Mark McBride-Wright looks at what the US presidential term of Donald Trump might mean for diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM
AS THE dust settles on the inauguration of Donald Trump, many in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community are grappling with what the US president’s return might mean for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Trump has issued a swathe of executive orders cutting federal DEI programmes. Federal support for DEI initiatives in universities – many of which have already started to roll back on DEI – is under threat, creating uncertainty for organisations and individuals committed to fostering inclusion. Trump repealed 78 executive orders signed by his predecessor Joe Biden, including at least a dozen measures supporting racial equity and combating discrimination against gay and transgender people.
It is hugely concerning. The US has been home to pivotal DEI programmes, such as the National Science Foundation’s Broadening Participation in STEM.1 These initiatives have been critical in funding research, supporting underrepresented groups, and fostering innovation. Without sustained federal backing, there is a real risk that progress made in diversifying STEM could stall, leaving smaller institutions, under-resourced programmes, and marginalised individuals in precarious positions.
Already we have seen Meta, owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and a huge employer of engineers, roll back DEI programmes and align its speech policies more closely with the incoming Trump administration, leaving online spaces less safe and inclusive.
In November, shortly after the election result, I delivered a keynote talk organised by an LGBTQ+ network within a large defence organisation as part of their Global Training Week. During my presentation, I introduced a framework examining organisational cultural models: “When in Rome”, “Embassy”, and “Advocacy”.2 The model sparked thought-provoking discussions about how organisations position themselves in the context of societal shifts.
The When in Rome model reflects organisations that conform entirely to prevailing societal norms. In contrast, Embassy organisations create safe havens for employees, allowing limited inclusion while avoiding external engagement. Finally, the Advocacy model represents organisations that champion inclusion and actively work to challenge inequality.
A genuine concern raised during the session was whether the US is shifting toward a When in Rome or Embassy model, where individuals from marginalised groups may feel pressured to hide aspects of their identity out of fear – fear of violence, fear of discrimination, or fear of losing hard-fought rights. This chilling possibility could profoundly impact workplace culture, particularly in STEM, where innovation thrives on diverse perspectives.
Meta has long been an advocate for employee resource groups, worker-led communities that create a sense of belonging at a company, but Maxine Williams, who has been Meta’s chief diversity officer for more than a decade, was quick to quash talk of the company’s changes damaging their DEI efforts.
In an internal memo, Williams praised the impact of Meta’s employee resource groups (MRGs) and Black employee resource groups (BRGs) as we “leverage our different backgrounds, working together to build products for the world”.
She went on to say she and her team “would continue to support [MRGs and BRGs] contribute to our global community at Meta”. However, she will need to do that from her new role focused on accessibility and engagement, having seen her diversity role swallowed up.
In the face of this worrying shift, I believe engineering organisations must embrace DEI. For one, it’s important to a healthy safety culture. If Facebook has a serious incident, lives are not directly at risk. In our plants, a lack of diversity could be fatal.
Furthermore, for those unfamiliar with the stats, engineering has alarmingly high suicide rates. Mental ill-health and suicidal ideation do not discriminate; they can affect anyone, regardless of background. The cornerstone of an inclusive culture is curiosity and empathy for others. We need this more than ever. The EqualEngineers Masculinity in Engineering Research found one in four engineers reporting suicidal ideation or self-harm, and one in five having lost a work colleague to suicide.3
Creating a psychologically safe culture where people can call out unsafe acts and non-inclusive behaviours without fear of retribution is the goal. It’s also vital to foster an environment where engineers feel comfortable discussing the underlying causes that may contribute to high rates of self-harm and suicidal ideation.
I have delivered culture sessions to many engineers, and one thing that is a massive taboo and is going unspoken is fertility issues, the difficulty in trying to conceive a family, and baby loss. Men tend not to open up and talk about stuff which affects them. And in engineering, which is still a mostly male profession, there is a dearth of opportunity.
Even the most hardened of engineers would do well to pause and reflect on their own diversity stories. What is your diversity story? What experiences have shaped you, and what could you share with the world to act as a metaphorical lighthouse for others?
In DEI we differentiate between lived experience and learned experience. Your lived experience is everything which has happened to you to shape your view on the world. This is often through a narrow lens. We have to seek out diversity to enrich our frame of reference and acquire learned experience, hearing from others how they experience the world. The more people there are sharing their stories, the more opportunities there are for learning, and the higher the probability you will hear something which resonates with your own experiences, and so we create the scaffolding of a more emotionally attuned industry.
Step by step, story by story, we can destigmatise vulnerability, particularly among men in engineering. By cultivating cultures where openness is valued and safety – both physical and psychological – is prioritised, we can make significant strides toward creating workplaces where people feel they can be their true selves.
Corporate America is showing mixed responses to these challenges. While Meta is not alone in stepping back, wary of political backlash, others are doubling down. Organisations that have historically prioritised DEI recognise it as a core driver of innovation and resilience, not a passing trend.
For instance, some defence and technology firms are strengthening their commitments, recognising the importance of inclusion in attracting and retaining talent, with Apple CEO Tim Cook recently speaking out against efforts to end the company’s DEI programme. Indeed, Apple has urged shareholders to reject proposals to do so. These companies are continuing to invest in employee resource groups, global leadership training, and public pledges to DEI, understanding that such efforts are not just morally imperative but also strategic business moves.
This moment also demands vigilance. As societal pressures mount, we must challenge the narrative that hypermasculine strength equates to effective leadership. Instead, we must build cultures where people feel safe to be open and authentic. Creating spaces where everyone can thrive is not just a business imperative; it is a moral one.
The coming months and years will test our resolve, but they also present an opportunity to redefine what it means to lead inclusively in STEM. As we watch programmes like NSF’s “Broadening Participation in STEM” evolve under new pressures, let this be a call to action for individuals and organisations alike. Inclusion, curiosity, and empathy must remain at the heart of our work – because safety, in its truest sense, is about ensuring everyone can show up as themselves and thrive.
1. Broadening Participation in STEM: https://bit.ly/4g6qLg5
2. Harvard Business Review: How Multinationals Can Help Advance LGBT Inclusion Around the World: https://bit.ly/42nOrcC
3. Masculinity in Engineering Survey: https://bit.ly/40qukIv
4. www.markmcbridewright.com
5. www.equalengineers.com
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