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Leading Edge

Commentary
To See a Face Like Mine
Esther A. Odekunle1,*
1GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK

*Correspondence: e.a.odekunle@gmail.com
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.009

As an underrepresented scientist navigating her way through the field, I have either noticed or experienced bar-
riers at key stages in the scientific journey that hinder the representation and visibility of diverse people in the
community. To see a face like mine represented in science requires intentional action to turn a system not initially
built to include all into a community that reflects, embraces, and celebrates people from all demographics.

Representation Matters
I remember science giving me ‘‘wow’’ mo-
ments as a young kid. Although I can’t say I
decided to be a scientist there and then, I
certainly knew what sparked passion and
joy in me, and I wanted to pursue that.
Throughout school I wasn’t taught about
the scientists behind scientific discoveries,
so I naturally believed science was for
everyone and could be done by anyone.
However, when I went to college, I caught
my first glimpse of the face of science from
the textbooks, the TV, and the Internet.
Exclusively white. I saw no one like me
that I could look up to and be inspired by
celebrated or even visible in a field I had
grown to love. Luckily, I had the encour-
agement of family and teachers who
made it clear that I could ‘‘defy the odds’’
and pursue a career path not necessarily
designed for someone like me. Others
weren’t so lucky. When diverse represen-
tation is the topic of discussion, some
argue that racial and ethnic factors don’t
dictate whether a given scientist can
inspire a child. I beg to differ. The message
children receive when they consistently
cannot see anyone ‘‘like them’’ celebrated
or visible in a certain career, is that they are
not welcome there. Such a message is un-
spoken yet painfully loud. This piece will
highlight how representation in science is
lacking, where the bottlenecks that hinder
diverse representation lie with reference
to my own experiences navigating through
a career in science, and actions that
address such bottlenecks. Science is for
everyone and can be done by anyone.
Our community should reflect this.
A System Not Built for All
Lack of representation in science is not a
recent phenomenon. It is historic; tracing
back to the foundations of modern sci-
ence. Black, Indigenous, and people of
color (BIPOC) are poorly represented in
the scientific community because the
scientific community was not historically
built for BIPOC to participate. ‘‘Scientific
racism,’’ the pseudoscientific belief that
there is empirical evidence that intelli-
gence is linked to race, and that certain
non-white races are biologically inferior,
was developed by scientists and at one
point had credence within the broader
scientific community. Although the scien-
tific community has now largely rejected
race science, the systems that scientific
institutions are established within in
many ways do not reflect a more enlight-
ened and anti-racist view. BIPOC scien-
tists have had and continue to have
difficulty gaining full access to the scienti-
fic community. If they do achieve this,
they are faced with compounding obsta-
cles at each stage of their career that
prevent retention, development, and pro-
gression to more senior positions.
Education
A scientist’s career typically begins with
education. However, even before entering
the first formal stage of education (elemen-
tary school), children from different demo-
graphics do not begin on equal footing and
this is evident in education outcome dis-
parities. According to the National Science
Foundation report, Black and Latinx chil-
dren in particular on average do less well
in subjects such as science and math
compared with their white and Asian coun-
terparts in elementary school (National
Science Board, 2019). This gap in educa-
tion outcomes at such an early stage is
seen to persist and even widen as students
progress within education, evidenced by
racial disparities in the National Assess-
ment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (Na-
tional Science Board, 2019). Socioeco-
nomic status plays a significant role in
education disparities because lack of ac-
cess to additional educational resources
and a higher quality of education can hind-
er young students from developing cogni-
tive and non-cognitive skills at the same
rate as their counterparts from well-off
backgrounds (Garcia, 2015). And although
racial inequality affects socioeconomic
status (and consequently education out-
comes), systemic racism in the education
system is also a factor contributing to this
disparity.
BIPOC students disproportionately
lack support in school, and because of
negative stereotypes, are more likely to
receive lower expectations from teachers
that heavily influence their attainment
levels and grades (Campbell, 2015).
This, for example, can be detrimental in
their university applications and therefore
affect the career paths available to them.
Viewing intelligence as innate and fixed
(especially based on demographics
such as race and ethnicity) instead of
malleable through effort and persistence
contributes to harmful stereotypes and
consequent racial disparities in academic
outcomes that may otherwise not exist.
In many instances I was the ‘‘straight A
student’’ who received encouragement
from teachers. ‘‘Naturally gifted’’ and
‘‘talented’’ were words I often heard,
which provided a positive environment
for me to learn and push myself intellectu-
ally. However, I noticed this was not the
case for some of my fellow classmates.
Some students who struggled the most
in class were given little encouragement
to see potential beyond their current

