Of all the STEM fields, geoscience has the lowest level of racial diversity at nearly every level of higher education. Earth Sciences has a long but hopeful road ahead toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The current anti-racism movement offers our field an opportunity to address the disturbing statistics around education and inclusion. Since 2019, I have been an active member of my departments’ DEI committee, whose goal is further DEI initiatives in the department. In the past few years, we helped to recruit new under-represented students, held discussions around books about race, and showed the film “Picture a Scientist”. In the coming year, we are creating a Geoscience DEI Library within the department, implementing plans to support under-represented students with Geology-specific field needs, and are showing another film (“Can We Talk?”) related to racism and sexism in the sciences.

I am especially committed to increasing the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in the geological and environmental sciences. I look forward to continuing to support earth science High School teachers in diverse districts, offering presentations at “Career Days” in public high schools that showcase the work of Earth Scientists and recruiting and supporting students from diverse populations. This work will lead to a more creative, dynamic, and forward-looking geoscience field for all.

Recent DEI formal training

• 2021 University of Michigan Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit

• 2020 University of Michigan DEI workshop on Microaggressions

• 2020 University of Michigan DEI Unconscious Bias Training