On Racism, Bias, Diversity, and Inclusion

The protests of the last several days have highlighted for many the ongoing, deep-seated racism that black and brown people, including members of our own HF/E community, face each day.  HFES stands firm in the fight against racism. However, our beliefs may not always reflect biases we carry without our knowledge. In this moment, it behooves us all to look within ourselves to identify any bias we may carry as a result of having lived in a biased society.

We owe it to our members, to the scientific and academic communities, to our Society's next generation, and to the public to continuously improve and not be silent. We will create opportunity for continuous improvement through our Diversity and Inclusion Committee and other avenues as we aspire to increase inclusivity for our members and others.  HFES will always stand on the side of racial justice and remains committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

M. Susan Hallbeck
President

Members may be interested in the Harvard Implicit Association Test (https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/). This test allows one to privately and freely quantify bias on a variety of topics, including race.