From Bias to Integrity: Fostering Equitable Science through Author Submission Guides and Policies

From Bias to Integrity: Fostering Equitable Science through Author Submission Guides and Policies

Steph Pollock, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead, American Psychological Association

Mia Ricci, Director of Publications Operations, American Geophysical Union

Cindy B. Veldhuis, PhD, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University

In the pursuit of scientific excellence, fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is paramount. This conference session explores how inclusive author submission guides and policies can enhance scientific integrity while promoting a more equitable research landscape. Attendees will engage with three sets of standards addressing critical aspects of EDI:

Global Collaboration and Indigenous Sovereignty: Best practices for collaborative research across borders and emphasizing respect for Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty. Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Research: Support and assistance to those who conduct research on sexual orientation and gender diversity (SOGD) to ensure the 2SLGBTQIA+ community’s needs are at the forefront of research. Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Scientific Manuscripts: Acknowledging the importance of ensuring an inclusive and fully representative scientific process, we explore effective ways to address race, ethnicity, and culture in scientific writing. Stephanie (Steph) Pollock, MPS (she/her) is the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead for the American Psychological Association’s Journals Program. In this role, she directs EDI initiatives for APA’s 89 journals, working with staff, editors, and governance—as well as external groups—to promote equity and improve representation in science and scholarly publishing. With more than 12 years in the publishing industry, Steph also holds a MPS in Publishing from GW and is a Co-Chair for the Society of Scholarly Publishing’s DEIA Committee. Steph identifies as a white cisgender woman who was born in and lives in the eastern United States; she is committed to using her platforms and the power she inherits from these identities to pursue a more equitable and inclusive industry.

Mia Ricci is the Director of Publications Operations at the American Geophysical Union where she oversees AGU’s 24 scientific journals and the ESS Open Archive, AGU’s preprint and community server. Mia has over 16 years of experience in scholarly publishing and is committed to driving positive change. She also leads the DEIA efforts for AGU’s publications, is a member of the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) Board of Directors, and currently serves in committees for the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communication (C4DISC), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), and the Joint Commitment for Action on Inclusion and Diversity in Publishing. She is a member of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Geosciences (AAPIiG) and was the co-founder of Wiley’s Asian and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group.

Dr. Cindy Veldhuis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences and in the Institute of Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing at Northwestern University. She received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed her master’s (Cognitive Psychology) and bachelors (double major: Theater and Psychology) at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on LGBTQIA+ women’s relationships, health, and health behaviors as well as violence, trauma, mental health, and the impacts of sociopolitical events on wellbeing. She serves as co-chair of the Science Committee of the American Psychological Association’s Division 44 (the Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity) and is corresponding author for the committee’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Research Manuscript Writing Guide.