Background: Why Focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion?

At all degree levels, geoscience is the least diverse of all the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. In 2016, only two percent of geoscience PhDs in the US were awarded to Black or Native American people and this has not changed in the last 40 years (Bernard and Cooperdock 2018). Moreover, students at Ivy League Schools hail from extremely narrow socio-economic backgrounds. While the richest 10 % of income groups account for 45-60 % of students, the poorest 20 % of income groups account for only 2-5 % (New York Times 2020).

As well as reflecting both present-day and historic systemic discrimination, the homogeneity of academic geoscience has a high corrosive effect on scientific advancement. Scientific communities that contain a diverse range of life experiences, expertise and perspectives are more creative and innovative that those that are overwhelmingly homogenous (Bernard and Cooperdock 2018). I have experienced the positive effects of such diversity by collaborating with scientists from a variety of countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Finland, Germany, India, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, USA) and who have a variety of ages, genders, ethnicities, first languages and sexual orientations. However, the diversity that I have experienced in UK and US-based institutions has never been representative of society beyond academia.  

Action: Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Geoscience

• URGE (Unlearning Racism in Geoscience) pod member, Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) geosciences pod.
             - URGE's primary objectives are to "(1) deepen the community's knowledge of
                 the effects of racism on the participation and retention of Black, Brown, and
                 Indigenous people in Geoscience, (2) draw on existing literature, expert
                 opinions, and personal experiences to develop anti-racist policies and
                 strategies, and (3) share, discuss, and modify anti-racist policies and
                 strategies within a dynamic community network and on a national stage". 
              - For more details of the URGE program, click here.
              - For more details of the NMNH geosciences pod, including our deliverables,
                 click here. 
• Lead author of EDI-focused abstract and poster at GSA 2021, Portland
              - Abstract entitled: "Advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, and
                 inclusion at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History:
                 unique opportunities and challenges"
              - Presented on behalf of the NMNH Geoscience pods.
              - To read our abstract and poster, please click here.