Improving societies' harassment policies.

As Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) professors, teachers, and mentors, we are acutely aware of the harm that can be done by sexual harassment and other discriminatory behaviors, which negatively affect the careers of young scientists and hamper our efforts to diversify the scientific workforce and professoriate. We applaud the recent report on sexual harassment of women, climate, and culture from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the recommendations therein ([ 1 ][1]). Scientific societies can play an important role in changing discriminatory culture. A number of societies have recently implemented or improved codes of conduct. The American Geophysical Union includes harassment as a form of scientific misconduct under its new ethics policy ([ 2 ][2], [ 3 ][3]). The Society of HHMI Professors has recently changed its policies so that membership, either initial or continuing, requires that the person be in good standing at their university or other employer in terms of relevant codes of conduct ([ 4 ][4]). AAAS (the publisher of Science ) is in the process of writing a new policy ([ 5 ][5]), and there is a petition urging the U.S. National Academy of Sciences to enact such policies as well ([ 5 ][5]). We encourage all professional societies to do likewise. These steps, if taken by all, will help the scientific community to maintain respect for all members, foster an environment of inclusion, and support a diverse workforce. Full List of Signatories [www.sciencemag.org/content/361/6406/984.2/suppl/DC1][6] 1. [↵][7]National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, “Sexual harassment of women: Climate, culture, and consequences in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine” (The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2018). 2. [↵][8]1. M. J. McPhaden, 2. L. Gundersen, 3. B. M. Williams , Eos 98, 10.1029/2017EO082469 (2017), 3. [↵][9]1. E. Davidson , “AGU's revised ethics policy: Where we are 6 months later,” From the Prow (2018); [https://fromtheprow.agu.org/agus-revised-ethics-policy-where-we-are-6-months-later/][10]. 4. [↵][11]The Society of HHMI Professors, Mission Statement and Rules of Order (2018); [www.hhmi.org/sites/default/files/society\_of\_hhmi\_professors\_mission\_and\_rules\_of\_order.approved_2018.i2.pdf][12]. 5. [↵][13]1. M. Wadman , Science 360, 949 (2018). [OpenUrl][14][Abstract/FREE Full Text][15] 6. The full list of signatories is available as supplementary material. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #ref-4 [5]: #ref-5 [6]: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/361/6406/984.2/suppl/DC1 [7]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [8]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [9]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [10]: http://fromtheprow.agu.org/agus-revised-ethics-policy-where-we-are-6-months-later/ [11]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text" [12]: http://www.hhmi.org/sites/default/files/society_of_hhmi_professors_mission_and_rules_of_order.approved_2018.i2.pdf [13]: #xref-ref-5-1 "View reference 5 in text" [14]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.aulast%253DWadman%26rft.auinit1%253DM.%26rft.volume%253D360%26rft.issue%253D6392%26rft.spage%253D949%26rft.epage%253D950%26rft.atitle%253DWill%2BU.S.%2Bacademies%2Bexpel%2Bsexual%2Bharassers%253F%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.360.6392.949%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F29853665%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [15]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEyOiIzNjAvNjM5Mi85NDkiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNDoiL3NjaS8zNjEvNjQwNi85ODQuMi5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30=