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Strengthen the Pipeline of Underrepresented and Minority Researchers

Strengthen the Pipeline of Underrepresented and Minority Researchers Refinement and Implementation Committee (RIC) 13

Committee Members

Tim Jamison (Chair), Emery Brown, John Dozier, Ase Henry, Maryanne Kirkbride, Eric Klopfer, Ray Reagans, Justin Steil, and Trinidad Carney (Staff)

Abstract

To strengthen the pipeline, reframed as “network”, of underrepresented researchers, the RIC 13 committee recommends a number of measures that should be included in the final version of the MIT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Action Plan (SAP) which is under development for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021. These include a publicly announced commitment of funding for this purpose, including graduate fellowships and undergraduate fellowships for students from (particularly Sub-Saharan) Africa and that MIT take a leadership role, partnering with other institutions, in strengthening the network.

Executive Summary

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Action Plan (SAP) currently under development for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021 will serve as the primary means to respond to our charge and to implement its recommendations. We address the differences between the SAP and the charge and make additional recommendations in order to further the aims of DEI at MIT. Leaders of academic units and offices will be accountable for implementation of their respective sections of the SAP. We charge the existing Institute-level Committee on Race and Diversity (CRD) to provide oversight of the SAP, to evaluate progress, and to update the MIT community on an annual basis. The current draft of the SAP draws upon the Related Sources noted in the charge and outlines resource requirements (infrastructure and capacity). Although the draft SAP does not include budgetary information, the final version will.

Committee Charge

Refinement and Implementation Committee (RIC) 13 was charged “to provide concrete plans to build a stronger pipeline of researchers from underrepresented groups considering both hiring and providing a more supportive, attractive environment once at MIT.”

Committee Process

We reviewed the committee charge and recognized its overall alignment with the MIT DEI Strategic Action Plan (SAP). Two subgroups of the committee conducted an “overlap analysis” and “gap analysis” by comparing the charge and SAP. At our committee meeting in May 2021 we (a) agreed on a definition of “pipeline” and recommended an alternate “network” framing of this important problem; (b) agreed that much of the charge is addressed by the current draft of SAP or is expected to be addressed in the final SAP; (c) therefore endorse as a committee the SAP; (d) discussed measures to address the differences (“gaps”) between the charge and the SAP, and (e) developed additional recommendations (below). The chair wrote the first draft of a report and invited revisions from all committee members. This submitted version represents the consensus view of the committee.

Definitions
  1. Pipeline: The common use of this metaphor references the path taken by future members of an academic organization, MIT in this case. To enhance MIT’s positive impact, we expanded the definition as not only a path to MIT, but also through it; MIT not only would be the beneficiary of future talent, but also would be a “supplier.” We also thought to set the origin of the “pipeline” at an early educational stage, for example, kindergarten. However, as this term has become less preferred over time, in part because it implies “one-origin, one-destination, one-path,” we chose an alternate framing— network— which both defines the problem more accurately and summarizes an approach to addressing it.
  2. Network: Redefining the problem as a “network” also offers a solution that we expect to be more comprehensive, more resilient, more scalable, and more flexible for the individuals involved. DEI opportunities are pervasive; they present themselves at every academic level from kindergarten onward. The “network” framing also emphasizes the interdependence of activities, and our charge might be retitled “Strengthen the Network of Underrepresented and Minority Researchers.”
    • Cataloguing such DEI efforts across the country and across all groups is an important first step in addressing the “pipeline” problem and will identify gaps.
    • Strengthening of the network will be realized by bridging the gaps identified in the cataloguing and fostering interconnectivity.

Committee Recommendations

We recommend that the following be included in the MIT DEI SAP:

  1. Monetary commitments. It is our expectation that the final version of the MIT DEI SAP will include budgetary commitments. We recommend strongly that these be made public in general terms. Our rationale is that doing so would send another strong signal that MIT is committed to change.
  2. Fellowships. We recommend that fellowships designed to accelerate the achievement of MIT’s composition, achievement, and belonging goals be included in the SAP. The most impactful fellowships will vary locally by DLC and across career stages, and the following are illustrative:
    1. Our community of undergraduates has enjoyed a rich and notable diversity (composition) for many years. The creation of fellowships for students from the African continent, in particular those from Sub-Saharan Africa, would not only enhance MIT’s diversity, but also have significant international impact.
    2. As admissions and hiring decisions regarding graduate students and postdocs are done locally by DLCs or by individual PIs, diversifying these groups necessarily requires an approach compatible with decentralized processes. Providing fellowships directly to researchers from historically marginalized groups will enable them to have greater freedom in selection of research advisors, thus contributing to their achievement and fostering a greater sense of belonging.
  3. Network analysis and strengthening. We recommend that the DEI SAP include this effort (summarized above in the definitions section) in its Infrastructure and Capacity section and that the CRD govern its implementation and oversight. We recommend that MIT take a national leadership role in both the cataloguing and strengthening efforts, particularly in the pre-college (K-12) space, and partner with other institutions seeking similar impact. We also endorse a proposal developed by Professor Ken Manning (see Appendix) as it represents an important example of events that will strengthen the network of researchers. We recommend that Professor Manning and Associate Provost Tim Jamison co-lead further development of this conference and that this conference be held on the MIT campus in 2022.
  4. Specificity and reduction to practice. It is our understanding that the final version of the SAP will include greater specificity in the form of goals, programs, and tactics.
  5. Research Scientists and Engineers. In its current form, the DEI SAP does not describe commitments that will support the careers of Research Scientists and Research Engineers and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion among these important members of our research community and mission. We therefore recommend that the final version of the SAP should provide a strategic plan in this context.