Thread by @realscientists

[Transformation&Representation] Before diving into today’s topic of transformation and representation. I would like to run a series of polls. Please feel free to participate!

1. Are you currently working in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) field?

[Transformation&Representation]

2. If you are in STEM (student or employee or any STEM involvement), are you a minority? (Minority here is defined as any group that is underrepresented, includes race, gender, disability, sexual identity or orientation etc)

I am really passionate about this topic because I am a minority in my field. I am a minority because I am a woman. I am a minority because I am an African researcher. I am a minority because I am of colour. #womeninSTEM #POCinSTEM #AfricanSTEM

For some context, please read my article for @ScientistFemale written earlier this year. As most of you will probably know, South Africa has a history of Apartheid, we are just 14 years into democracy and still finding our feet.
thefemalescientist.com/article/kimber…

I have been told to separate science and politics before and my answer is NO I will not, the two are not mutually exclusive. I can be a great scientist but I am also a person and racial inequality affects me today. #standup

How is it that we are comfortable telling black scientists/POC to "stick to the science" when it comes to the topic of race? We praise climate scientists for weighing in on policy making but we are often quick to trivialize black researchers weighing in on racism.

There is a subtle tolerance for racism, I say this because if there truly wasn't we would not see eugenics conferences in 2018 or biological race theory revivals. There is a brilliant book by Prof Jonathan Marks titled "Is Science Racist?" nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/sc…

Another fantastic book I highly recommend if you would like to understand the political context that shaped the search for human origins in South Africa is written by @ChristaKuljian called Darwin’s Hunch. This has had a profound influence on many young palaeo students here!

The way I see it, diversity is important to improving science. Diversity allows for different perspectives, shaped by different lived experiences. Diversity also ensures accountability. BUT you can not diversify a space simply by increasing the number of minority students.

There has to be an effort to change the space. And to change the space, we need to talk about it, often.

I speak from the minority of being a female and a person of colour because that is my lived experience but there are MANY minorities including members of the LGBTQIA community and those with physical and mental disabilities. More voices who need to be heard.

I keep flooding the thread with books but here’s another one by @AngelaDSaini. Inferior addresses gender imbalance, perceptions of women, misogyny and patriarchy and the steps that science is taking to improve this today!

Have you encountered transformation efforts in your field? Were they adequate? Do you have a certain approach you could share? I think we could all benefit from knowing different approaches to a common problem! #diversitymatters

Another topic in transformation that I am passionate about is how we interact with the communities we work in, the people who we directly impact. A prime example would be the Khoi-San communities (both living and deceased). Indigenous communities and voices.

Indigenous communities have a dark history of abuse by researchers especially in the field of biological sciences, genetics and anthropology.

There are world renowned anatomical collections that house the remains of people whose graves were robbed, who were murdered, who were treated like sub-par humans. There are bones that lay in wait for a burial that might never come.

Those remains whom we often refer to as “specimen number x”.

Those “specimens” were people. Remember that. They were something to someone. They are still.

The San community have compiled a San Code of Ethics for researchers. It is something I am supportive of. No longer are they simply “study specimens”. trust-project.eu/wp-content/upl…

Scientists were quick to study their bodies, quick to clean their bones but slow to hear their voices.

#standup

This is an article about decolonization of science in South Africa. One of the phenomenal women mentioned is the new Vice Chancellor of UCT @FabAcademic, one of my biggest role models. This article is so important! Have a read! nature.com/articles/d4158…

I could probably talk about transformation, representation and decolonization for the rest of my life. It is that complex, that deep rooted and that important.

Don’t just talk about these things. Live them. I might never see transformation in my lifetime as an academic but I will be damned if ever I stop trying. The uncomfortable conversations we have today lay the groundwork for a better science tomorrow.

A few months ago I delivered a keynote address for @WitsUniversity Postgraduate research symposium and I ended with this:

There is a saying that when one door closes another door opens, or when one door closes a window opens and I have personally struggled with this mentality. Although it is true that there is always opportunity in the face of adversity. (1/n)

I maintain that if one door closes, wrongfully in the face of those who deserve to walk through it, if that door is closed because of the colour of my skin or my sexual identity, then I refuse to look for another open door or window. (2/n)

Instead I encourage you to kick that door down, it might not work on the first try, it might not work if you kick it alone. And that’s where I encourage you all to do it together. (3/n)

Because once you have taken that door off its hinges, you ensure it will NEVER again close on those who see your courage and follow behind you. (4/4)