Her undergraduate studies in ecology were nearing their conclusion and Drea Darby was looking for a career in environmental protection. She had dreamed of a career in the area, but the posts were poorly paid, if at all, and she was forced to look elsewhere. She was reminded of her own fieldwork experiences by the remote nature of many of the jobs she applied for. When she was out in the field, she was constantly interrupted by curious onlookers who questioned her presence. But her white colleagues were never asked the same questions.

As a result of the obstacles she encountered, Darby rethought her career path. She is currently a graduate student at Cornell University, working in a lab environment.

Anti-racism is a hot topic in many departments of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology (EECB), yet many departments lack the resources or expertise to take action. EECB has a long history of colonial views and racism, and a checklist to remove white supremacy has been published by Nature Ecology & Evolution in the journal.

Race, racism, colonialism, eugenics, and colonialism have all had a negative impact on ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation.” According to the study’s principal author, Melissa Cronin, “It’s really important to acknowledge that this is woven into the discipline’s history.” “You are aware of the many ways in which these appear today.”

According to a study in the piece, the percentage of non-white students in EECB is significantly lower than in other STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). Darby was the only African-American student in her ecology class.

And it’s not just a problem in the US. STEM programs were found to have poor enrollment rates among Indigenous populations in Australia. According to the 2016-2017 academic year, less than 1% of STEM professors at UK universities were Black.

Using decades of research and empirical evidence from the scientific literature, the viewpoint article supported its claims. One of the most crucial pieces of the puzzle in the perspective component was the publication of numerous studies on anti-racism in lab settings, courses, and employment.

For Bala Chaudhary, an assistant professor in environmental studies at Dartmouth College, the article “just brought them all together and provided what I think is a really comprehensive framework for moving forward with actions,” Chaudhary says. Papers like this one are getting the attention they deserve in high-profile publications, according to the author of this perspective piece.

After the first week of Chaudhary’s undergraduate ecology class, she remarked on her own experience. Most students are familiar with the origins of the term ecology, which Ernst Haeckel coined. The fact that Haeckel was a racist and social Darwinist was unknown to her at the time. She can’t help but wonder if any of the pupils in the room had any idea what the instructors were saying.

“I believe that who we talk about and who we don’t talk about matters… and it matters for who stays in our fields,” she says.

In order to understand life, the theories of ecology, evolution, and conservation are based on scientific tradition. They make a significant contribution to society by doing so.

“However, I think those really important legacies are not always examined,” Cronin argues.

To understand how we came to these concepts, who was listened to and who was sidelined in the establishment of these key disciplines, we must be critical of the process.

Some people in EECB still don’t understand or combat racism. The perspective essay emphasizes the significance of addressing the legacy of racial inequality. According to Chaudhary, professors should not brush over the country’s dark past in favor of focusing on the present’s bright future. It’s common for people to be unaware of the field’s bad history because it’s so entrenched.

An anti-racist academic environment can be created at all levels, from the classroom to the lab to the department. Students should be asked for comments frequently and the syllabus should be “decolonized,” according to the scientists.

It is possible for academics to presume that everyone knows the “hidden curriculum,” which comprises of unsaid standards, actions and expectations. Research experience, for example, can play a significant role in supporting professional advancement in STEM fields. Yet not all students know how to network or locate possibilities for job advancement. As a professor, you can benefit all of your students by establishing clear guidelines on how to best connect with them.

An assistant professor at New Mexico State University who was not involved in the work argues that creating a friendly environment in the lab and field is critical to increasing the representation of non-white persons. Her previous supervisor made it clear that she was moving to a largely white town and university before she started her new job.

As Romero-Olivares puts it, “knowing that you are in a laboratory where those differences and where that environment is acknowledged somehow helps.”

According to the authors, there are ways that academic departments can attract, retain, and demonstrate their appreciation for teachers and students from a wide range of backgrounds. For example, departments should require diversity statements, verify that they are not performative, and evaluate them significantly in the hiring process to ensure that they hire people who are truly dedicated to anti-racism. Applicants should be able to apply without having to take standardized examinations, according to the criteria. Travel and research expenses should be covered ahead of time, as well as more paid chances.

Darby argues that graduate students are often responsible for a lot of the work that goes into designing and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. When a department or university is lauded for being inclusive, it might be upsetting for these students because graduate students are often doing the bulk of the work. There are many ways to make this a long-term goal, including changing the culture and prioritizing these activities in tenure packets.

At the university level, there are still many modifications that need to be made. According to Romero-Olivares, teachers teaching big lecture sessions with insufficient support may not always be able to implement active learning environments that enhance the learning experience for students, for example.

Romero-Olivares says it can be difficult for professors to establish these environments on top of the research, service, and other teaching they already perform. Adding more teaching assistants can help, and this will provide students the opportunity to earn money while they learn.

We should all be able to access science because it’s so cool, and that’s why I made this,” Darby adds. When it comes to deconstructing existing structures, “I think it’s important that people know that pieces like this exist and do the hard work,” he says.