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-Short Attention Span Theater-
AAAS drafts plan to address systemic racism in sciences
2020-10-31
[Science Mag.org] The American Association for the Advancement of Science has released two parts of a draft plan that directs the organization to strengthen its advocacy on behalf of diversity, equity, and inclusion—while taking a hard look at its own demographics and related policies.

AAAS's "Addressing Systemic Racism in the Sciences" plans were developed by AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh and AAAS leadership, after discussions inside and outside the association prompted by a year that Parikh calls "an opportunity born of tragedy."

Protests over police brutality against Black people in the United States and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and brown communities are sharp reminders that no part of society is immune from discrimination, Parikh said. "We haven't yet held a mirror to the scientific enterprise, and we may not like everything we see."

AAAS is holding up that mirror with a report that will be published in late October, compiling demographic data on the association's Fellows, Science & Technology Policy Fellows, award recipients, Science authors, and AAAS governing bodies. These groups are critical to supporting diversity, Parikh said, because they represent the ways in which "AAAS functions as a career advancement enabler in science and engineering."
Posted by:Besoeker

#13  I see it. So far the ritual self-flagellation is voluntary, and there's more talk than policy.

If they're wise enough to focus on outreach, all should still be well.

You need some serious skills to compete in physics. Unless you're in love with the field, you aren't likely to use those skills here. You'll make a _lot_ more money elsewhere.

We lost a good researcher a few years ago when his family pointed out that time for fun was done and he needed to work in the family business, and he left us to get an MBA. (He's from Nigeria.)
Posted by: James   2020-10-31 16:39  

#12  The great counterattack of the innumerate so-called "soft science disciplines".
Posted by: magpie   2020-10-31 15:46  

#11  To paraphrase a section in Hornfischer's book Ship of Ghosts, concerning POWs in Burma:

Building an unsafe railroad system was all fun and games until we found out we were going to be the first to use it.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2020-10-31 15:24  

#10  Up there with NASA's mission under the Bath House regime to "help muzz feel good about themselves."
Posted by: M. Murcek   2020-10-31 14:16  

#9  We have top men on it. Top men.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2020-10-31 13:55  

#8  Mark the date! This is when the next dark ages start.
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2020-10-31 13:20  

#7  What's that saying (from a book?), "A students work for C students, and B students work for the government"?
Posted by: Clem   2020-10-31 12:32  

#6  Like giving tenure-track preferences to straight A students - most of whom turn out (after getting tenure) to totally unable to do original research - wasn't bad enough.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2020-10-31 12:19  

#5  Let me guess. To make math racially equal the value of Pi will now be exactly 3.000... and e will be exactly 2.000.

And to disagree with any calculation involving these values will be considered racially inapproprate.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2020-10-31 11:52  

#4  Seems like a lame attempt to move to the cool kids table.
Posted by: AlanC   2020-10-31 11:29  

#3  Scientific method. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Bunch of wackos/sickos.
Posted by: Clem   2020-10-31 10:37  

#2  Here's my study: Math is hard. People who won't do the work won't succeed in the sciences. Asians will do the work and are racially over-represented. Same for the Jews, who are generally Caucasian and boost those numbers. Otherwise, if you want your racial representation to go up stop beating up your math teachers.
Posted by: Glenmore   2020-10-31 10:03  

#1  A more appropriate paper would be the systematic contamination of science by "identity politics. Kiss science good-bye.
Posted by: JohnQC   2020-10-31 09:59  

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