Letter to the Editor | DEI Initiatives Mask Continuing Inequities Facing Women Scientists

To the Editor:

In their recent opinion essay “Trust in Science Has Eroded Since the Pandemic Began. How Should Philanthropy Respond?” (March 16), Sam Gill and Elizabeth Christopherson discuss the critical need for science to represent a diversity of people and communities. While we wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment, our experience shows that the field is a long way from reaching that goal.

We are reassured that others are paying attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. It’s at the core of our work at 500 Women Scientists, which is dedicated to building a more inclusive scientific community. More diversity in science will improve the quality of research and, importantly, the trust that Americans place in it. But the science field has only begun to acknowledge the historical inequities that have long held back women scientists, especially women of color.

Gill and Christopherson point out that the goal of creating a diverse scientific workforce has made its way to the White House. The authors find great hope in the views expressed at the STEMM Opportunity Alliance Summit at the White House last December. But while the message itself is on target, our experience with philanthropic giving does not align with this hopeful narrative. Specifically, a sharp decline in funding for social-justice work in science has forced us to significantly scale back our programs and operations.

Following the nation’s 2020 racial reckoning, the story of 500 Women Scientists was initially a hopeful one. Our organization is a small fish in the STEMM equity stream, but we were doing the kind of agile advocacy that was starting to draw attention, such as launching a fellowship program for women scientists.

Prior to 2020, we had received just $53,000 in foundation grants and were staffed entirely by volunteers. But from 2021 to 2022, our funding soared, including $650,000 in foundation grants and an additional $62,000 in individual donations and member contributions. This allowed us to hire two full-time and two part-time staff, all women of color.

Last month, however, we were forced to make the painful decision to lay off our staff, as the larger foundations that were supporting us opted not to renew their grants. We are currently using a part-time contractor to maintain our databases of women research experts and career-oriented services.

We believe our decline in funding stems from the overly rosy picture created by the growth of DEI initiatives at larger science-focused organizations such as universities. This leaves smaller groups, which are working to address fundamental inequities in science, struggling to secure funding for even basic operations.

The professionalization of DEI is itself harmful because it allows organizations to showcase their diversity efforts without fundamentally addressing the power structures that enable inequality in the first place. These same institutions continue to create hostile workplaces for women, particularly for those of color. Without changing the incentive and promotion system that favors white men, women will continue to leave science.

New DEI offices housed within organizations that actively oppress women will not propel marginalized scientists to the top of the field. Instead, they will keep them in employment situations where they are often saddled with short-term contracts and have little prospect of job security or advancement.

Following the racial reckoning of 2020, a lot of commitments were made without a real plan or willingness to make the changes needed to bring about lasting equity and justice. Since then, DEI has gone mainstream, but the hard work of transforming institutions — along with the organizations working diligently to bring about that change — got left behind.

Philanthropy needs to put all its good will into fundamental transformation rather than more DEI initiatives that are ineffective at best and harmful at worst.

Theresa Jedd
Board Member
500 Women Scientists

Jane Zelikova
Co-Founder and board president
500 Women Scientists