Lionel Robert joins AAAS Community Advisory Board

Science-focused online forums can be a good place for scientists to learn about new discoveries and discuss breaking research. But online communities can sometimes be an uncomfortable or even hostile environment. 

AAAS, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, has formed a new Community Advisory Board to foster a more inclusive and supportive community for scientists and non-scientists alike. Lionel Robert, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Information will join six other scholars to advise AAAS. 

The Board will be led by Emileigh Clare, assistant director of member engagement at AAAS. When forming the Board, Clare says, “we looked for current AAAS Members who have deep expertise in the fields of social media and online communication and collaboration – including for example, social media moderation practices, disinformation and online behavior, as well as demonstrated passion for advancing science and serving society.

“Lionel is a well-known and distinguished leader in the field of research on online collaboration and teamwork,” says Clare, adding that Robert has been a champion of AAAS’s Member Community platform. “As a volunteer, Lionel suggested ways AAAS staff could enhance our AAAS Community user experience and offer new, topical communities for members to join, and he also shared his ideas to support student and postdoc members of AAAS.

“After volunteering his expertise within our member community for the past two years, he was an immediate choice to serve on our AAAS Community Advisory Board,” Clare says.

The AAAS Community Advisory Board hopes to provide guidance to AAAS staff to help foster conversations and relationships that break through disciplinary silos and also advance science communication and science policy.

“The big issue is trying to promote a more healthy and safe environment when it comes to discussion, and trying to encourage people who are not actively participating online to participate more,” says Robert. 

Hesitation to speak up on online forums can come from different lived experiences. Robert says there are demographic, generational and scholarly rank issues that all play into a person’s willingness to put themselves out there in an online forum. “We are working to try to include more diverse voices and creating space where women, minorities and junior scientists can be part of the conversation.”

Robert says the board is discussing where the issues are for encouraging diverse voices, and what tools might help broaden participation. “One idea we’re talking about is having training or master classes to broaden participants' experiences and foster good online etiquette,” he says. “It could be as simple as thinking about the best way to design online interfaces so that people can find discussions and build community.”

Being on the board is a good way to have an impact both inside and outside academia, says Robert. He looks forward to broadening the scientific community and hopes that these efforts will have an impact externally on things like policy. 

“I am very excited to participate in the Board and think about ways to grow the community and make it more inclusive,” he says. 

— Sarah Derouin, UMSI public relations specialist

RELATED:

Learn more about associate professor Lionel Robert. 

Read more about the AAAS Community Advisory Board and the Board members.