Opinion by Dr. Fehr

If we want better science and technology that contribute to the well-being of all members of our society, then we need to build a culture that includes and respects diverse practitioners, researchers and students in the STEM fields.

My research shows that scientific communities who include members from diverse backgrounds, social and material locations, and those who hold different theoretical perspectives, facilitate research that is more creative and produces outcomes that better meet the needs of a wide range of publics than homogeneous scientific communities. This means that research communities should value diversity not only for ethical and political reasons, but also because it makes our science better.

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Carla Fehr

Dr. Carla Fehr is a professor in the Department of Philosophy and serves as an advisor to the Gender and Social Justice program. She is an expert in gender diversity in STEM and feminist philosophy of science.