Edinburgh Neuroscience becomes ALBA Declaration on Equality and Inclusion Signatory

ALBA is a network of brain scientists committed to fostering fair & diverse scientific communities. We have drafted this document as a resource for concrete, positive, evidence-based actions that individuals and organizations at any level can take to promote equity & inclusivity. We focus specifically on two contributing factors to perpetual underrepresentation in STEM: implicit bias & workplace culture. We believe that adopting the actions below will benefit all members of the research community and the scientific enterprise itself.

We recognize that there are many individuals & organizations who share these goals. We invite you to indicate your support by signing this Declaration.

We are all biased. What can we do?

Commit to recognizing & counteracting bias

• Establish a working group that includes key stakeholders & members of leadership
• Have a policy. Adopt a written Equity, Diversity & Inclusion policy. Share it widely
• Set concrete goals & identify relevant actions
• Be data-driven. Continuously collect data to monitor progress & test solutions
• Raise awareness. Provide unconscious bias training

Allyship & advocacy

• Amplify the voices of minoritized colleagues in both formal and informal settings
• Nominate individuals from diverse backgrounds for prestigious events, awards, & recognition

Selection, hiring, and assessment

• Proactively solicit applications from underrepresented groups
• Ensure balanced committee representation to minimize biased gatekeeping
• Use consistent, well-defined evaluation criteria
• Learn to identify and avoid biased language, for example in letters of recommendation, teaching evaluations, etc.
• Consider double-blind reviewing or separate streaming of applications to strive for equitable success rates

An inclusive workplace culture is a healthy environment for all

Establish a positive workplace environment

• Adopt and enforce a code of conduct
• Follow the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity
• Endorse the DORA Declaration on Research Assessment
• Provide onboarding/orientation for new employees to navigate organizational & local cultural norms
• Establish a mentoring system

Promote healthy work-life balance

• Schedule all events during appropriate working hours
• Allow for flexible hours and teleworking where possible

Establish transparent career structures

• Implement clear advancement criteria
• Ensure equal pay for equivalent positions
• Ensure equitable service loads for teaching, advising, and committees
• Explicitly recognize service contributions
• Consider broadening career paths to provide opportunities beyond PI role
• Facilitate access to child/family care (through onsite facilities and/or subsidization where possible)