“WeOnlyHiretheBest”

JohnW.HarrisPhysicsDepartment

YaleUniversity

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WhyAmIHere?

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WhyAmIHere?

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WhyAmIHere?

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My1st YaleUniversityFacultyMeeting

“WeOnlyHireandPromotetheBest!”BNL,8June2016 5

“WeHireandPromotetheBestScientists”• Whatdoyouthink?Isscienceameritocracy?

(Peoplesucceedbecauseofthemeritsoftheirwork&talentstheybringtoit?)– Clearlywestrivetobe! Butnotperfect!

• Mostpeoplefeelthatscienceisameritocracy!• Mostscientistsbelievethatthebestpersongetsthejob–thisisthedrivingforcebehindgettingthejob!– Searchcommittees“Wehireonqualityandnothingelse”– Drivingforcebehindallhires– “Thebestpersongetsthejob!”

• But,thisisnotthebestpolicy&setsupafalsedichotomybetweenqualityandthehiringofwomenandminorities.BNL,8June2016 6

AnotherPerspective

YaleFacultySenateReporton“Diversity&Inclusivity”http://fassenate.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Reports/FAS%20Senate%20-%202016-05-19%20-%20Diversity%20and%20InclusivityFINAL%20copy%202.pdf

Begsthequestion!

Whatdoesitmeantobethebest?

19recommendations!

“Wearenotthebestwecanbe!”

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1st FiveHigh-levelRecommendations

Yale(University,adminsitration,leaders)must:1. Becomeanacknowledgedleaderamongitspeersinfosteringdiversityin

curriculumandfacultycomposition….tomakeouruniversitycommunityamodelofinclusion.

2. EstablishspecificnumericalgoalsforhiringofURMfacultyandwomenfacultywhereunderrepresented….Allocatefundstomeetthesegoals.

3. Articulateacogentvisionfortheintellectualvalueofdiversity&inclusivityandaclearplanofaction.

4. Recognizethatinclusivityandclimate,curriculardiversity,creatingapipelineofdiversescholars,facultyrecruitment,andfacultyretentionareallinterrelated,policiestoimprovediversityandinclusivityshouldtakeasyncreticapproach.

5. Organizearegularreviewofdiversity&inclusivity tomonitorprogressmadeonstatedgoals.BNL,8June2016 8

AdditionalRecommendations

Includethefollowing:• Strivetowardatrulyinclusivediversitystrategy,whichrecognizesthatfaculty

diversitytakesmanydifferentforms.• Broadenstrategiesfordiscussingchallengesofdiversity&inclusivityrecognizing

thatimplicit/unconsciousbiasarekeyaspectsofanydiversitystrategy.• LeadersstriveforretentionofURM,minority,women,andother

underrepresentedfacultyandtofosteringamoreinclusiveclimateasmuchasispaid torecruitment.

• LeadershipshouldtakeseriouslytheshortcomingsinparentalpoliciesidentifiedintherecentYaleFacultySenatereport(March2016).

• Selectioncriteriaforleadersshouldalsoincludeatrack-recordoffosteringdiversityandamoreinclusiveclimate,andexcellentrecordofmentoringscholars.

• Promotion&tenuredecisionsshouldbecomposedwithaviewtointellectualdiversity.

• Createprestigious,competitive,namedpostdoctoralfellowshipstoincreasethepipelineofwomen,URM,andminorityscholarsandfosterevengreaterintellectualdiversity.BNL,8June2016 9

WhyCareaboutSocialDiversity?DiversityofGender,Color,Ethnicity,SexualOrientationDownsides:

– Canbedifficulttomakeprogressandcomplicatedtoaccomplish– Canleadinitiallytoanxieties,friction,conflict,lackoftrust,orcohesion

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WhyCareaboutSocialDiversity?• Scientificintegrityandfairnessimperative!• Diversityimprovesthequalityofagroup,team,experiment,department,institution!– Extendscandidateselectionpool– Bringstogetherdifferingviews – opinions,experiences,information,approaches

– Enhancescreativity(encouragesnewviews,differentapproaches)

– Qualityofeducation/trainingcorrelatedwithdiversityofgroup

– Providesstudents/youngscientistswithrolemodelstheyworkwithandcanaspireto

CourtesyNYTimes

BNL,8June2016 11K.Phillips etal,PSPB,Vol.35No.3,March2009336-350

WhyCareaboutSocialDiversity?• Exposuretodiversityprovokespersonal&groupthinking

• Comments/criticismfromotherswhodonotlooklikeusaretakenmoreseriously!• Improvedproblem-solvingperformanceforheterogeneous(experience,age,gender,race)vshomogeneousgroups• Inagroupwithdifferentperspectives

– peoplerecognizethereareotherviews– changesgroupbehavior&expectations– understandeachother’sviews&reachconsensussooner

• So,peopleworkharderindiversegroupsbothsocially (moreinformationflow)andcognitively – criticalthinking,teamwork• Theseimprove overallqualityofeducation,training,&science

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Improvescreativity,problemsolving,abilitytodefenddecisions

WhyDoWeNeedDiversity?

