Areti Andreopoulou, chair

Wednesday, June 22
3:00-4:30

In academia, the benefits of “unbiased research evaluation”—that is, the methods by which scholarly works are evaluated in a manner that is objective and free of prejudice—are well understood and respected. Review processes for research proposals and scientific article submissions have defined guidelines that have been widely adopted in an attempt to secure a “fair” process of review.

But the level of true inclusivity in academia is frequently called into question, particularly outside of the formal peer review process, where people’s work, ideas, perspectives, and beliefs are not “protected” by anonymity. It is self-evident that people thrive best in environments where they feel free to act and express themselves. But academia often struggles with the issue of how to offer truly diverse environments that are conducive to the personal and professional development of a broad range of populations.

There has never been a more relevant time for academic institutions and organizations to take action towards strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion. The 23rd International Conference of Auditory Display (ICAD 2017) will offer an open forum where issues pertinent to those topics will be discussed and plans for improvement will be proposed.