564 Cell 183, October 29, 2020 ª 2020 Elsevier Inc.


Commentary
grades. The low expectations from teach-
ers often led these students to resign
themselves to failure. If all students,
regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeco-
nomic background were appropriately
encouraged by educators, the achieve-
ment gap we see between different racial
groups could start to close. Indeed, in a
study, African American students who
were encouraged to see intelligence as
malleable had a more positive learning
experience and obtained higher average
grades (Aronson et al., 2002). Another
racial disparity that persists is the higher
rate and severity of punishment given to
students from particular racial demo-
graphics in schools. This disparity has
even been associated with rates of racial
bias in the local surroundings (Riddle
and Sinclair, 2019). Being identified as
more ‘‘problematic’’ on the basis of bias
and consequently being punished more
severely can contribute to a negative
learning environment for BIPOC students
and negatively affect their education
outcomes.
As long as socioeconomic disparities
persist, equal access to quality education
for children from all demographics will not
be achieved. This requires significant pol-
icy change. Until then, there are a few ac-
tions that can help address the disparities
in education outcomes. To tackle biases
in education that perpetuate harmful
stereotypes and narrow the ambition of
BIPOC students, institutions should pro-
mote self-reflection of biases in staff,
implement appropriate bias training, and
where possible, monitor teacher assess-
ments and career advisor feedback to
highlight any disparities that may be a
product of bias. Additionally, institutional
policies that may lead to certain demo-
graphics being targeted for punishment
at an increased rate compared with their
counterparts should be addressed and
changed. Further, children and young
people should be introduced to diverse
scientists in teaching material so they
can see themselves in the scientists
behind the discoveries and realize that a
career in the sciences can be attainable
regardless of their background.
Although these actions won’t solve
everything, they may reduce the hurdles
many BIPOC students are faced with
that prevent them from ever beginning a
career as a scientist.
Recruitment
For those fortunate enough to begin the
path toward a career as a scientist, a
‘‘leaky pipeline’’ awaits. At each stage of
career progression far too many prom-
ising and diverse candidates are lost
along the way. I undertook my bachelor’s
and PhD degrees at the same university.
During my undergraduate studies, I
observed relatively good representation
of different ethnic groups in my courses,
and it was encouraging to see that a range
of people from different backgrounds had
a common interest in biochemistry. I then
began my PhD in the same department
and a sharp decline in diversity became
painfully obvious. Looking higher up the
academic hierarchy at faculty members,
diversity was pretty much non-existent.
But this is not just an academia problem.
I have since transitioned into the pharma-
ceutical industry, and generally notice a
similar trend across various companies.
Although the gender gap is closing, there
is still a way to go to see recruitment of
scientists from different racial or ethnic
demographics at all levels in science.
Actions that can improve diverse repre-
sentation are as follows: constantly
monitor diversity in recruitment to identify
areas where improvement is needed, and
review recruitment practices to determine
ways it may intentionally or unintentionally
bias hiring decisions toward or away from
certain demographics. In addition, be
intentional in how you target a diverse
applicant pool during the recruitment pro-
cess. This includes identifying appro-
priate platforms or establishments to
advertise jobs, so they reach a diverse de-
mographic. Another action to take is to
incorporate outreach programs to show
students and early career professionals
from diverse demographics real-life role
models from your institution. This may
provide the incentive they need to apply
for a position in your institution when the
time is right.
Although diverse recruitment is impor-
tant, what happens next is critical for sus-
tained diversity: retention, development,
and progression.
Retention
Retention of diverse individuals is contin-
gent on creating an inclusive environ-
ment. However, an overwhelming number
of underrepresented scientists have had
ll
to deal with bullying, discrimination, and
aggressions in the workplace. Looking
back on my past experiences within sci-
entific spaces (particularly at confer-
ences), I have had fellow scientists
interact with me solely based on the
monolithic stereotype of a Black woman
presented in films or books, not as the
distinct human being I am. This makes
forming genuine connections in the work-
place difficult. I have had my hair
touched—without my given consent—
which reinforces how Black people still
do not have full autonomy of our own
bodies in society. People have been sur-
prised that I ‘‘speak well’’ or ‘‘write well,’’
not something they’d associate with
someone from my ‘‘background’’ or ‘‘cul-
ture.’’ Experiences like this and worse on
a daily basis at the workplace (not just at
scientific conferences) often push under-
represented scientists out. How can we
build an inclusive environment for all?
Creating an inclusive environment re-
quires making support networks, which
act as safe spaces for individuals to speak
freely and honestly about their experi-
ences, available. Additionally, offer clear
policies on bullying, discrimination, and
aggression, and circulate defined steps
that can be taken to report mistreatment.
Further, avoid exclusively burdening un-
derrepresented individuals with diversity
and inclusion efforts that you wish to
implement. This is a job for scientists
from all backgrounds and therefore the
expectations and workloads should be
shared among different people where
possible.
Development
If underrepresented scientists can experi-
ence an environment that is inclusive
enough to retain them, how will they
then be developed professionally? In
science (and particularly academia), insti-
tutional neglect, where many talented
individuals have been forced to leave,
continues to persist. There are many fac-
tors that contribute to this, including lack
of dedicated mentoring.
Many underrepresented scientists
(including myself) are first generation sci-
entists. Without the insights and access
a mentor can provide, we have made mis-
takes along the way, many of which could
have been avoided. And in some cases,
those mistakes have changed the course
Cell 183, October 29, 2020 565
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of our careers. I cannot say I have ever
