Chair: Annie Jarabek, US EPA
Co-Chair: Carmen Rubio-Armendáriz, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain

Primary Endorser: Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group


Endorser(s): Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists Special Interest Group


Endorser(s): Toxicologists of African Origin Special Interest Group

“Embracing diversity and optimizing inclusion maximizes engagement, creativity, and innovation among our members,” SOT states in its “Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” statement. SOT holds its members accountable to the following core value: “The Society asserts that to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization, we must be considerate of many factors including, but not limited to, gender identity, race/ethnicity, employment sector, nationality and cultural background, geographic location, physical ability, and scientific expertise and perspective.” However, as representation is important but not sufficient to create a just and equitable environment, the SOT Special Interest Groups must play a relevant role since they represent the voices of diverse toxicologists. The SOT Special Interest Groups bring together scientists who share a common interest in issues germane to specific communities. The number of SOT members affiliated with one or more Special Interest Group has shown an exponential increase over the last decade, and this trend is expected to continue. Opportunities and challenges faced by toxicologists from underrepresented groups are similar; there is a need to reinforce collaborations among these groups to promote inclusivity and multiculturalism. The Special Interest Groups serve to attract members from a variety of backgrounds to develop strategies to promote toxicology among its diverse membership. There are several objectives that will be addressed in this session: (1) raise awareness among the SOT membership about the mission of the Special Interest Groups to promote multiculturalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion; (2) define diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as it applies to the field of toxicology; and (3) serve as a platform to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of DEI initiatives using the Special Interest Groups as a model. In addition, case studies will be presented to show the relationship between DEI initiatives and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs.