SIG: Inclusion in Neuroscience - Post 1

SIG: Inclusion in Neuroscience - Post 1

Author: Victoria Ward

Project Coordinator for the B-RAD Lab 

This semester, the B-RAD lab will be hosting a special interest group (SIG) where we will discuss how we can improve inclusion in Neuroscience. Each week we will share the highlights of our conversations right here on our site!
 
At our SIG meeting on Monday, August 30, 2021, we communicated ideas about different ways we can make our lab more inclusive and topics we would like to discuss throughout the semester.
 
Here are a few topics we came up with:

• Adaptability of our current EEG equipment:
  • How to make EEG more comfortable for all hair types and hairstyles
  • Understand and respect the culture and heritage behind diverse hairstyles
• Racism is still present in Neuroscience:
  • How to spot and stop implicit bias
  • Be mindful of paperwork, questions, and conduct that may be micro-aggressive
  • Engage in inclusive conversation amongst each other and our participants
  • Be comfortable with confronting micro-aggressions in order to keep an inclusive lab space
• Bridging the data shortage in many studies that lack representation:
  • Data shortage may be due to: a lack of accessibility for participation, misunderstanding of the outcomes, and minimal exposure to science
  • Lack of inclusive properties in EEG equipment itself 
  • How to increase comfort of children and adults with intellectual disability, specifically minimally verbal children
• Trust in the neuro-space:
  • Current ideas and misconceptions that lead to distrust in Neuro research
    • Distrust stems much deeper than the Tuskegee Study
    • It is important to consider generational trauma, community distrust, etc.
    • It could help to recruit more diversity among researchers too, not just participants

Throughout the semester, we will dive deeper into some of these topics and learn how to combat these issues. Stay tuned to keep up with B-RAD's plan to increase inclusion in our research!