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Editor's note
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Here at The Conversation we publish breaking science news, analyse new research papers and assess tech policy announcements, but we’re also committed to covering the human side of STEM. And this includes diversity – not just in relation to gender, but also ethnic background and sexuality.
Today we have two stories to that end. In technology, James Arvanitakis writes that power over the ethical use of data is overwhelmingly concentrated among white men. That’s something that affects us all.
And ecologist Adam Frew explains why he joined 500 Queer Scientists – he wants to contribute to a movement creating role models, leadership and visibility for LGBTQ+ people in STEM. He says diversity in science is critical to fostering creativity and innovation.
And I agree. If you’d like to help The Conversation continue to cover all the fascinating and human aspects of science, technology or indeed any other subject matter you’re passionate about, you can support us here. We still haven’t reached our fundraising target and every little bit counts.
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Sarah Keenihan
Section Editor: Science + Technology
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Top story
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Power over business, democracy and education will likely continue to lie with data and data-dependent tools, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
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James Arvanitakis, Western Sydney University; Andrew Francis, Western Sydney University; Oliver Obst, Western Sydney University
Biases are difficult to shed, which makes workplace diversity a powerful and necessary tool for catching unsuspected bias before it has a chance to cause damage.
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Science + Technology
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Adam Frew, Charles Sturt University
In many ways, science can be as much about the people doing it as the science itself. A new online initiative is addressing the invisibility of LGBTQ+ people in science.
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Joshua Krook, University of Adelaide
Australian law firms are beginning to demand that law schools teach students new skills for the new AI economy, but legal education is failing to keep up.
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Politics + Society
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Nick Economou, Monash University
Clive Palmer believes he can recapture the magic that saw him elected to Parliament in 2013, but what his new party – and others on the right – need is more discipline.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
More crucial than the fate of the company tax cuts is the government's long struggle to nail down its NEG, with the crunch coming when Josh Frydenberg meets his COAG counterparts on August 10.
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Ron Levy, Australian National University
New research showed a professional cadre of public servants who prefer to consult with each other over the general public.
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Business + Economy
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Brendan Markey-Towler, The University of Queensland
Doomsaying about new technologies is as old as technology, and it's a vital part of how we figure out when and where something should be used.
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Richard Holden, UNSW
A whole bunch of folks are on the wire, and if their housing payments go up they are going to struggle.
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Alana Blackburn, University of New England
It isn't easy, but musicians build 'portfolio careers' by being adaptable, multiskilled and willing to learn, so they can pursue creative work that they believe in.
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Health + Medicine
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Travis Wearne, UNSW; Fiona Kumfor, University of Sydney
Reporting of recent studies may have caused alarm that brain injuries cause dementia. It just increases your risk.
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Christopher Stevens, Southern Cross University
Alcohol has several negative effects on post-exercise recovery and rehydration, and should be avoided after sport and exercise
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Arts + Culture
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Dennis Altman, La Trobe University
Coined in a science-fiction novel in 1995, the Anglosphere has become Australia's cultural (and political) obsession. That leaves us blind to other perspectives.
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Sophia Waters, University of New England
Could an Aussie high schooler say to our prime minister, "How’s it goin’, Mal?", and get away with it? Probably.
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Cities
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Chyi Lin Lee, Western Sydney University; Awais Piracha, Western Sydney University; Youqing Fan, Western Sydney University
In Sydney, a 'latte line', that runs from the airport to Parramatta and up to the northwest, divides white-collar jobs from blue-collar jobs. This perpetuates inequality.
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Environment + Energy
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Jack Coates-Marnane, Griffith University; Joanne Burton, Griffith University; John Tibby, University of Adelaide; Jon Olley, Griffith University; Joseph M. McMahon, Griffith University; Justine Kemp, Griffith University
We rely on climate data to help us make important decisions for our future, such as building infrastructure. But what if a region's climate has long been more volatile than we realised?
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Matt McDonald, The University of Queensland
The latest annual survey from the Lowy Institute shows that 59% of Australians support strong climate action, and 84% want the government to embrace renewable energy even if it's more expensive.
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Education
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Jaya A R Dantas, Curtin University; Anita Lumbus, Curtin University; Shelley Gower, Curtin University
Refugee women's voices are often left out of resettlement policy. A participatory research method called photovoice helps uncover resettlement issues from their perspectives.
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