Equity, diversity and inclusion policies and instruments in science: the case of Instituto Serrapilheira

Abstract

 This paper, which is part of an ongoing master’s research project, examines the 
“Diversity Bonus” implemented by Instituto Serrapilheira (IS), a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 
(DEI) instrument introduced by a research funding organization to support researchers from groups 
that are underrepresented in science. The study asks whether the Diversity Bonus is able to promote 
the inclusion and retention of underrepresented students in the scientific environment. To address 
this question, the research adopts a mixed-methods approach organized into three stages, using 
methodological triangulation to strengthen the validity of the findings. First, a literature review and 
documentary analysis of DEI policies were conducted. Second, an online survey was administered to 
researchers supported by IS, comparing Bonus recipients and non-recipients in terms of 
intersectional diversity across gender, race, and socioeconomic background. Third, semi-structured 
interviews are being conducted with a representative sample of approximately 30 Bonus recipients 
and will be analyzed using content analysis to explore their experiences of barriers to entry, 
retention, and participation in the scientific environment. This paper presents the findings from the 
first two stages, while the third is still underway. Preliminary results indicate that the Diversity Bonus 
reaches a more diverse group of researchers than those who did not use the instrument, with higher 
proportions of women, Black researchers, and researchers from lower-income backgrounds.