STEM Inclusion Study

STEM Inclusion Study (Principal Investigators: Erin Cech and Tom Waidzunas). Between winter 2017 and spring 2019, the study team surveyed the US-based membership of 21 STEM professional societies and organizations. These 21 societies represent STEM professionals from across the physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering (excluding social sciences). They encompass eight US national flagship disciplinary societies in the natural, life, and physical sciences and mathematics; five US national flagship disciplinary societies in engineering; four interdisciplinary STEM societies; two STEM teaching-focused societies; and two demographic-focused professional societies. To protect respondent confidentiality, the names of these societies are not specified. Latinx and Native American racial categories, individual categories within the LGBTQ umbrella category, and specific disabilities within the umbrella disabilities category are redacted for public use to protect confidentiality. In collaboration with the leadership of each professional society, the STEM Inclusion Study was fielded electronically via email to either a random sample of the US-based members of each society (for societies over 10,000 members) or to the full US-based membership of the society (for societies under 10,000 members). The survey was open at each society for a period of six weeks. Non-responders received up to two reminder emails. Respondents could end the survey at any time and participation was anonymous and voluntary. The study was approved by the University of Michigan human subjects board.