On sending trainees to conferences that lack gender balance
February 22, 2016
Neuroscientist Bita Moghaddam asked a very interesting question on Twitter but it didn’t get much discussion yet. I thought I’d raise it up for the blog audience.
My immediate thought was that we should first talk about the R13 Support for Scientific Conferences mechanism. These are often used to provide some funding for Gordon Research Conference meetings, for the smaller society meetings and even some very small local(ish) conferences. Examples from NIDA, NIMH, NIGMS. I say first because this would seem to be the very easy case.
NIH should absolutely keep a tight eye on gender distribution of the meetings supported by such grant awards.The FOA reads, in part:
Additionally, the Conference Plan should describe strategies for:
Involving the appropriate representation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the planning and implementation of, and participation in, the proposed conference.
Identifying and publicizing resources for child care and other types of family care at the conference site to allow individuals with family care responsibilities to attend.
so it is a no-brainer there, although as we know from other aspects of NIH the actual review can depart from the FOA. I don’t have any experience with these mechanisms personally so I can’t say how well this particular aspect is respected when it comes to awarding good (fundable) scores.
Obviously, I think any failure to address representation should be a huge demerit. Any failure to achieve representation at the same, or similar meeting (“The application should identify related conferences held on the subject during the past 3 years and describe how the proposed conference is similar to, and/or different from these.“), should also be a huge demerit.
At least as far as this FOA for this scientific conference support mechanism goes, the NIH would appear to be firmly behind the idea that scientific meetings should be diverse.
By extension, we can move on to the actual question from Professor Moghaddam. Should we use the additional power of travel funds to address diversity?
Of course, right off, I think of the ACNP annual meeting because it is hands down the least diverse meeting I have ever attended. By some significant margin. Perhaps not in gender representation but hey, let us not stand only on our pet issue of representation, eh?
As far as trainees go, I think heck no. If my trainee wants to go to any particular meeting because it will help her or him in their careers, I can’t say no just to advance my own agenda with respect to diversity. Like it or not, I can’t expect any of them to pay any sort of price for my tender sensibilities.
Myself? Maybe. But probably not. See the aforementioned ACNP. When I attend that meeting it is because I think it will be advantageous for me, my lab or my understanding of science. I may carp and complain to certain ears that may matter about representation at the ACNP, but I’m not going on strike about it.
Other, smaller meetings? Like a GRC? I don’t know. I really don’t.
I thank Professor Moghaddam for making me think about it though. This is the start of a ponder for me and I hope it is for you as well.
DrugMonkey 