicate that: 1) the cardioprotective effect of HDL against coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardial infarction (MI), and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), is much more powerful in NHPI populations compared to any other racial/ethnic groups currently represented in All of Us . 2) HDL has an exceptionally strong negative relationship with Type II diabetes (T2D) incidence in NHPI populations, which is also significantly stronger than in other ethnicities. In NHPI populations, these results suggest that an additional emphasis ought to be placed on the cardiac and metabolic-protective effect of HDL level as a key biomarker/risk factor in physicians’ assessment of cardiometabolic disease risk. These cardiovascular health equity findings highlight the importance of more and improved diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to adequately serve growing subpopulations of historically underrepresented groups such as NHPIs within the US healthcare system.