Alexandria, Va., USA — The American Association of Dental Research (AADR) continues to be saddened by the divisiveness in modern society. As a research association with an inclusive yet diverse membership, we stand against all forms of discrimination, harassment and violence. The recent tragic events in Atlanta, Ga. and the increase in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States over the past year, remind us that our country needs to take decisive steps to address racism and xenophobia.
Last June following the George Floyd tragedy and subsequent social unrest, our statement on equity and inclusion strongly condemned hate-based violence. Today, we are deeply saddened to have to again voice our strong condemnation of increasing acts of racism. We continue to be committed to upholding the principles of diversity and inclusion within our organization and for the research community we serve. AADR will continue to take measurable steps to enhance our accountability on diversity issues, which include:
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Paying tribute to AADR members of diverse backgrounds through the Faces of Dental Research project, which not only highlights the diversity of the dental, oral and craniofacial research workforce but also brings visibility to the contributions of researchers from underrepresented groups.
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Serving as the institutional home for the AADR/Procter & Gamble Underrepresented Faculty Research Fellowship, which is aimed at increasing representation of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups at the early stages of their scientific careers, who are advancing science as research-able faculty in academia.
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Supporting diversity within the scientific pipeline by collaborating with federal research partners, such as the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). AADR provided input on what is now NIDCR’s Mentoring Networks for Underrepresented Postdoctoral and Early-Career Investigators. The Networks facilitate interactions between experienced investigators/mentors and early career-stage investigators. These interactions provide structured and unstructured activities to enhance development of professional skills and abilities for individuals pursuing dental, oral, and craniofacial research careers.
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Promoting diversity in the NIH-funded biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences workforce through AADR MIND the Future. Supported by a five-year grant from the NIDCR, the primary goal of MIND the Future is to establish a mentoring network that supports a diverse pool of early career investigators, including individuals from diverse backgrounds, in developing independent research careers dedicated to improving dental, oral and craniofacial health.
In addition to these initiatives within our organization, AADR also supports broader endeavors — through our government affairs portfolio — to end inequality and inequity in health care.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and with the communities impacted, including members of AADR, among which there are many researchers and students of Asian descent, as well as staff and partners carrying the additional personal burden of processing these hateful events. We stand by our AAPI colleagues and will continuously engage in meaningful dialogue with our members to continually inform our contribution to meaningful solutions.
This statement was written by: Mark Herzberg, AADR President, the AADR Board of Directors, Hansel Fletcher, Chair, AADR Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and Christopher H. Fox, IADR/AADR Chief Executive Officer.
About the American Association for Dental Research
The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) is a nonprofit organization with over 3,100 individual members in the United States, with a mission to drive dental, oral and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. The AADR is the largest Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). The AADR also manages the activities of FNIDCR. To learn more, visit www.iadr.org/aadr.
