Majority scientists who “step out of the
box” to promote overall enhancement of cre-
ativity and efficiency for the work environ-
ment by recognizing and helping to break
down barriers for their minority colleagues
make a significant contribution to science and
technology in America. Carefully crafted pro-
grams for the underserved are still needed to
develop this country’s quest for excellence
and democracy.1-4 However, rather than
argue the endless debate on affirmative
action, following are some suggested behav-
iors that anyone can use to raise levels of
awareness despite the challenges that biased
environments pose:Advocate Diversity
Diversity does not include just women,
Blacks and Whites, but a wide variety of dif-
ferences that we might not readily consider
as sources of bias, such as sexual preference
and age. It also includes the disabled, region-
al differences within the U.S., citizen vs. alien,
dread-locs vs. straight hair, males with one or
two earrings, Gentile vs. Jew. Advocate diver-
sity, not so much to right the wrongs of the
past, but to ensure our nation’s wordly com-
petitiveness in science. Be serious minded in
developing the next generation of talent and
leadership pools for the future of our exis-
tence. The challenge is to acknowledge diver-
sity as enriched, varied perspectives which
increase the value of all, rather than as anti-“me” statements. Before the year 2050, over
half of the U.S. population will be comprised
of persons of color; minorities will become
the majority. Shall we ignore this inevitability,
try to beat it in court, or adequately prepare
for it?An enriched cultural make-up in the cur-
rent environment permits several benefits,
like seeing a panoramic picture from different
angles. In business, as in life, the input of con-
cepts from various sides of the whole scene
yields a more complete view of the situation.
Increased clarity of the total picture often
leads to creative solutions and more rapid
advancements.Bring Biased Incidents to an
Individual’s Attention in a
Non-confrontational Manner
Barriers can be overcome with healthy dis-
cussion about group-sensitive practices in a
non-confrontational manner. Some who are
oppressors are not even aware of their actions
because others do not speak up against it, or
think of expressing prejudices as acceptable
behavior. Try to analyze the situation from
both points of view.Recommend Choices that Can
Help Individuals Grow Away
from Biases
First and foremost, try to constantly be
mindful of being inclusive. Often people in
majority environments, in an effort to be
focused and decisive, do not think about
being inclusive because it is not at the top of62 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS
Advocate diversity, not so much
to right the wrongs of the past,
but to ensure our nation’s wordly
competitiveness in science.Some scientists who are not like
the mainstream are faced with
special barriers to which the
mainstream must become
sensitized to even know that
such obstacles exist.