ASCB statement of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) reaffirms its long-standing commitment to diversity in science. We strive to center equity and inclusion in all our policies and practices, as described in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

Diversity is powerful and empowering. As scientists, we have the responsibility to ensure that persons from all backgrounds have full agency in a society that is increasingly dependent on science and technology. When the scientific community is successfully drawn from the entire population, the resulting diversity makes science stronger, enhancing research creativity and innovation as scientists tackle increasingly difficult problems. While the benefits of diversity are well documented, there is significant disagreement on how to achieve it, as recently illustrated by the 2023 Supreme Court decision regarding race-conscious college admissions.

We strive for equity, ensuring fair conditions, policies, practices, structures, cultures, and norms in which all individuals have the respect, opportunities, and resources they need to be successful and feel that they belong.¹ Equity is the foundation for inclusion, and inclusion enables us to accrue the full benefits of diversity.

ASCB activities and programs strive to advance equity and inclusion for all scientists and science learners. Examples are:

• ASCB committees – Committee for Postdocs and Students (COMPASS), Education, International Affairs, LGBTQ+, Maximizing Access in Cell Biology for PEERs (MAC), and Women in Cell Biology – provide opportunities for all people to engage in learning, sharing, and advocacy;

• ASCB journals – Molecular Biology of the Cell and CBE-Life Sciences Education – support all cell scientists in sharing their discoveries with a global community and help instructors create inclusive classrooms and laboratories;

• Accomplishing Career Transitions (ACT, funded by NIH), Faculty Research and Education Development (FRED, funded by NSF), and Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC, funded by the NIH) provide early career scientists professional development programming, including mentoring, coaching, grant proposal writing, and career advising; and

• At the ASCB Annual Meeting, we inform all meeting attendees in the practice and scholarship of diversity through numerous events and activities organized by various ASCB committees.

The ASCB invites individuals, professional societies, funding organizations, and educational institutions that share our commitment to diversity to join us in advancing equity and inclusion in science.