Canadian physics counts: an exploration of the diverse identities of physics students and professionals in Canada

The lack of diversity in physics remains a worldwide problem. Despite being a quantitative discipline relying on measurements, there is a paucity of data on the demographic characteristics of underrepresented groups. We present findings from Canadian Physics Counts: the first national survey of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Canadian physics community. Our intersectional approach provides a wealth of information on gender identity, sexual orientation, race, disability, and more. Analyses revealed key findings, including the first comprehensive Canadian data on nonbinary or gender diverse physicists, and the first data on Black (1.2%) and Indigenous (0.3%) physicists, who were least represented. Assessing representation across roles and career stages, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), representation fell precipitously (by one-half) between under/graduate to professional roles, while White women’s representation remained relatively stable, and White men’s representation steadily increased. One in four BIPOC respondents from gender diverse backgrounds identified as disabled, and the proportion of sexually diverse students with disabilities was more than three times higher than the proportion of heterosexual students with disabilities, underscoring the necessity of intersectional analyses. Students were more demographically diverse than professionals, highlighting the importance of acting today to retain the diverse physicists of tomorrow