Leaders in STEM, the influence of immigration, and one scientist’s opinion
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) announcement made on September 5 by President Trump caused me to think not only of the 100s of thousands of individuals who are directly impacted by that decision, but also of the 10s of thousands of scientists who may have come to this country originally as undocumented immigrants. I am one of those people, arriving in the US at the age of 6, educated here, eventually receiving permanent residency, then full citizenship, and choosing a career in the sciences. I am also a professor of biology at an urban public university that is the most diverse 4-year university in New England (UMass Boston), where we serve and educate students from all over the world: first-generation students, people who work to make ends meet and are juggling family and school responsibilities. I am a leader within my institution and in training students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. As emotions about the decision were brewing in me, I wondered how many of “us” are there? As scientists in major US institutions, we are impacting and contributing significantly to the scientific and economic engines of this country that I call home. We are educating the next generation of scientists, who more and more are as diverse as the children in schools across America. Yet, how many of us experienced being undocumented? Were our parents undocumented, or do we have a close family member that was undocumented? Because these questions were mulling in mind, I decided to ask colleagues from a professional scientific society, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), who are all PhD level scientists and leaders in their fields, about their experiences.
I asked simple questions: Were you an undocumented individual at any point before or after becoming a scientist? Yes/no. If yes, was it as a minor or adult? Were your parents undocumented? And, do you have a relative (sibling, grandparents, aunt/uncle, or partner/wife/husband) who was undocumented?
A Google-based survey was conducted in which no identifiers were collected, meaning no names, email address, nor IP addresses. The email was sent to PhD level SACNAS members from all scientific fields. People volunteered to participate and were allowed to answer any or all of the questions asked. The survey was active and visible for one week.
To my amazement, the results were powerful statements about how much we are contributing to the scientific enterprise of the US, not only as participants but also as leaders in science! Of 94 respondents, 24.5% indicated they were at one point undocumented. This means a quarter of us who are involved in research, education, running a business, or serving the federal government as leaders, were living the lives of current DACA individuals. Not only that, nearly 40% of 86 respondents indicated they had a parent who was undocumented. More shockingly, 66% of 65 respondents said “yes” they had a relative who was undocumented. Think about this for a moment… The dearth of talent that is at risk with this latest decision by Trump is significant (Data is graphically represented below).
The vast majority of STEM leaders, who participated in the survey and contributing to the success of science from just one organization, SACNAS, is impacted directly and indirectly by the recent DACA decision. What would science in the US look like if we were NOT here? What does this mean for the future of science? Would the US benefit or be “harmed” by not allowing individuals who lived much of their lives in this country? Our experiences as immigrants has enriched the US and made us the leaders we are today. That has been the history of the US since it’s creation. Let’s celebrate and embrace the diversity DACA individuals bring to this country!
#SACNAS, #DefendDACA, SACNAS
(Photo: Author with brothers)
