My letter to ASM leaders that I sent is too long to be posted here, so I'm going to post highlights in case anyone else needs information for their letter. 🧵 - ThreadSky

napaaqtuk.bsky.social • 19 days ago

My letter to ASM leaders that I sent is too long to be posted here, so I'm going to post highlights in case anyone else needs information for their letter. 🧵

Reposted from Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️

@asm.org this better not be anticipatory obedience. I have 5 lab members planning on going to ASM microbe this year. I will absolutely pivot to another meeting if ASM gives in to anti-DEI efforts.

Comments

jwoodelius.bsky.social•19 days ago

I regret sending one so quickly last night. I figure personal from members is better than nothing. I appreciate the citations and the information and hope others are smarter than I was!

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

A reminder that FOIA means emails can be searched, so think carefully about which email address you use to send your email. I feel ok sending this letter bc I don't have federal funding right now and have my CZI for another 2 years. Again, foundations, please take up the DEI slack 🧵

stefanpaetow.bsky.social•19 days ago

It boggles the mind that a non-governmental organisation like @asm.org decide they better have to comply. No. Society at large does *NOT* have to comply. If anything, society at large should absolutely refuse to walk back any such initiatives or pages and show Trumpet & Co it's not happening!

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

Edited for brevity: I expect the professional society that I have supported with national & regional membership dues, conference fees for myself and mentees, journal publication fees, & my time as an editor and reviewer, to support widely held values & to advocate on behalf of ALL microbiologists, 🧵

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

including those of us who have had to fight to be in this field. (Blather about me & ASM) Unless ASM restores the ASM IDEAA website & the websites that I indicate below that highlight underrepresented scientists, I will no longer support ASM with my membership dues, conference fees or journal fees.🧵

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

The field of microbiology does not reflect our society. 58% of the US population identifies as white (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045224), yet 62% of associate professors and 74% of full professors in microbiology are white (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10874303/). 🧵

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

Asst profs in micro ...are close to the US population at 58%. This isn't just an issue in academia. Although Black people make up 12% of the US population, they make up only 5% of ASM members and maybe 3% of all microbiologists in the US (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9746294/). 🧵

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

In 2020, ASM journals wrote that they value the contributions of Black microbiologists (https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msphere.00719-20). Thus I am curious why ASM has put several websites highlighting Black microbiologists under review, including:

https://asm.org/Articles/2024/February/Not-If-But-When-Spotlight-Chelsey-Spriggs

https://asm.org/IDEAA/Resources/Black-Microbiologists
🧵

babewiththepower.bsky.social•19 days ago

Probably the number of Hispanics, the larger group, is even tiny-er and much more egregiously unrepresented.

dutchscientist.bsky.social•19 days ago

Thank you for this. I am utterly shocked about the actions of ASM. I stopped being an overseas member after 25 years as I had no engagement (my problem), but this would have been a reason to drop out.

Shocked and very sad.

coquinegra.bsky.social•19 days ago

Can tag this to the science feed? This was news to me and you know how tapped in I am to ASM.

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

I am usually so good at that, I don't know how I forgot today. Thank you for the reminder. I quoted it with the science tags

coquinegra.bsky.social•19 days ago

I wasn't sure if it was an oversight or you meant to leave it off or I would have reposted. Thanks.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•19 days ago

Thank you! I am absolutely going to cite some of this in mine.

darrenmartin.bsky.social•19 days ago

This is good but why not just instantly and permanently boycott the ASM. They are plainly advertising that they are spineless and that their past political/social alignments were opportunistic rather than heartfelt. It makes no sense to continue this unloving and one-sided relationship with them....

napaaqtuk.bsky.social•19 days ago

Because they need to have a chance to reverse action and respond. If people want to boycott, that's fine. In most cases, 2025 dues are already paid, but my lab members haven't paid conference dues yet and the paper we were going to submit to ASM can be submitted elsewhere if they don't respond.

darrenmartin.bsky.social•19 days ago

Sure. Regardless of whether they reverse this gross decision though, I will never submit another paper to an ASM journal and I will also cease citing any work, past and future, that was/will be published in any ASM journals. I strongly recommend that others similarly shun these insincere assholes.

dutchscientist.bsky.social•19 days ago

You don't know where the decisions have been taken and where the cowardice is located. I could well see people first internally fighting those that throw our DEI colleagues under the bus.

But every day that @asm.org waits with reversing/explaining this course, the more disgusted people will become.

claret-micro.bsky.social•19 days ago

Thank you for all of this. I'm in the UK and absolutely appalled at what I am seeing here from ASM. Let us over here know how we can support you best.

knittergamer.bsky.social•19 days ago

📌

twistedbacteria.bsky.social•19 days ago

📌

kristenobacter.bsky.social•19 days ago

Thanks for posting your letter. I am livid

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