Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) refers to the collection of initiatives and activities that aim to expand or facilitate the participation of members of underprivileged and underrepresented groups within companies, organizations and other entities. The need for D&I is particularly significant in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, where the representation levels of women and members of disadvantaged groups are particularly low. This underrepresentation has deleterious consequences for modern society, in which STEM disciplines fuel innovations at the heart of virtually every sector of the economy. Increasing the representation and inclusion of all groups can benefit society both by opening STEM career opportunities to broader segments of the population, and by ensuring that the fruits of innovative Research & Development activities are enjoyed equally by all members of society. Historically, D&I has been grounded primarily in qualitative methodologies, such the detection and remediation of unconscious bias, multicultural training, or creating opportunities to include members of underrepresented groups in educational, research, and other activities. More recently, a growing body of work is emerging that applies scientific research methodologies to D&I, including innovative ways of measuring and analyzing various aspects of D&I, identifying meaningful D&I initiatives, and tracking the impact of those initiatives. The annual Diversity and Inclusion Research Conference (DIRC) aims to recognize and disseminate these novel research activities, and to help establish D&I Research as a field of academic inquiry with significant potential for both basic and applied research.
The third annual DIRC event, DIRC20, is a virtual event that includes TED-style talks, panels, workshops, interactive activities and other D&I-related experiences to showcase the power of D&I Research as a tool to make society more inclusive and equitable. DIRC20 brings together researchers, practitioners, students, policymakers and others who either conduct D&I Research, or who face real-world problems related to D&I that can be addressed through D&I Research. DIRC20 purposefully creates connections between and among participants, to encourage the increased pursuit of basic academic research on D&I, to identify the opportunity for real-world applications of D&I Research, and to foster collaborations and partnerships that will increase participation across many sectors of the economy, ultimately driving society toward greater inclusion and equity.
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.
