PRISMATIC

All research that involves humans necessarily includes people with minoritized identities of gender and/or sexuality (including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and nonbinary [LGBTQIA+]). However, researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), STEM education, and higher education fields typically have little to no training related to ethical and responsible research involving LGBTQIA+ participants. There are myriad ethical considerations in such research, from research design and confidentiality to participant recruitment, instrumentation, data collection, data storage, data analysis, and dissemination of findings.

Through the NSF’s Ethical and Responsible Research program (terminated in spring 2025 by the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE]), PRISMATIC 1 (NSF DUE-2220269, 1/1/2023-12/31/2023) brought together researchers with expertise in these areas to develop materials and methods to address the awareness gap and promote ethical and responsible education standards that protect LGBTQIA+ participants. The Collaborative Research: Prismatic 2 Incubation Project (NSF SBE-2418858, 7/1/2024-4/26/2025) began to apply findings from PRISMATIC 1 to engage researchers in professional learning to advance ethical and responsible human subjects research. Workshops and conferences are an ideal way to engage STEM education researchers and STEM faculty in grappling with ethical and responsible research considerations when involving LGBTQIA+ undergraduates. 

Although our NSF funding has been terminated (the original PRISMATIC was fully funded; Prismatic 2’s funding was prematurely terminated by DOGE in spring 2025), our team is willing to provide practical fee-based workshops to higher education researchers (see our Products tab above). 

A central purpose of the Prismatic 2 Incubation Project was to lead to a larger scale up Prismatic 3, in which, in cooperation with Institutional Review Boards, a version of our workshop module would be incorporated into university research responsibility requirements. We hope to return to this line of applied research in the future.

PRISMATIC is committed to providing a safe and productive meeting environment that fosters open dialogue and the exchange of scientific ideas, promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants, and is free of harassment and discrimination. All participants are expected to treat others with respect and consideration and alert staff of any dangerous situations or anyone in distress.

Speakers are expected to uphold standards of scientific integrity and professional ethics. This includes notifying PRISMATIC organizers in advance of the meeting about any possible conflicts of interest. PRISMATIC recognizes that there are areas of science that are controversial.

PRISMATIC can serve as an effective forum to consider and debate science-relevant viewpoints in an orderly, respectful, and fair manner. The policies herein apply to all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, staff, contractors, volunteers, and guests at all events.

The following represent types of behaviors that will not be tolerated during PRISMATIC and related events:

• intentionally talking over or interrupting others
• engaging in biased, demeaning, intimidating, coercive, harassing, or hostile conduct or commentary, whether seriously or in jest, based on sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, marital status, veteran status, age, physical appearance, disability, power differential, or other identities
• engaging in personal attacks of any kind
• commenting on personal appearance
• retaliation against reporting of conduct concerns or assisting in conflict resolutions
• disruption of meetings (e.g., “Zoom-bombing”) or engaging in harm or threats of harm of any kind
• producing or distributing audio or visual recordings in any medium
• producing or distributing photographs of presentations or materials
• engaging in any of the above behaviors on social media in relation to PRISMATIC or related events.

PRISMATIC expects all participants to abide by these guidelines in all fora of the meeting. PRISMATIC reserves the right to remove an individual from the meeting without warning or refund, prohibit attendance at future PRISMATIC meetings and notify the individual’s employer.

Reporting

If an individual experiences or witnesses harassment or misconduct and wishes to file a formal report, they should contact PRISMATIC staff at scimath@unl.edu. All complaints will be treated seriously and confidentially and responded to promptly.

If an individual experiences or witnesses harassment or misconduct, it is recommended that, in addition to notifying PRISMATIC staff, they write down the details. They are not expected to discuss the incident with the offending party. Their confidentiality will be maintained to the extent that it does not compromise the rights of others.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made clear its commitment to foster safe research and learning environments. NSF continues this commitment with the publication of "Notification Requirements Regarding Findings of Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault" in the Federal Register. When incorporated into an NSF award, awardee organizations will be required to notify NSF of any findings/determinations of sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault regarding an NSF funded Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI, or of the placement of the PI or co-PI on administrative leave, or the imposition of any administrative action relating to harassment or sexual assault finding or investigation.