had a dedicated mentor, and for key
points in my career I really wish I did.
Mentorship is not a biannual conversation
about where I see myself in the future. I
consider a mentor as someone with
expertise, access, and the emotional ca-
pacity to support my growth and develop-
ment professionally and/or personally.
As important as mentorship is, well-de-
signed mentoring schemes are over-
whelmingly lacking in scientific institutions.
Such schemes could be instrumental in
helping those, who would otherwise be ne-
glected, navigate their way in science and
develop to be their best selves. Therefore,
a key action institutions can take is to
implement formal, easily assessable men-
toring schemes that enable those, particu-
larly with less access, to find appropriate
people that can help them successfully
navigate key stages in their careers.
However, the efforts cannot stop at
mentoring. It is not enough to simply leave
underrepresented scientists in a perpet-
ual state of ‘‘training.’’ Mentoring and
development should naturally lead to pro-
gression. Scientists that reach key devel-
opment milestones should be given an
increased amount of responsibility and
power to make important decisions.
Progression
Progression heavily depends on two
groups of people; those in positions of po-
wer who decide who should occupy more
senior roles, and those who want to prog-
ress to more senior positions. Although
emphasis on the former for increasing
diverse representation is important, we
must also consider the latter, which actu-
ally presents a catch 22. I’ll use myself as
an example.
I’ve always been ambitious and prided
myself in being resilient enough to pursue
my goals in spaces not necessarily made
for someone like me. However, very
recently I realized I had subconsciously
ruled out the possibility of working toward
certain leadership positions in my career
simply because I saw no one like me pro-
gressing into those positions. I had unin-
tentionally limited myself. A phrase I’ve
often come across is ‘‘You cannot be
what you cannot see’’ and by deciding
not to work toward being the representa-
tion I wanted to see at a leadership level,
this phrase proved true for me.
566 Cell 183, October 29, 2020
Until underrepresented scientists see
people like themselves progressing into
senior positions, there must be a consci-
entious effort to encourage and advocate
for those that show leadership potential.
But what criteria constitute leadership po-
tential? And does the criteria itself lead to
disparities? An example is diversity and
inclusion efforts. This, in many cases, is
not a metric utilized for management,
leadership, or progression assessments.
However, a meaningful proportion of un-
derrepresented individuals have dedi-
cated time and resources (often at the
expense of their scientific productivity)
to improve diversity and inclusion. A
closer look into criteria used to assess
suitability for progression and how this
may discriminate for or against particu-
larly demographics is needed.
A particular action going forward to
address diverse progression is devel-
oping and implementing leadership
training programs that are intentional in
training future leaders from all back-
grounds. Further, where possible, these
programs should be cross-industry to
facilitate transitioning to different areas
of science. Additionally, mentors or man-
agers should actively encourage under-
represented scientists they feel have
the potential to lead, to work toward
gaining skills required for progression
especially to leadership roles. It should
not be assumed that anyone with leader-
ship potential actually sees this potential
in themselves (especially when they do
not see themselves represented in those
spaces).
Elevation
Finally, we must consider who we cele-
brate and elevate to positions of power
within science, and what message this
sends. Historically, scientists with racist
views (such as James Watson) have been
hailed as role models due to their ‘‘contri-
butions’’ to the field. The father of eu-
genics, Francis Galton and a proponent
of eugenics, Karl Pearson, had spaces
and a building named in their honor at a
prominent university (only this year, and af-
ter a series of recommendations, were
their names removed). As a Black scientist
it was heart-breaking to learn that Watson,
one of the first scientists I was taught
about, considers me inferior simply based
on my skin color. And by seeing the racism
Commentary
of celebrated scientists conveniently
ignored by the science community, I have
seriously questioned my place here. What
place do I have in a community where
biased, harmful attitudes and behaviors
are ignored by scientists in favor of new
data? Where the collective values do not
align to protect people above productivity?
Is it therefore ok to treat members of the
community in ways that could threaten
their wellbeing as long as the science con-
tinues? Indeed, problematic scientists
have harassed their colleagues or junior
professionals with no repercussions en-
forced by their institutions, simply because
of their ‘‘scientific legacy.’’ Philippe Rush-
ton, a psychology professor who asserted
(widely debunked) links between race and
intelligence, used his classroom to pro-
mote his views, often at the expense of
his Black students (Black at Western
Alumni, 2020). He published a review in
2012 (eventually redacted this year) on
the link between pigmentation in humans
and aggression and sexuality; a paper
with no merited scientific basis but which
plays into the harmful stereotypes that
have put Black lives particularly in danger.
Yet he continued as a faculty member at
the university until his death. Philippe
Rushton encouraged the students that
would have taken on his views and perpet-
uated racist attitudes, and traumatized
Black students learning under him by sub-
jecting them to his racist views. By looking
the other way, institutions allow divisive
individuals to create hostile, traumatic en-
vironments that eventually push diverse in-
dividuals out.
So, what steps can be taken to improve
the quality of role models elevated in sci-
ence? First, science educators should
learn the history of science, and teach
the life, the work, and the society that
influenced the work of scientists they
feature in lessons. I was not afforded
this growing up, but believe teaching sci-
ence in the social context it was conduct-
ed in will highlight important lessons such
as how our values as a society affect who
is funded or supported in science, how
science is conducted, and how it can be
used to influence societal policies. If the
next generation of students and scientists
learn science in this way, the hope is that it
will create a culture where science is con-
ducted and communicated responsibly,
and where members of the scientific

Commentary
community work toward creating a legacy
beyond just data.
Second, we as a collective must rede-
fine what it means to be a role model in
science and collectively agree that the
legacy of a scientist must go beyond the
data. What qualities do we value in the
scientific community and which scientists
showcase this in a way that will be partic-
ularly inspiring to the next generation of
scientists? Personally, I value integrity,
transparency, supportiveness, respect-
fulness, and commitment to equality as
inspirational qualities in a science role
model (in addition to scientific achieve-
ments). Qualities such as these that align
with an inclusive and diverse community
should be valued and celebrated in the
science community.
Finally, the notion of looking beyond a
person’s scientific achievements must
apply not only to how we celebrate posi-
tive attributes, but how we penalize nega-
tive attributes. We must dispel the idea
that science can only be done by a certain
person, and therefore that person should
be exempt from facing consequences
for their actions. Regardless of scientific
accolades, if a scientist is demonstrating
harmful and divisive views or behaviors,
those with influence must be prepared to
appropriately respond, and if necessary,
remove such a person from positions of
power. Science is not done in a vacuum
and shouldn’t be separated from our
values as a community. Our values deter-
mine how we do science, how it is inter-
preted, and how it can be used to define
the policies that shape our lives and the
lives of those coming behind us.
To conclude, innovation and excellence
in science relies on diversity in perspec-
tive, and perspective is influenced by lived
experience (Swartz et al., 2019). Diversi-
fied perspective leads to an increased
scope for problem solving thus providing
a breadth of creative solutions not
immediately available in homogeneous
scientific environments. The only way to
successfully create an environment with
diverse perspective is to increase repre-
sentation of scientists from all back-
grounds in all spaces, and particularly
where important decisions are made.
But to see a face like mine represented
at all levels in science requires an under-
standing of how our current systems at
key stages in the scientific journey hinder
diverse representation. As highlighted in
this piece, disparities we observe begin
from elementary school and are further
compounded throughout education. And
over the course of a professional career
in science lack of inclusivity, access to
mentorship, and support to progress
often lead to a leaky pipeline that dispro-
portionately affects individuals that are
already underrepresented. Inaction per-
petuates inequality. Therefore, actions
that can address the various bottlenecks
hindering diverse representation in the
science community have been recom-
mended. And on a final note, it is also
important to realize that the science com-
ll
munity goes beyond data. We are human
beings before we are scientists, and this
should be reflected in who we celebrate.
My hope is that one day I will see the sci-
ence community I’ve spent a significant
part of my life in finally value and protect
its people above productivity.
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