Ethics, Integrity, and Diversity in the Research Environment: Connections and A Pathway Forward
Abstract
Numerous studies support the importance of ethics, integrity, and diversity to innovation and advancement of science. Studies show diversity outperforms ability in group problem solving, and ethical practices and adherence to research integrity standards ensures quality science. Yet we allocate few resources towards strengthening them or treat them less as core values and more like red tape. For example, a recent National Academy report on sexual harassment of women in science discusses the tendency towards minimal compliance regarding sexual harassment safeguards and tolerance of such behavior, even though we know the devastation. Projects, laboratories, and institutions have been damaged and careers, lives, and research ruined. The report concludes that sexual harassment impacts scientific integrity and should be considered as important as plagiarism, fabrication and falsification. The geosciences are not immune, and despite years of acknowledging discrimination and lack of diversity, we continue to struggle with both in our science and people. So, what do we do? Recognize what scientific integrity, ethical practice, and inclusion look like, how they are connected, and make sure they are core values. Train and equip scientists to create respectful, diverse, ethical research environments. Have open honest dialogue on where our institutions are with regards to ethics, discrimination, and diversity. Create innovative community-based ways to tackle these issues. Finally, dedicate people, time and funds. Understanding the values each person brings to the table is key to understanding how ethics, integrity, and diversity are connected. Values are critical, they determine decisions we make such as falsifying data or racially discriminating to outcompete someone. Values determine our implicit and explicit biases, both scientific and personal. Individuals as well as groups develop biases. Through these biases we systematically exclude ideas, people, and practices; weakening and corrupting science. But there is hope, dialogue has begun, and recently published research ethics codes are including not only traditional values of honesty and integrity, but new values supporting diversity and being a mentor. They recognize the best science also comes out of inclusion and nurturing the careers of others.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMED41B..07G
- Keywords:
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- 0855 Diversity;
- EDUCATIONDE: 6620 Science policy;
- PUBLIC ISSUESDE: 6630 Workforce;
- PUBLIC ISSUES