By Laurel Thomas Gnagey

A panel of experts on the topics of complex systems and diversity came together Nov. 10-11 at Palmer Commons to discuss “The Complexities Of Diversity: Rethinking Gaps & Leveraging Differences.” The colloquium was the first major program organized by the National Center for Institutional Diversity, which was launched last month.

Panelists from across the nation representing higher education and business discussed topics ranging from biodiversity and what can be learned from looking at diverse ecosystems to the nature of differences between individuals. Experts also addressed factors that reinforce inequality and discussed how societal change could close gaps and leverage differences.

In the first session of a four-part discussion, experts focused on complexity theory as it relates to diversity. From a study of ants that had formed large diverse groups that exhibited a preference for a habitat of diverse vegetation, to a research model that showed groups comprised of diverse people are able to resolve problems better than groups of high ability problem solvers, the experts detailed the benefits of diversity in complex systems.

“As the problems get more difficult, no one person can solve them,” noted Scott Page, professor of Complex Systems, political science and economics at U-M, an associate director of the Center for the Study of Complex Systems, a senior research scientist at the Institute for Social Research, and director of the NSF IGERT Ideas Program. Page pointed out that recent Nobel prizes have gone to groups of people, rather than to individuals.
“There’s a lot of solid evidence that it’s a mistake to undervalue the contributions of groups,” agreed Michael Cohen, the William D. Hamilton Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems at U-M, and professor in the School of Information, Department of Political Science and Ford School of Public Policy.

Part of the event focused on how to encourage diverse groups in a culture that remains largely segregated. Experts shared research that showed two factors, income and race, lead to self-sorting of racial and ethnic groups.

“Racial inequity reinforces itself,” said Daria Roithmayr, a legal scholar in the area of critical race theory and faculty member in the University of Illinois College of Law. Roithmayr said historical patterns of segregation based on race and wealth have continued through several self-reinforcing behaviors.

Segregation continues to derail efforts at diversity through a combination of what she called early cartel behaviors by whites (attempts to exclude others for their own gain) that persist despite some attitude changes; barriers to entry that have shown up in such ways as exclusionary zoning; racially-defined segregation based on wealth; and a tendency for groups to organize into societal networks in which every new person who joins becomes a referee for someone else, causing those of the same race and background to lead one another into the network.

Roithmayr said it will take a conscious effort on the part of government to change the system. One inequality that she said must be addressed is public school funding because, “poor neighborhoods produce poor schools, and poor schools produce poor neighborhoods.” She also said diversity can improve innovation and exploration but not without sometimes creating conflict in the workplace, which must be managed.

Another issue raised was the complexity of closing gaps, by Abigail Stewart, the Sandra Schwarz Tangri Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies at U-M and director of the ADVANCE project, whose work involves the challenges faced by women scientists in the academy. Three years into the National Science Foundation-funded ADVANCE project, the University made great progress closing the gender gap in science and technology by increasing the number of women faculty hired into those fields from 13 percent in 2001 to 39 percent in 2004. During the same time frame eight women were made department chairs.

Ethnic violence, effective diversity in groups, and genes and environments were among the other topics discussed.

The goal of the event was to further define the work of the NCID, which seeks to convene scholars, activists and practitioners from a variety of social institutions to develop models, networks and tools needed to explore the challenges and opportunities of diversity, Acting Director Patricia Gurin said. The next colloquium in March will focus on health disparities.
Other participants in last week’s event were from Michigan State University; UCLA, Stanford Law School, Harvard University, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Pitzer College, Claremont Graduate University, Northwestern University, Harvard Business School, Intel Corporation and Columbia University.