The ‘diversity problem’ in science
Opportunities for women and people of color to pursue careers in science have improved in recent years, but still lag behind those of white men, Harvard College Dean Evelynn M. Hammonds told a crowd at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Jan. 27. Much work remains to be done, she said, to ensure that students from all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to enter and succeed in fields like engineering and technology. The remarks were part of the keynote address delivered by Hammonds at MIT’s Institute Diversity Summit. The annual conference provides an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to learn about and discuss ways to promote excellence and diversity at the school. Hammonds, the Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and of African and African American studies, said that women and people of color had demonstrated time and again their interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),...