Improving workplace culture, indoors and out: Challenges and opportunities to make the geosciences more inclusive and welcoming

Abstract:

Despite the societal relevance of the geosciences, the field remains one of the least diverse areas in STEM. Bias, discrimination, and harassment present serious hurdles to diversifying the field. These behaviors persist due to persistent structures of exclusion, continued marginalization of non-­majority groups, severe power imbalances in the current research training and funding models, and inadequate attitudes and policies against misconduct. In many ways, field settings can strengthen these barriers due to cultural norms (e.g. “Vegas rules”), stereotypes about who is a successful geoscientist, isolation in remote settings, exposure to environmental hazards, and exclusionary local behaviors, and unclear reporting structures when misconduct does occur. Here we discuss an initiative to shift geoscience cultural norms to build a more welcoming and equitable climate: the ADVANCEGeo Partnership. The ADVANCEGeo team has created a series of collaborative, evidence-based trainings, including components on field safety, developing codes of conduct, and bystander intervention education for geoscientists. To date, we have run more than 75 workshops for academic departments, field campaigns, and professional society audiences. Data describing the effectiveness of this educational program and on the overall workplace climate for the geosciences will be presented, with recommendations specifically for improving safety, inclusivity, and accessibility in the field.