Diversity in Science Center

Though a number of programs have been devised to enhance diversity in the health professions, none of these programs have been fully evaluated or studied systematically to determine their success or failure. As a result, despite the considerable resources expended by state, local and federal governments, private foundations and other groups, no one knows whether these programs have worked, and therefore their effectiveness has been questioned.

With this grant, Dr. Joan Reede, Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School, is establishing a Center for the Study of Diversity in Science to address this deficiency. The new Center, built on the scientist-practitioner model, will integrate theory, research and practice to address both health care and scientific workforce diversity and human resource development. A major goal of the center will be to identify the mechanisms necessary for the academic and career advancement of racial and ethnic minority, urban and disadvantaged individuals.

Dr. Reede and her co-investigator, Dr. Emorcia Hill, have considerable experience in programs designed to enhance diversity. Dr. Reede has been director of Harvard’s Office for Diversity and Community Partnership since it was established in 2002, and has been nationally recognized for her efforts to enhance diversity. Dr. Hill has 20 years of experience with programs aimed at increasing the participation of minorities both in academia and in the labor force.

They have identified an impressive list of objectives for the new center.

These include:

• Providing a forum where leaders and expert policy makers, researchers and practitioners can address the many theoretical, practical, research and societal questions surrounding workforce diversity and human resource development;
• Conducting studies that are appropriate to scale and subject matter;
• Creating a repository and database that is available to a broad, public constituency;
• Establishing models and identifying lessons useful as “road maps” for program development;
• Providing technical assistance for workforce diversity programs;
• Providing leadership development and training for directors of workforce diversity and human resource development programs, incorporating lessons learned from successful programs;
• Generating research papers and policy briefs; and
• Serving as a resource for researchers, policy makers and practitioners interested in increasing workforce diversity and improving human resource development.