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It's once again time for me to cast some link-love in the direction of the scientific bloghersphere. Science bloggers have been writing again about (the lack of widespread) diversity in science--and the popular perception that all scientists (and particularly science professors) are white men. Instead of providing you with my own disquisition on the subject, I'm going to provide an annotated list of some of the best recent posts I've found on the subject.
Inspired by President Obama's vow to "restore science to its rightful place," Seed Magazine and ScienceBlogs have launched the Rightful Place Project by asking readers how what they believe is the rightful place of science.
A few bloggers already have posted their answers.
Zuska writes,
If science belongs in the hands of the scientists - just whose hands are we talking about? Who is it that gets to do science? Some of us are concerned about whether or not scientists are being listened to. My concern is that once we are willing to listen, who is it that we are willing to listen to?
DNLee of Urban Science Adventures contributes a post on the rightful place of science in society and in the African American community more specifically. Her post deserves citing at length:
There has been a long and understandably uneasy relationship between the Black Community and Science. Being regarded as less-than-human by other groups has put many of our fore-parents in harm’s way. I could speak volumes on the unethical medical research and heartless medical providers, but “this is a new day”, as Obama declared. It is time to restore Science - the offspring Education and Intellectualism - to its rightful place in our community.
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Restoring science to its rightful place requires a dedication for us all to become scientifically literate – to understand science and use it to enhance our lives.
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I have personally witnessed the heartbreaking consequences of scientific illiteracy in our community, such as individuals deciding to forgo life-saving medical procedures, not following to doctors’ health advice, moving into environmentally hazardous buildings, and sharing false information about health or medical issues with others. Many of us have confused superstition as fact, and have paid the price. Moreover, many of social circles do not include scientists or doctors so we have no one to call when questions arise. Image how much better our lives would if science were a part of the decisions we made about our health, our children, and our environment?
The rightful place of science is in our day-to-day dialogue with friends and family. The rightful place of science is at our dinner table, happy hour gatherings, within the banter of men in barber shops and among the chatter of ladies in hair salons. Science rightfully belongs to us, the people. It is not some mysterious activity done by ‘others’. No, many of the greatest scientists of all time came from our community - Drs. Charles H. Turner*, Edward Bouchet*, George Washington Carver, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Mae Jemison, Ian Smith, Shirley Jackson, James Gates, Maydianne Andrade, and Shirley Malcolm. Science is our most handy tool in our arsenal against discrimination, poverty, socio-economic disparity and environmental injustice. The rightful place of science in our society and the African-American community is within us.
Be sure to check out DNLee's other recent posts on diversity in science, including It’s Black History Month! Celebrate Science and African-American Achievements, Discussing Diversity in Science - online and offline, Increasing Diversity in the Sciences with Mentorship and Conference Attendance, and Increasing Diversity in the Sciences.
On a related note, PhizzleDizzle takes a hard look at the lack of blacks in computer science.
Dr. Isis asks, "Donde Estan Los Latinos?" An excerpt:
I think that Latinos face most of the problems faced by other minorities in science. However, they also experience an additional level of discrimination that comes from being thought as both foreign and unwanted. Or, as I describe in my response, from being thought of as "not really American" and this is reinforced by the use of a different language. Immigration issues are hot in this country and, while I like to think of the ivory tower as particularly progressive, it's not quite as progressive as I'd like to see. I think that spoken Spanish highlights the cultural differences between people and forces some to reexamine preconceived notions of what the speakers of that language look like and what jobs they are qualified to do.
She also points to a number of Spanish-language science blogs.
