By Vinod Cheriyan
The message is loud and clear from INFORMS National - DEI is important. Inclusion is one of the four values, and “Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do” is one of the five strategic goals. INFORMS National has started the Diversity Ambassador program (that comes with some funding, too!) to bring together members and staff from all walks of life to work on projects to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Most recently, INFORMS released a DEI training video with a set of discussion questions that was shared with all officers (as a first step).
But what can a Chapter (or Forum) do to promote DEI?
The Chicago Chapter asked themselves this question about three years ago. I was the then Vice President of the Chapter, in charge of putting together the strategic plan for the following year. Back then, with the help of my colleagues, we put together a plan to improve DEI in the Chicago Chapter, which showed results.
This year, as one of the Chapter Representatives on the INFORMS Subdivisions Council, I was faced with a new question - how can we promote DEI thinking among all Chapters? This blog post is a humble step forward in answering this.
Leaning on some of the experiences from the journey of the Chicago Chapter and adding in some more insights I gained from being a DEI council member at Enova, I wanted to share the following suggestions.
First, focus inward - DEI on the board
The first place a Chapter could look into is its own governing body be it a committee or a board. What does diversity look like there?
It is quite possible that the governing body is a reflection of the current analytics professional landscape - mostly men and people from majority demographics. This, by the way, is not wrong in and of itself. But remember that the point of being DEI aware is to consciously fight that status quo and tilt the balance towards a more fair and inclusive reading.
Here are some things you can consider:
- Include DEI as a strategic goal in your Chapter’s strategic plan.
- If possible, elect a Diversity Officer for the committee.
These explicit steps will send a clear message to the Chapter’s board as well as the members that DEI is important to the Chapter.
- When filling positions, consider people from minorities. For example, is there an eligible woman candidate? What about a person of color?
Do not get discouraged if suitable candidates decline your invitation; follow up with them later when (hopefully) the time is right. People from historically underrepresented backgrounds sometimes have many invitations, and they may need to carefully consider them before accepting one.
In the Chicago Chapter, the internal focus on diversity in the committee showed results. Back in the day, the chapter’s leadership was primarily males coming from industry. Now, the Chapter has a leadership team that has a mix of race, gender, country of origin, professional and academic rank, as well as industrial and educational backgrounds.
Then, focus on what you do - DEI in events
Another venue to promote DEI is via your events. Diversity means hearing from different perspectives. As a next step, take a look at your events over the past year or so. Were most of the speakers males?
Consider the following:
- Can you include more women speakers?
- Can you include student speakers?
- Can you have conference tracks focused on DEI-related topics?
For example, last year’s INFORMS Regional Analytics Conference (IRAC) Chicago had an all-women panel that spoke about an essential aspect of Ethics in analytics. Prior IRACs had sessions about racial justice, disparities in healthcare access in low-income populations, and how analytics addresses these issues. The Chapter has also tried to maintain diversity in its speakers and panelists in IRACs and other local events.
Finally, focus on your member base
Spread the concepts of DEI among your members. Diversity is a way of thinking. It is not a “one-person show” or a list of duties for the “diversity officer.” For diversity to have its desired effect, it needs to be pervasive in the community.
Some things you can do:
- Spread the knowledge and resources to your chapter’s constituents. For example, you can start with the INFORMS video on addressing unconscious bias.
- Encourage them to think about diversity in their organization’s hiring and recruitment.
Think globally, act locally. Encourage DEI!
About the author
Vinod Cheriyan is a Chapter Representative in the INFORMS Subdivisions Council. He is also on the board of the INFORMS Chicago Chapter. He works as a Senior Lead Data Scientist at Enova International, where he is also a member of Enova's DEI Council.