The field of andrology can best advance by optimizing contributions from all its members. At the American Society of Andrology (ASA), we have long recognized the importance of fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Since the 1990s, ASA has had a Diversity Committee with the mission of ensuring diversity and inclusion among our participants (eg, trainees, speakers, and chairs) in our annual meeting and courses sponsored by the ASA (Figure 1). In addition, ASA recognizes that women are underrepresented in science and medicine at all levels, especially leadership positions. Women in Andrology (WIA) was formed to promote women’s contributions to and representation in the activities of the ASA specifically and the field of andrology in general.

Figure 1. American Society of Andrology Diversity Committee, including former chairs George Gerton and Hooman Sadri, and current chairs Carolina Jorgez and Pablo Visconti.

Figure 2. 2023 Diversity Lecture, “The Impact of the Dobbs Decision on Patients, Clinicians and Researchers in Reproductive Medicine,” by Drs Stephanie Page and John Amory.

Figure 3. 2023 Annual Mentoring Luncheon. “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by Drs Celia Santi and Mariano Buffone.

Figure 4. Dr Carolina Jorgez with Diversity trainees Minerva Solis (2018), Marisol O’Neill, and Boryana Zhelyazkova after our 2018 American Society of Andrology Career Development Workshop.

Over the years, the Diversity Committee has used several strategies to achieve their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals. Since 2014, the main program of the annual meeting has included the Diversity Lecture, with the speaker nominated by the Diversity Committee (Figure 2). The speaker is from a diverse background and/or discusses an andrology-related DEI topic. In addition, the committee suggests names for speakers and cochairs at the annual meeting. Members collaborate with the Trainee Affairs Committee to jointly plan the annual Mentoring Luncheon (Figures 3 and 4) and work to identify new resources to fund participation by members of underrepresented groups, including travel to the annual meeting. The committee develops initiatives to attract members from diverse but allied fields, ensuring that underrepresented scientists and health care workers are welcomed into the ASA. The committee chair maintains a liaison with the Diversity Committee or Minority Affairs Committees of other societies, such as the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the Society for the Study of Reproduction, and the American Society of Cell Biology.

One of our missions is to improve the recruitment and retention of diverse individuals within scientific fields germane to the urologic systems of males. Towards this goal, the ASA developed educational and mentoring programs aimed at recruiting and retaining talented, well-qualified students, fellows, and junior faculty from groups underrepresented in the biomedical fields. We obtained a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases–funded ASA diversity grant that allowed us to sponsor several day-long conferences for early-stage andrologists at the annual meeting and the Population Council in New York, in which participants were exposed to the research areas of male gonad development and infertility. This mechanism supported many trainees, including Ms Minerva Solis, who was inspired to pursue her PhD after working for a summer in a laboratory studying male infertility. We continue to prioritize increased participation in the field of male reproduction for underrepresented minority members beyond a trainee-limited focus. For example, we are actively working to make educational resources regarding male gonad development and infertility more accessible to people of all backgrounds and are developing community outreach programs. This includes translation of the Handbook of Andrology into Spanish and Chinese; this free resource is now in its third edition (https://andrologysociety.org/andrology-handbook/)! In these ways, we are continuously aiming to recruit and retain scientists and clinicians from underrepresented groups as contributors to the field of male reproductive health.

The ASA WIA represents all women within the Society. WIA actively supports women members of the ASA in achieving their career goals through networking and mentoring, including at specific events at the annual meeting. The committee chair is selected and rotates at each annual meeting. Members consistently work toward recognition of women’s accomplishments in the field of andrology by facilitating the nomination of women for leadership positions, for speaking and chair opportunities, and for the annual major awards. In 2024, all 3 major ASA award winners (Distinguished Andrologist, Distinguished Service, and Young Andrologist) are women. Important features of the annual scientific meeting are the ASA WIA Lecture selected by consultation between the WIA chair and Program Committee cochairs, and the WIA Luncheon, with the latter being a fun and effective networking opportunity.

The ASA WIA and Diversity committees are essential for creating a fair and equitable scientific environment. This involves not only ensuring diverse representation in our meetings and courses but also addressing systemic barriers that hinder the advancement of underrepresented groups. We also have a clearly defined set of ethics guidelines and a practical strategy in place to protect individuals against any discriminatory and/or offensive behaviors. This was established to ensure independent and confidential management of any issues, including those relating to DEI. Our goal is an equitable research society that promotes equal opportunities for all and fosters an atmosphere where talent and merit are the primary drivers of success.