The Scientist

asks, what is diversity, and what is it good for? Proponents say a more diverse life sciences workforce will make for better science-and better business. In this supplement, we take a critical look at companies’ and institutions’ efforts to increase diversity. How well are African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and other non-white groups represented in classrooms, labs, and boardrooms? Our focus embraces efforts to bring other underrepresented people into the field, be they women, people with disabilities, or first-generation college graduates.

 
By Ivan Oransky
and Anne Harding
THE OUTLOOK
Bold ideas are needed to boost sagging minority participation in the life sciences
E.J. Mundell
African Americans suffer a disproportionate burden of disease in the US. So why are there hardly any black scientists at the NIH?
By Amri Johnson
The number of women faculty is growing, thanks in part to institutional efforts to . ght discrimination and help with family demands
By Kate Fodor
And perhaps a gender-blind workplace in another decade (or two)
By Nancy Hopkins
Pharma and biotech increasingly see a diverse workforce as a business imperative
By Karen Pallarito
By Trish Lawrence
Scientists with disabilities say the public is often unaware of just how capable they are.
By Anne Harding
THE PROFILES
By Kate Fodor
By Ishani Ganguli
By Ishani Ganguli
By Ishani Ganguli
By Stacey Schultz
By Karen Pallarito
By Anne Harding
THE GUIDE
Better early education and more support are needed to help minority kids choose science
By Kate Fodor
The Biology Scholars Program helps turn the big world of UC-Berkeley into family for aspiring scientists
Bayer program helps kids, and their teachers, get excited about science
Academia, industry work to foster mentorship for scientists at all levels
By Lan N. Nguyen
Networks for minority life scientists start reaching out to grad students, postdocs, even professionals
By Charles M. Choi
Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP)
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research for Underrepresented Minorities
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
There’s a long way to go before the life sciences really look like America, four leaders in the field agree
Diversity in the Life Sciences