Diversity under threat: NASA under pressure from the Trump administration’s new executive orders

Less than 24 hours after the Donald Trump administration fired federal employees who worked on diversity issues, NASA announced the closure of its DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) program. NASA acting administrator Janet Petro sent a memo to employees instructing them to shut down their respective offices and cancel contracts. 

NASA astronaut Victor Glover takes selfies with the Artemis team. Photo: Flickr / NASA

This decision came despite NASA’s previous efforts to increase the diversity of its workforce and take the historic step of landing the first woman and the first African-American on the Moon. In 2023, the Aerospace Administration was recognized as one of the top U.S. employers for diversity. NASA has participated in DEIA initiatives since 2012, and has included inclusivity in its core values in 2020. In 2021, women made up 35% of the workforce and minorities made up 30%. In 2022, the first action plan to address diversity and equality was presented. 

But Petro’s memo said the diversity programs divided Americans along racial lines, wasted taxpayer money and caused discrimination. DEIA’s website is currently unavailable. The document also cautions against attempts to hide contracts associated with these programs. Employees were suggested to report any manipulation of contract descriptions or job descriptions. 

NASA astronaut Victor Glover takes a photo with employees of JP Donovan Construction in Rockledge, Florida. JP Donovan Construction is one of the contractors working with the agency’s Exploratory Ground Systems Program to help NASA send astronauts, including Glover, to the Moon and back via the Artemis II launch vehicle. Photo: NASA / Kim Shifett

NASA is not the only organization affected by the new decrees. Similar decisions were made by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. This is a concern because of the lack of diversity in STEM fields. For example, in 1978, NASA first recruited a squad of astronauts that included women and minorities. But in today’s reality, dark-skinned and Latin American students are significantly more likely to change STEM majors compared to white students (40% and 37% vs. 29%). 

Despite the desire to land a diverse group of astronauts on the Moon, efforts to ensure inclusivity on Earth remain important and need to continue.  

Previously, we’ve given unexpected answers to questions about NASA.

According to gizmodo.com

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