• Nationally– Maintainexcellenceandcompetitiveness– Forcompetitiveness:Accesstobestscientists&largecandidatepool,ratherthanalimitedone.(Whitemalesmakeuponly38%offacultiesinUS,whiletheydominatefaculties&scientists.)

– Equity,equalopportunity,fairness,Title7and9(it’sthelaw!)– Poolnarrowsatthetop!Many&complexreasons,glassceilings!

• Aproblemifwedonottakeadvantageofabilities&trainingofalltoimprovequalityofscienceintheUS!

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WhatCanWeDotoImproveDiversity?

• Soifwetrainmorewomen/URMs,resolvetheissue?(?)– Trainingalonedoesnotsolvelackofdiversityproblem• IncreaseinSTEMstudentsstarted20yearsago• Losethemathigherlevels

– Examplenow50%ofbiologyPhDsarefemale,butleadership/grantsstillpredominantlywhitemales

• Women&URMshaveachoice,oftenleavescienceafterPhD

– Ofcourse,choiceisgood!• Except partlydiscrimination,implicitbias,partlynot

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• Choice– FemaleScientists– Havefewerrolesmodels– Havefewerpartnerswithlessdemandingjobs

• typicallymarriedtomalescientists

– Primarycaregiversinfamily(children&elderlyparents)– Can/maybearandnursebabies…........Fact– Mencannot/donot– Hiring expectations –womennotexpectedtowork&havekids– Anxieties about

• beingpregnant,consideredasseriousscientist• havingtoachievetenureinsameamountoftimeascolleagueswithoutkids(changingatuniversities)

• missingkidsevents,likemostmoms• missingscientificconferencesnotgivingtalkwhilebeingamother

• Womenarenotgiventhesamechoicesasmen!BNL,8June2016 15

WhatCanWeDotoImproveGenderDiversity?

WhatCanWeDotoImproveDiversity?

“TheElephantintheRoom!”

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AffirmativeAction

AffirmativeAction– “theElephantintheRoom!”

BNL,8June2016 17NextSupremeCourtActionthissummer(FischervsU.Texas)

AffirmativeAction“theElephantintheRoom!”Difficultsubject,stirsemotions• Constitutionalparadox

(dosomethingunequaltocreateequality)• SupremeCourthas– uphelduseinadmissions,whenraceisafactorbutnottheprimaryfactor,aslongasnotpartofaquotasystem

• SomeArgumentsFor– Strivesfordiversityinschoolsandworkplace– Helps(racially)disadvantaged

• SomeArgumentsAgainst– Reversediscrimination– Reinforcesstereotypes

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ImplicitBias

• Haveheardthesewordsalot– “Iamnotbiased!”…...............Maynotfeelwe’rebiased,butweallhavebuilt-inprejudices!• Dependsonupbringing:family,experiences,environment,socialcontacts

– Whatistheimpact?• Decisionsmaybeirrational,leadingtounfairconsequences(hiring,promotions,inclusivity,speakers,…)• Boysandgirlstreateddifferentlyinsubtleways

– Whattodo?• Awarenesshelps!• TakeImplicitAssociationTests(IATs)(e.g.http://ow.ly/WF9J9)

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ImplicitBias

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• ResultsfromracialprejudiceusingIATsonline

Mostgroups’averagefallbetween“slight”and“moderate”bias.

BiasfavoringCaucasians

HowMightWeChangeOurImplicitBiases?• Increaseexposuretopeoplewhocounterthestandardstereotypes&buildassociations

• Engageineducationaboutimplicitbias

• Developasenseofaccountability,thiscandecreaseinfluenceofbiasi.e.implicitorexplicitexpectationthatyoumaybecalledontojustifyyourbeliefs,feelingsoractionstoothers!

• Taketheperspectiveofothers

• Engageindeliberativeprocessing

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ResearchonImplicitBias• Blindrandomizedtrials– Overyearsprejudiceshavenotchangedmuch– ManystudiesofgenderandURMs(seenalreadytoday)– Biasesaboutcognitiveabilities,athleticabilities,physicalcharacteristics,writingabilities,creativity,…

– Blindstudiesshow…..bothmen&womenhavethesebiases– bothbringsameunconsciousculturalbias

• Reallifestudies– Studiesshowthatfarmorelikelytohireamanthanawoman• Forwomenmorecautionarycomments(mustseetalk,teachingevaluations,evidenceofindividualincentiveandroles,otherconcernsandreluctanceaboutcontribution)

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2NotableRealLifeStudiesonImplicitBias1.)Genderof5bigsymphonyorchestras

(Goldin&Rouse,1997,inUS)

– Inearly1980’sorchestrasstartedusingascreenbetweenthe

candidateandthejudges socouldnotseewhowasauditioning,

carpetingonstagealso.Startedasanepotismissueforauditioner.

