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Call for papers - Diversity and inclusion in research and publishing

Guest Editors

Michael El Boghdady, MD, St George's University Hospitals, UK
Ashok Kumbamu, PhD, Mayo Clinic, USA
Russell Seth Martins, MD, JFK University Medical Center & Center for Discovery and Innovation, USA

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 28 March 2025


BMC Research Notes is calling for submissions to our Collection on improving Diversity and inclusion in research and publishing. We believe that fostering diversity and inclusion is essential for advancing scientific excellence and ensuring that research and publishing reflect the richness of global perspectives. This collection seeks to examine the barriers and biases that hinder inclusivity and discuss the benefits that arise from promoting diverse and representative research communities across research.


New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequality.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Michael El Boghdady, MD, St George's University Hospitals, UK

Dr Michael El Boghdady is a specialist registrar in General Surgery in London. He is the Director of Education (DoE) and the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) officer of the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), one of the leading surgical trainee associations in the UK and Ireland, representing surgical trainees from all ten specialties. Dr El Boghdady is the trainee representative at the Royal College of Surgeons of England EDI steering group. He is also passionate about surgical education, and he obtained his MD degree in surgeon's errors and laparoscopic training from the University of Dundee. He is a member of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Dr El Boghdady has been working on many projects to improve the training environment and eliminate bullying, discrimination, and harassment in surgical training, as well as to provide support strategies for trainees who experienced poor behaviors. Dr El Boghdady created the anti-bullying, discrimination, and harassment guidance. He has special interests in surgical training, trainees’ wellbeing, anti-bullying, equality, and diversity in surgery.

Ashok Kumbamu, PhD, Mayo Clinic, USA

Dr Ashok Kumbamu is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Ethics at the Mayo Clinic, holding a PhD in Sociology and postdoctoral training in public health from the University of Alberta. His 12-year career at Mayo Clinic encompasses research in the sociology of health and medicine, medical education, bioethics, and the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Dr Kumbamu has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Health Communication. His research experience in various socio-political and cultural contexts, including India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Canada, Sweden, and the United States, has fostered his cultural sensitivity and openness to diverse perspectives.
 

Russell Seth Martins, MD, JFK University Medical Center & Center for Discovery and Innovation, USA

Russell Seth Martins, MD, is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Thoracic Surgery at JFK University Medical Center and the Center for Discovery and Innovation at the Hackensack Meridian Health Network, USA. With a robust research background, Dr Martins has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, presented at international conferences, and has been awarded the prestigious J. Maxwell Chamberlain Memorial Award in Thoracic Surgery at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (January 2024) in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Dr Martins' areas of interest include clinical thoracic surgery, healthcare sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine.

About the Collection

BMC Research Notes is excited to announce a unique new Collection focused on improving Diversity and inclusion in research and publishing.

Multiple lines of research have demonstrated that improving inclusion and diversity within research and publishing drives greater innovation and quality across science. Further (in the opinion of Samuel Brod, the Editor of this journal), fostering a more equitable and representative academic landscape is simply the right thing to do. This Collection seeks to examine the barriers and biases that hinder inclusivity and discuss the benefits that arise from promoting diverse and representative research communities across research. 

We seek contributions that address challenges, propose solutions, and showcase best practices in promoting diversity across science including but not limited to: 

  • Considering diversity in research design and methodologies: examining how diverse research designs and methodologies contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena.
  • Inclusive authorship and collaboration: investigating strategies for fostering inclusive authorship, promoting collaboration among diverse researchers, and acknowledging contributions appropriately.
  • Equitable peer review and editorial practices: addressing challenges and proposing solutions to ensure fair and unbiased peer review and editorial decision-making processes.
  • Representation and visibility in publishing: exploring initiatives that enhance the representation and visibility of underrepresented groups in published research.
  • Intersectionality in research: recognizing and studying the intersectionality of various identities, including but not limited to gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, religion, and socioeconomic status, in research outcomes.
  • Mentorship and support programs: sharing successful mentorship and support programs that contribute to the professional development of researchers from diverse backgrounds.
  • Global perspectives on diversity and inclusion: examining cultural and regional differences in promoting diversity and inclusion in research and publishing.

This Collection aligns with our commitment to supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequality. We believe that fostering diversity and inclusion is essential for advancing scientific excellence and ensuring that research and publishing reflect the richness of global perspectives.

Image credit: © nanzeeba / stock.adobe.com

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Data Notes Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select Diversity and inclusion in research and publishing from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.