Collaborative Research: IMPLEMENTATION: Broadening participation of marginalized individuals to transform SABER and biology education

Professional societies play an important role in providing a platform for sharing research findings and networking. However, most professional societies grapple with issues related to lack of representation and inclusion of members of demographic groups that have historically been underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and career paths.

One among these professional societies includes the Society for the Advancement in Biology Education Research (SABER), a leading premier international society with a primary focus on undergraduate biology education research. Scholarship related to this organization impacts every undergraduate biology learning environment. Additionally, members of this organization are also members of other professional societies, which makes SABER a critical lever for advancing systemic changes related to diversity, equity, and inclusion across various biology sub-fields and thus, helping to exert a larger impact on undergraduate biology education.

SABER since its inception and as exemplified by a self-study in 2019, has struggled with issues of diversity and representation at every level of its organizational structure, including key leadership positions. This aspect directly impacts the culture and climate of this society which ultimately affects the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts related to undergraduate biology education.

Despite significant changes in its organizational structure, a concerted effort is needed to institute a permanent change related to equity and inclusion. This project aims to enact sustainable change by including diverse perspectives and voices to fundamentally change the culture of the organization and implement initiatives that promote an environment to enable cultural change.

The goals of this project are as follows: (1) broadly and systematically advertise and recruit for SABER to broaden its reach to organizations, institutions, and individuals who are not currently aware of SABER, (2) offer travel support for individuals that are members of groups typically underrepresented in biology or who work at historically black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions to attend the national meeting, (3) offer mentorship related to inclusion to individuals in leadership positions at SABER, and (4) develop networking, mentoring, and leadership opportunities to sustain the involvement of diverse members within SABER. We posit that increasing the number and including the perspectives of underrepresented scientists within SABER will enable a shift in the culture of this society to help advance inclusion by (1) creating welcoming spaces that foster an enhanced sense of belonging and professional growth of diverse individuals, (2) creating a supportive environment for members by developing and empowering environmental stewards within the SABER leadership and by offering them travel support and mentoring activities, and (3) introducing structural changes that will ultimately affect the culture and climate of SABER as an organization to create pathways that diversify the society’s leadership for diverse individuals.

Finally, as members of SABER are members of other sub-fields of biology, these efforts will directly impact other professional societies in their efforts to becoming inclusive.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.