56.1 - The Imperative for Scientific Societies to Change the Face of Academia: Recommendations for Immediate Action

Loydie Jerome-Majewska (McGill University), Melissa Carroll (School of Medicine and Health Sciences,The George Washington University), Shawn Boynes (American Association for Anatomy), Kimberly Topp (University of California San Francisco)

Scientific societies have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to drive inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in science in academia. The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) can serve as a model of best practice for other professional associations working to become more inclusive of individuals from historically underrepresented groups. In this presentation, we will discuss anatomys exclusionary past, describe the current face of science in academia, and present our recommendations, including to the AAA, to accelerate change in academia. We recommend that scientific societies investigate inequities and revise practices for inclusivity; develop and empower underrepresented minority leadership; and commit resources in a sustained manner as an investment in scientists who bring diverse perspectives and lived experiences to science in academia.