In July, AAPS distributed a survey aimed at uncovering where discrimination impacts the work life and careers of our members. Here are the key takeaways.
Nearly 200 members responded to our survey at the urging of AAPS President Joseph Polli, Ph.D., and the AAPS Board of Directors, which will incorporate these results into the development of the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan that is currently in development.
“We will make time for this important issue and put actions in place to build professional communities, programs, and partnerships that benefit everyone,” Polli wrote to the membership in announcing the survey last month. “AAPS supports scientists regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.”
The professional background of respondents ranged from those early in their careers to those with decades of experience. Most respondents identified as Caucasian.
About half of respondents identified as female, and this may indicate that women were very interested in this topic, because women are in the minority across AAPS membership. By comparison, only 42% of respondents to the 2019 AAPS Salary Survey identified as female.
Based on the 68% of members who have reported their gender to AAPS while joining or renewing their membership, less than 30% of AAPS members are female.
Here is what respondents to the Strategic Planning & Social Injustice Survey said:
- A total of 50% of all respondents say they have witnessed a colleague experiencing discrimination related to race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination, while at work or attending school.
- 60% of respondents agree that at least some degree of discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation affects the pharmaceutical sciences community, including professional meetings and workplaces. Noticeably, when responses from females were isolated, this percentage rose to 76%.
- 15% of all respondents declared that their career has been limited very much by discrimination.
- There was a sharp divide in responses between respondents identifying as male versus female. More than 50% of men reported that their career has not been limited by race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination while more than 70% of women said the opposite—their career has been limited due to discrimination.
- All respondents overwhelmingly agreed that their ability to benefit from AAPS membership had not been limited at all (70%) or very much (11%) by their race, gender, sexual orientation, or discrimination.
- More than 80% of respondents also said they had not experienced discrimination while participating in AAPS events and programs.
Even so, members do consider addressing discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation, important—63% said the Board should make it a High or Top Priority. Ideas included reaching out to groups not well represented in AAPS and monitoring event programs for gender, age, and race diversity. Support for diversity in academia was also an important issue to respondents.
In their comments, respondents expressed hope that AAPS will provide support and encouragement to future generations from all backgrounds as they study and work in the pharmaceutical sciences. This view was uniform among respondents, hinting at a strong connection among scientists in their position on social justice, even among those who did not report experiencing discrimination directly.
If you have a comment or any questions, please reach out to AAPS President Joesph Polli. AAPS members—the August digital issue of AAPS Newsmagazine features insight from an outstanding team of women scientists, and visit AAPS’ Women in Pharmaceutical Science community, where you can connect and share experiences.