Religious Representation in Science: How Scientists in the United States, Mexico, and South Africa Respond

ABSTRACT Many institutions seek to increase representation in science by addressing the limited presence of certain racial and gender groups. These efforts often overlook religion as a dimension of stratification and its connections to other identities. Research on religion and science has focused more on scientists' attitudes toward religion than on the presence of religious individuals within scientific communities. Filling these gaps, this study examines how scientists in the United States, Mexico, and South Africa respond to religious people in science. Drawing on 53 in‐depth interviews with biologists and physicists at leading universities in these countries, we find that while scientists narratively express openness toward religious individuals, they often include the caveat that religion should not enter scientific work, rendering religious people themselves suspect. Many participate in what we call “safe siloing.” These findings highlight subtle forms of boundary work and identity suppression that religious scientists must navigate.