Professor in the Science and Technology Department at TELUQ University. The author signs this text with five professor-researchers on behalf of more than 70 members of teaching and research establishments in biological and environmental sciences.*
The recent call for applications reserved for women, Aboriginal peoples, people with disabilities and visible minorities for a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in biology at Laval University has generated strong reactions in the media and in the political sphere. We are delighted to see the emergence of these exchanges on these very important questions. However, certain realities of academia, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), seem misunderstood, notably the strategy of targeted hiring linked to CRC awards.
As members of educational and research institutions in the biological and environmental sciences, we would like to provide some additional information to contribute to the discussion, taking as an example the situation of women in our sector, knowing however that the challenges are still greater among marginalized and intersectional groups.
Systemic barriers
According to data from the Quebec Ministry of Education and the 2016 census (based on a binary representation of gender), female students are in the majority in almost all baccalaureate programs, with the exception of STEM programs, where their proportion was 34% in 2019-20. Although female students are generally less present in graduate studies, they make up 53% of doctoral enrollments in biology, making it the sector where women are best represented in Quebec.
They already accounted for 54% of doctorates granted in biology in Canada 10 years ago. However, in 2022 in Quebec, the 11 departments of biology or environmental sciences are all still composed of less than 40% women, including several with less than 30%. It is clear that there are systemic barriers that hinder women’s access to these positions.
Towards inclusive excellence
The low accession of women to the teaching staff is a well-known and multifactorial problem. The hiring process is essentially played out when families are formed. This pivotal period is characterized by demands for maximum productivity, assessed by quantitative measures, such as the number of articles published, which are documented to be disadvantageous for women, and in particular for mothers.
In addition to work-family challenges, there are other obstacles, such as unconscious prejudices or the scarcity of role models from diversity. Many women desert this environment, and those who persist are often perceived as being less efficient than men when it comes to hiring and promotion.
Although the criteria for scientific excellence remain largely unchanged, provincial and federal granting agencies are trying to broaden the indicators. The assessment of research excellence includes new scientific contributions, such as book chapters and research reports, traditionally viewed as second-tier publications.
More weight is given to the training of students and outreach activities in the community. Also, we now consider interruptions, slowdowns or non-linear career paths, which are frequent among women. The pandemic has also had disproportionate negative effects on the productivity of female scientists, with likely consequences for their careers.
It is high time to see this transition to inclusive excellence trickle down to universities. Basically, hiring must revolve around a project that aims for innovation, both in research and in training, to lead our society to meet the changing challenges it faces. Professional orders and companies (for example the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, Hatch, VIA Rail, the National Bank of Canada and the Caisse populaire Desjardins) recognize diversity as a key factor in innovation and performance.
Strong actions
This appreciation of diversity needs to be better anchored in the university structure. A diverse faculty provides invaluable role models to the student community by breaking down stereotypes and demonstrating that it is possible to enter this profession and thrive in it. Within research teams and university committees, diversity reduces the risks associated with groupthink and promotes a variety of cognitive problem-solving tools.
For our universities to benefit from diversity, they must put in place the right conditions to minimize the challenges faced by people from underrepresented groups. Without strong actions, gender representation in STEM departments will only reach that of society in several decades.
If, in a field like biology, the progression of women is so slow to the post of professor, while so many of them have obtained a doctorate, and this for more than 10 years, one can imagine the slowness of the process for those in other STEM sectors as well as for marginalized people, such as Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, neurodivergent people and people living in intersectionality.
CRC awards when targeted exclusively at certain groups (the result of a federal court order), are a means of accelerating faculty diversity and are relatively rare (less than 5% of hires). Furthermore, we are convinced that we must continue to seek new ways to make our universities more diverse, inclusive and equitable.
Each year that passes without fair representation reinforces stereotypes about what constitutes a “real” scientific person and negatively influences the next generation in their choice to pursue a career in science. Let us not be discouraged by the immense building site required, think rather about how, individually and in group, to achieve it.
* Also signed this text: Eve Langelier (Chair for Women in Science and Engineering in Quebec, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sherbrooke); Tanya Handa (Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM); Nicole Fenton (Forest Research Institute, UQAT); Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe (Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke); Sylvie Gauthier (Forest Studies Center, UQAM).
The full list of other co-signers:
Alison Munson, Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Laval University; Osvaldo Valeria, Forest Research Institute, University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue; Daniel Kneeshaw, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Yves Bergeron, Center for Forest Studies, UQAT and UQAM; Yan Boulanger, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada; Louis De Grandpré, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada; Audrey Maheu, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Clément Chion, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Sandra Ann Binning, ; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Katrine Turgeon, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Philippe Nolet, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Catherine Girard, Department of Basic Sciences, UQAC; Angélique Dupuch, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; François Lorenzetti, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Alain Paquette, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Steven Kembel, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Beatrix Beisner, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Alison Derry, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; David Rivest, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Geneviève Lajoie, Plant Biology Research Institute, UdeM; Karine Pedneault, Department of Natural Sciences, UQO; Marie-Josée Fortin, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto; Catherine Mounier, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Dominique Gravel, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Alexander Culley, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Laval University; Jean-François Bissonnette, Department of Geography, Laval University; Michelle Garneau, Department of Geography, UQAM; Carly Ziter, Department of Biology, Concordia University; Anne-Lise Routier, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Daniel Kierzkowski, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Cornelia Krause, Department of Basic Sciences, UQAC; Maryse Marchand, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada; Eric Harvey, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Liliana Perez, Department of Geography, University of Montreal; Matthew Regan, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Annie Angers, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Annie DesRochers, Forest Research Institute, UQAT; Roxane Maranger, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Étienne Léveillé-Bourret, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Jean-Francois Lapierre, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Dominic Cyr, Environment and Climate Change Canada; Stéphane Molotchnikoff, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Dominique Boucher, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada; Marie-Hélène Brice, Plant Biology Research Institute, University of Montreal; Pierre Drapeau, Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Forest Studies, UQAM; Denis Réale, Department of Biological Sciences, UQAM; Miguel Montoro Girona, Forest Research Institute, UQAT; Anne Bruneau, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal; Nicolas Bélanger, Science and Technology Department, TÉLUQ University; Marie Larocque, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, UQAM; Violaine Ponsin, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, UQAM; Louis Bernier, Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Laval University; Mark Vellend, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Adelphine Bonneau, Department of Chemistry and Department of History, University of Sherbrooke; Viktor Steimle, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Guillaume Grosbois, Forest Research Institute, UQAT; Ilga Porth, Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Laval University; Marco Festa-Bianchet, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Annie Deslauriers, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi; Steve Déry, Department of Geography, Laval University; Pascale B. Beauregard, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Mélanie Jean, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton; Anne-Marie Dion-Côté, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton; Myriam Lemelin, Department of Applied Geomatics, University of Sherbrooke; Jean-Philippe Côté, Department of Biology, University of Sherbrooke; Lise Parent, Science and Technology Department, TÉLUQ University; Pedro Peres-Neto, Department of Biology, Concordia University; Connie Lovejoy, Department of Biology, Université Laval; Émilie Saulnier-Talbot, Departments of Biology and Geography, Université Laval; Sandra Hamel, Department of Biology, Laval University; Caroline Desbiens, Department of Geography, Laval University; Justine Gagnon, Department of Geography, Laval University