– Founddramaticincreaseinwomeninnon-traditionalfemale

instrumentsoverthelast20yearsduetogender-blindauditions

(60%increaseinwomenselectedinorchestras)

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2NotableRealLifeStudiesonImplicitBias2.)Linguisticcontentoflettersofrecommendation

(Trix &Psenka,2003)– Substantialdifferencesin300lettersforsuccessfulcandidatesforfacultypositions atamajormedicalschool.

– Menmoreoftenreferredtoas“researchers”and“colleagues”– Women as“teachers”and“students”– Women4xmorereferencestopersonallives– Womenreceivedmoredoubtraisingphrases• Don’treallyknowimpactofthesestatements,allwomengotthejobs!• Maybethesecommentsactuallyhelped?Sincestudiesshowthatpeoplearelesscomfortablewithwomeninleadershiproles!

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HowCanWeReducetheImpactofBias?• Becomeself-aware ofbiases• Beaccountable (group,department,community)

– Samestandardsformenandwomen(askineverycase)!– Adoptafairprocess– Setcriteriaforevaluationbeforehand

• Oftenposthoc justificationforhiringwhitemale• Uhlmann&Cohen(2005)– withcriteriastatedbeforehand,lessdiscrimination

– Spendtimereviewingcandidates(genderbiasgreaterforbusierreviewer)

– Appearsthatmorebalancedcommittees(URMsandwomen)providemorebalancedoutcome

– Reviewdecisionstobemade(peoplewillbeawarebeforedecisions)– Impactofinfoandimagesonimplicitbiaseducationhaveshortlifetime(days,weeks,amonth).Reviewfrequently.

– Studysaysthatifyoutellpeoplenottobeprejudiced,theywillbelessprejudiced(thinkdeliberatively&reflectivelyaboutunconsciousbias)

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ToReducetheImpactofGenderBias?• Institutionalchange– Policies,programstoencourageacademic&researchcareersoffemalescientists• Parentalleave,childcareoncampus,nursing/lactationroomsinbuildings• Meetingsmustnotlastpast5PM• Tenureclockandpromotionextensions• Climatetrainingforeverymemberoffaculty/groupleader(especiallydepartmentchairs/leaders)

• Individualchange– Discussrolemodels&choicesforwomenatallstages(student,graduate,student,postdoc,faculty)invariousforums

– Reduceimpactofunconsciousbias,ensureleadershaveboughtintothis(includingfundingagencies!)

ScienceisNOTaperfectmeritocracy!BNL,8June2016 26

WhatCanBeDonetoReduceBiasesatInstitutions?

• Transforminstitutionstoaccommodatethebiologicalandsocialrealitiesofwomen’slives

• Readdressacademicexpectations,rulesandstructuresformedaroundmalelives– arethesenecessary?

• SeerecentChangesinPolicyatotherlaboratories(institutions)FermiLabSLAC(alsoconcerneduniversities)

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ProceduralChangesinFermiLabHiring• Coversallscientificsearchesandhiring(2015)• Keyfeaturesoftheseproceduresinclude– Afocusonincreasingthediversityandquality ofthelab'sscientificworkforce

– Accountabilityofthesearchcommittee,searchcommitteechair,divisionheadandlabseniormanagementfortheappropriateconductoftheprocess.Amainfeatureofthisaccountabilityisthesummarizingletterwrittenbythesearchcommitteechairtotherelevantdivisionheadorlabdirector.

– Maximizingthesize,quality,anddiversityoftheapplicantpool– Makeupofsearchandhiringcommittee

• Provideswhy,howto,guides,reading,suggestionsBNL,8June2016 28http://directorate-docdb.fnal.gov/

RecentProceduralChangesatSLAC• RedefiningApproach– Evidencebasedchange- Research,bestpractices– Usingsciencetoinformscience- therootsofbias– Understandingimplicationsofbiasonourculture/decisions

• Redefinedsearchandselectionprocess– Decisionmakerstrainedinawarenessandpractice– Expandedpoolsontargetedsearches– Focuseddevelopmentplansfordiversepipelinecandidates

• Outcomessofar– Twicethenumberoffemalescientistshiredyeartodate– Sixwomennamedintoseniorleaderpositions– FullycommittedseniorleadershipteamBNL,8June2016 29

Conclusion

• Beself-aware

• Educateyourselfaboutbiasesinyourenvironment

• Dowhatyoucantobefairandmaintainintegrity

• Calloutunfairpractices

(individually&institutionally)

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