Equal Opportunity in the Sciences and Engineering

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is formally committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all persons, without regard to irrelevant considerations of sex, race, creed, color, handicap, national origin, or age. It practices this principle in the selection and promotion of its employees and by opening its membership to all who are interested; by encouraging its nominating committees to nominate women, minority, and handicapped scientists and engineers for elective positions; and by attempting to increase the participation of women, minority, and handicapped scientists and engineers in all of its activities.

The Board of Directors recognizes that complex social, economic, and political forces have combined in the past to discourage women, minority, and handicapped persons from entering the sciences and engineering, and to deny those who do not enter equal access to positions of respect and authority. It is the Board's conviction that if each professional association would take all measures within its power to counteract these historic forces, the cause of truly equal opportunity for everyone in the scientific and engineering professions would be significantly advanced. The Board urges the affiliated organizations to join with the Association in this endeavor.

[Adopted by the AAAS Board of Directors, January 1974; revised October 15, 1977.]