The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) represents crystallographers and their interests worldwide. Its objectives are to promote international cooperation in crystallography and to contribute to all aspects of crystallography, to promote international publication of crystallographic research, to facilitate standardization of methods, units, nomenclatures and symbols, and to be a focus for the relations of crystallography to other sciences.
The IUCr is committed to ensuring broad representation in all its objectives and to be a beacon for best practise in gender equity, diversity and inclusiveness in our membership, activities, events, programs, and services. The IUCr also seeks to remove obstacles to professional growth and advancement for minorities within our communities.
Women make up 50% of the world’s population yet are underrepresented in almost every aspect of leadership. For example, at the last five IUCr Congresses (2005-2017), women comprised about 35% of attendees, but only 17-28% of keynote speakers: blogs.iucr.org/crystallites/2018/03/07/women-in-crystallography….
Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
Broader aspects of diversity include (but are not limited to) race, religion, geographic location, disability, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Achieving gender equity and diversity requires active input from individuals to support, embrace, and speak out about barriers. We encourage members to help us achieve our gender equity and diversity goals by monitoring committees, speakers and chairs to ensure they reflect the makeup of our community; by ensuring that panels charged with selecting awards and prizes are diverse and aware of their unconscious biases; by speaking out if a meeting you are at, committee you are a member of, or session you are part of, is not representative of the community; and by considering gender and diversity when nominating or recommending people for awards or speaking opportunities.
The IUCr urges all IUCr badged or supported conferences to establish a public and transparent conference speaker policy, and code of conduct, and appoint a gender equity and diversity advisor (see for example)
The IUCr and its GEDC may be able to help identify possible advisors. They may be contacted at: [email protected].