This article is a joint effort of the ECSA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) task force and was written by Anna Verones, Leo Mensel, Carolina Doran.
The images illustrating the article are a courtesy of the I am not a typo campaign. I am not a typo is a collective aiming to create social change so no one feels like an oversight. It looks at the link between identity and technology, challenging tech giants to adapt.
Was Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) truly ever a valued priority? Recent layoffs at Microsoft, Google, X and other tech giants often targeted employers and consultants working on DEI, showing decreasing commitment in creating safe and diverse work environments. Those layoffs beg the question: How can we trust that future technologies from these companies will support our efforts to drive systemic change if their commitment to DEI appears superficial?
Why do we need DEI?
Departments that actively work on DEI within an institution can have incredibly powerful impacts for present and future employees. They ensure that employees from underrepresented social groups are involved and that their concerns and lived experiences are equitably considered in decision making processes. These include, but are not limited to, groups affected by structural discrimination due to their race, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and religion. DEI benefits everyone by fostering a richer exchange of ideas, enhancing innovation, and creating environments where all individuals—underrepresented or not—can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.
How does this relate to citizen science?
Many citizen science initiatives and projects collect data using digital platforms and other technologies. However, many of these tools are not accessible nor inclusively designed. If the tools provided by the tech industry are developed by a homogenous group of people, the lack of diversity creates biased outcomes. Ultimately, these biases can affect the quality of the projects that depend on them. This could significantly hinder the success of our citizen science initiatives.
How we exercise DEIB at ECSA
Since 2018 ECSA’s Working Group on Empowerment, Inclusiveness and Equity (EIE) is dedicated to opening up participatory sciences to more people from more diverse backgrounds. To that aim, the working group meets regularly to exchange best practice examples and create EIE tools that facilitate inclusive participation.
Within ECSA, we are currently setting up our very own task force on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). This initiative began in 2023, driven by spontaneous and voluntary efforts from the team, reflecting our commitment to advancing DEIB within our organisation. Our goal is to remove potential discriminatory barriers and create a sense of belonging for everyone in our team. We want to show how simple tools can significantly enhance the way we work together.
With team members from 14 countries and from various walks of life, ECSA already benefits from a rich diversity that greatly enriches our organisation. However, we recognize that good intentions alone are not always enough to fully advance this diversity, and without careful attention, they can even perpetuate discrimination and inequalities. While diversity is always present, it loses its value when some voices are disregarded.
ECSA’S vision is that of a world where people are empowered to make a positive change through science. Science is never neutral and in the interface between open science and social justice lies the true potential to work towards a healthy and just planet for all.
Read more about the importance of DEI, how it impacts citizen science, and the work that ECSA is doing in this area in the full blog on the EU-Citizen.Science website: https://eu-citizen.science/blog/2024/08/29/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-risk-how-layoffs-in-the-tech-industry-impact-citizen-science/
