Thread by @jamesmfinley

Earlier this year, we began a series of discussions in our joint @FinleyLabUSC and @KLeechLabUSC lab meetings that we refer to as Science, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (SIDE) discussions. (1/10)

These discussions started as a response to our growing awareness that research training and practice often fail to interrogate our role in maintaining, or hopefully, breaking down barriers to access and participation by marginalized groups. (2/10)

A key feature of these discussions is that we focus on topics directly related to research, education, and health. We ground our discussions by focusing on published papers that any lab member can recommend on a shared Slack channel. (3/10)

Our first real discussion happened during #ShutDownStem in June 2020. Looking back, I believe this discussion was the catalyst that we needed to change our current structure. (4/10)

Since March of this year, we’ve held SIDE discussions approximately quarterly as part of our regular series of lab meetings. (5/10)

Topics have included sources of racial differences in trust of the research enterprise jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…, gender bias in science pnas.org/content/109/41…, and challenges faced by international students in western developed countries ojed.org/index.php/jis/…. (6/10)

Personally, I’ve found each of these discussions to not only be intellectually stimulating, but they’ve also helped me be more cognizant of issues faced by the students and colleagues with whom I interact. (7/10)

While I could, and eventually may, highlight key takeaways from our discussions, the more important point of this thread is to encourage other lab directors and academic programs to consider creating similar forums for discussion. (8/10)

Research training isn’t all about experimental methods (though see an upcoming thread for another highlight from this week). We should also acknowledge and address the needs and experiences of those who conduct, participate in, and stand to benefit from our work. (9/10)

Special shoutout to the co-leaders of this series @KristanLeech and @nat_san_ald and all the current and former lab members who’ve contributed valuable perspectives to these conversations. (10/10)