There are many ways to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research activities. Some faculty conduct research which is focused on disparities or underserved populations. All faculty can promote DEIB by creating inclusive research environments for the students, colleagues, and communities that they work with.
Below are examples of practices that promote DEIB, which you can consider implementing in your own research and creative activities.
Fostering inclusive research environments that promote equitable access and advancement
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Modeling, promoting and being accountable for inclusive, equitable, and respectful collaboration in your research environments.
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Mentoring and supporting the advancement and professional development of underrepresented students or postdocs.
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Ensuring that all research group members have equitable access to resources and opportunities.
Conducting research that is focused on disparities or that involves underserved communities
Research focused on disparities or underserved communities, or research that specifically involves underserved communities, provide opportunities to promote DEIB and to be appropriately recognized for doing so. Some examples include:
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Addressing inequalities (social, cultural, economic, or health) through research questions that are new for your discipline, and identifying underexplored topics pertaining to underserved communities, or ways to improve outcomes for these communities.
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Promoting equity and inclusion through your research in or with underserved communities.
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Conducting community-engaged research that involves partnerships with non-academic public agencies. BMAP has helpful suggestions about how to discuss and receive credit for this type of work.
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Using your networks to reach out to community-based groups or internationally-based research partners and inviting them to collaborate on your research, if appropriate, or to be coauthors if their assistance has been critical to your project. Bringing non-traditional partners into a US research culture takes time and negotiation. This work is often invisible, and in particular may not be obvious to reviewers such as your Chair or Dean. Consequently, describing those efforts in a self-evaluative statement can assist reviewers in recognizing this connective work as a DEIB contribution to inclusive excellence in your discipline.
- Discussing the effort needed and complexities encountered when working with underserved communities (e.g. low-income rural communities in the U.S. or internationally, people experiencing homelessness, or other vulnerable populations) or in physically challenging or data-scarce situations. A 2020 memo by the Academic Senate's Committee on Budget and Interdepartmental Relations recognizes facing and overcoming these challenges as “research contributions to DEI,” but your Chair or Dean may not be aware of the time, skills and effort needed to work specifically among underserved populations or in data-scarce circumstances. This is a classic example of DEI “invisibility.” Efforts of these kinds should be included in a self-evaluative statement so they can be appropriately recognized.