Citizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here's how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes

For a project on identifying lead water pipes in homes, outreach through partner groups produced a more representative set of volunteers.

Valerie Ann Johnson, Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities and Professor of Sociology, Shaw University • conversation
Dec. 6, 2023 • ~7 min

Female physicists aren't represented in the media – and this lack of representation hurts the physics field

The trailer for ‘Oppenheimer’ fails to include female physicists, which is indicative of a broader media trend that, if reversed, could lead to greater gender diversity in science.

Chandralekha Singh, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
July 12, 2023 • ~8 min

Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches flocking together benefit from a diversity bonus – so do other animals, including humans

Scientists are learning that diversity has many perks – whether in multispecies groups of animals or human society.

Todd M. Freeberg, Professor and Associate Head of Psychology, University of Tennessee • conversation
Feb. 7, 2023 • ~6 min

Updown girl: DNA research shows ancient Britain was more diverse than we imagined

People didn’t live in insulated communities when the Roman empire fell. Villagers buried people who migrated from far away as one of their own.

Duncan Sayer, Professor in Archaeology, University of Central Lancashire • conversation
Nov. 3, 2022 • ~8 min

Educators can help make STEM fields diverse – over 25 years, I've identified nudges that can encourage students to stay

Research shows underrepresented people in STEM studies thrive in learning environments that address their need to belong, feel competent and find meaning in their work.

Nilanjana Dasgupta, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, UMass Amherst • conversation
Sept. 12, 2022 • ~9 min

Yes, Black patients do want to help with medical research – here are ways to overcome the barriers that keep clinical trials from recruiting diverse populations

Overcoming the access barriers and biases that underrepresented and underserved communities face could not only improve research participation but also improve care.

RaKetra Snipes, Physician Assistant in Gastroenterology, Morehouse School of Medicine • conversation
Sept. 8, 2022 • ~9 min

Citizen science volunteers are almost entirely white

The homogeneity of citizen science volunteers undercuts the ability of these projects to bring science to underserved communities.

Caren Cooper, Associate Professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University • conversation
June 22, 2022 • ~5 min

The tech industry talks about boosting diversity, but research shows little improvement

Most tech sector firms are stuck in a low- inclusion rut, and a disturbing set of firms are moving backward. A handful of firms, however, demonstrate that diversity now is possible.

JooHee Han, Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology, University of Oslo • conversation
March 1, 2022 • ~7 min

Rising costs of climate change threaten to make skiing a less diverse, even more exclusive sport

As temperatures warm, ski and snowboard resorts are investing more in snowmaking and seeing their seasons shrink. Those costs roll down to customers in an already expensive sport.

Lance Warwick, Graduate student, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • conversation
Feb. 17, 2022 • ~8 min

Building machines that work for everyone – how diversity of test subjects is a technology blind spot, and what to do about it

It’s easy for researchers to fall back on using test subjects from the communities around them – students and employees. Branching out is key to avoiding technology that fails certain populations.

James Gibert, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University • conversation
Jan. 17, 2022 • ~9 min

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