Understanding Membership Diversity and Supporting Equitable STEM Communities

This book addresses issues impacting diversity at the community level by creating and leveraging an expanded network of STEM professional societies across disciplines. This team of scholars identify three persistent challenges that can prevent scientific societies from enacting lasting change at the community level: (1) a lack of information on the demographic makeup of society membership, (2) a lack of support for community members who are navigating career transitions, and (3) a lack of diversity among society leadership. The contributors examine these problems in chapters separated into two parts, focusing on the themes of: Organizations getting to know membership and better serving their needs through inclusive demographic data collection; and organizations being inclusive of STEM professionals who are experiencing career transitions.