Controversial research about race relations by a Harvard economist has faculty, staff and state leaders talking, and will bring three academics together for a panel discussion Wednesday evening.

Cornelia Flora, distinguished professor of sociology, said Roland Fryer, Harvard economist, argues for affirmative action, which is a way of systematically integrating minority groups into the majority. The research looks at the limitations of affirmative action from an economic point of view and what can be done about it, said Flora, a member of the panel.

“We’re hoping it will generate discussion,” she said.

Fryer is scheduled to speak Jan. 31 in the Memorial Union.

Carla Espinoza, associate vice president of human resource services, said she and the other panelists will comment on the research from their perspectives, and then the discussion will break into a question-and-answer session.

She said she would give background information about affirmative action.

“It is used as a procedural activity to achieve diversity,” Espinoza said.

She said institutional racism still occurs because affirmative action isn’t being used correctly, and in order to end racism and discrimination, no one should be excluded.

“We have to be smarter about it,” Espinoza said.

She said she plans to talk about how outreach can be used to make affirmative action work well and lawfully.

Extensive outreach must be done because it is hard to attract people to Ames, she said. Ames doesn’t have things like mountains or beaches that naturally attract people to areas like the East and West coasts, she said.

“We have to show them Ames is a good place to live,” Espinoza said. “[Affirmative action] itself is not going to make it happen.”

Ralph Rosenberg, executive director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, said to help end discrimination, Iowa needs to become a creative, diverse state. He said he would talk about the role universities and university towns can play to make a creative, diverse state.

He said the university should train leaders to encourage diversity. People need to ask themselves about where discrimination is today, and what can be done to end discrimination, he said.

Espinoza said people need to change in order to end racism and discrimination.

Rosenberg said people at the university can bring about change.

“In order for affirmative action or diversity to work, there has to be an environment that welcomes it, not just tolerates it,” she said.