More importantly, how can we make certain that the pool of students is diverse enough to meet the increasing demand for diversity in the workforce?
The National Academies’ Chemical Sciences Roundtable workshop, Minorities in the Chemical Workforce: Diversity Models That Work, brought together leaders chemistry and chemical engineering from government, industry, academia, and the not-for-profit sector.
Based on the workshop, this brochure contains various tools and strategies that have proven effective by others, including six success stories. Following are tips of recruitment, retention, career development, and tracking and evaluation.
Successful diversification begins with effective recruitment and hiring practices.
Academia
- Attract minorities by developing a critical mass of students from the same ethnic background.
- Search for minority students from inner cities who are doing well in the sciences.
- Design summer programs at a university to attract minority high school or undergraduate students interested in chemistry or chemical engineering.
- Offer scholarship support to minority students.
Industry
- Support programs such as the American Chemical Society Scholars Program that help fill the chemistry pipeline.
- Provide a variety of summer internship and temporary employment opportunities for minority students.
- Provide grants and donate equipment to support university chemistry departments.
- Conduct seminars on campus to engage students and to show them the various career opportunities available in the chemistry field.
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Companies and universities strive to keep their employees/students satisfied so that they continue to be an active, productive part of the organization.
Academia
- Identify a committed, passionate leader to initiate diversity efforts on campus.
- Hire faculty from underrepresented groups to serve as role models.
- Provide academic counseling and advising to minority students; assign mentors.
- Recognize outstanding student achievement through awards and scholarships.
- Establish professional, academic, and social groups for minorities on campus.
- Reward faculty who commit time and effory to foster diversity within a department.
Industry
- Provide mentoring and support groups to make minorities feel more welcome.
- Celebrate achievement with a strong reward and recognition program.
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Providing career development opportunities helps students and employees stay engaged in the sciences and advance in their careers.
Academia
- Pair minority undergraduate students with faculty in various research and mentoring activities.
- Invite representatives from national government laboratories and industry to speak to minority students about careers in these areas.
- Provide scholarship support to minorities, including supplemental funds for students to travel to national and international conferences.
- Encourage undergraduates who are not ready to enter a Ph.D. program to earn a master’s degree instead to increase the likelihood that they might pursue a Ph.D.
Industry
- Encourage active participation in professional organizations including in-house minority groups as well as national and international organizations.
- Offer professional development training programs.
- Provide continuing education funds so employees can pursue additional education while working.
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Tracking and evaluating the progress an organization makes with regard to diversity will help it reward individuals for making a difference and address any concerns discovered.
Academia
- Track the retention rate and number of minority students who earn degrees.
- Monitor and evaluate faculty’s participation in diversity activities and working with minorities in independent research activities. Use this metric when considering promotions and renewing research funding.
Industry
- Build a diversity infrastructure, such as diversity teams that monitor diversity growth within the company.
- Hold all managers accountable for diversity growth within their departments.
- Analyze turnover rate of minorities from underrepresented groups and compare this rate to the overall turnover rate within the company and the average turnover rate in the industry.
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