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Author: Sowmya Swaminathan

Earlier this year, �鶹ֱ�� Nature published “”, a report examining how diversity, equity, and inclusion are understood in the research community, identifying barriers to achieving  greater inclusion, and highlighting opportunities for change. In this interview, Sowmya Swaminathan talks about the importance of inclusion in the research community, the recently published report, and how �鶹ֱ�� Nature is advancing a positive research culture.

Could you please tell us a bit about your role in �鶹ֱ�� Nature?

I lead �鶹ֱ�� Nature’s diversity efforts within our Research publishing activities across our journals and books publishing programmes.

Inclusion and fairness are one of �鶹ֱ�� Nature’s highest strategic priorities with two main streams – an internal focus on inclusion within our organization, and an external stream, working with our research, education, and professional communities to champion a positive and inclusive research culture in the communities we serve. As such, we are committed to integrating diverse perspectives and values into how we work and what we create and publish – across our content, products, platforms, and services. Some ways in which we are translating these values in the context of research publishing include encouraging a diverse network of authors, reviewers, editors, amplifying under-represented voices and perspectives, championing inclusive publishing practices, and engaging and collaborating across our communities and with the broader publishing industry for collective progress. You can find out more about the work we are undertaking through our .

Why is this so relevant for the research community?

Research output and quality is growing in many parts of the world, most notably, in China and India. We are also seeing growth in societally-relevant research i.e., research aiming to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the Global South. So today, unlike say, 30 years ago, when research output was largely dominated by Western nations, we have growing geographic and cultural diversity across the global research community. Early Career Researchers (graduate students and postdocs) are the most diverse generation yet. These are our future authors, reviewers, editors and they are telling us that inclusion matters. So, creating research and publishing environments where all can flourish and contribute has to be a priority for everyone involved in the broader research enterprise. This goes all the way from structuring research environments so as to ensure the dignity and safety of all, to considering how research is funded and what types of research questions are prioritized. And then, of course, considering how research studies are designed and communicated with inclusive principles in place, and how research is assessed, and what types of research are valued and recognized.

Recently, �鶹ֱ�� Nature published its first report on inclusion, offering insights into the experience of researchers around the world. Can you please discuss the significance it may have and what were you hoping to achieve through its publication?

The report was inspired by our commitment to understanding structural barriers and raising awareness of these issues in the broader landscape. It reported on the perceptions and experiences of nearly 5000 researchers through an online survey and series of interviews with early career researchers. The headlines underscore the quite varied experience of researchers from underrepresented groups, with diversity initiatives not really working and with a high incidence of under-reported harassment, bullying and discrimination in the research environment. Equally troubling is the disconnect between early career and senior researchers’ experience, very clearly showing that we still have a long way to go toward creating safe, inclusive environments for rising researchers. To deliver a positive global research culture, it is critical for all researchers – especially those from dominant groups – to contribute to changing the research and publishing environment. 

How does �鶹ֱ�� Nature see itself playing a role in advancing this environment?

At �鶹ֱ�� Nature our mission is to be part of progress – and that begins with inclusion: of people, perspectives, and ideas. We believe that diverse perspectives drive progress, and we are committed to creating an environment where people and ideas can flourish. 

That’s why we are building an inclusive culture within our organisation where our people can be themselves, thrive and grow. And we extend that commitment to the knowledge we share – working with our partners and communities to support research and learning that is inclusive, globally relevant, and reflective of the world we serve. Because inclusion leads to more robust research, more relevant learning, and better outcomes for society. 

Our commitment to inclusion shapes how we work internally, how we engage with the world, and how we collaborate with others.  
Externally, we aim to reflect the diversity of the world we serve by engaging with a wide range of communities and contributors. We support inclusive editorial practices, broaden access to knowledge, and strive to ensure our content and platforms are relevant and representative.

And as part of our wider publishing strategy we are committed to the transition to open access and science, ensuring that all researchers regardless of discipline, background or location have access to and can publish research. We have a number of solutions to support authors from transformative agreements (TAs) with institutions and countries, to author waivers.  We also work through industry consortia like Research 4 Life to ensure access to .

Finally, why is inclusivity in publishing so important to you?

As an immigrant, I have studied, lived and worked in India, US, Germany and the UK. I have had first-hand experience of being on the outside and having to grapple with a new culture as a young person finding their way through their education and training. It can be overwhelming, isolating and often, not conducive to bringing out one’s best potential. I have also experienced diverse, highly inclusive, and supportive environments and seen the difference that can make for individual and collective impact. Emerging research has shown the benefits of diverse environments when combined with inclusive practices. So, to my mind, diversity, psychological safety, and inclusion are critical ingredients for innovation, for individual and collective success. I believe we need to keep this mindset front and center as we consider other transformations of research practice and climate, including open research, research integrity and research assessment.