The geosciences are among the least diverse scientific fields. I am committed to actively promoting belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (Be A JEDI) in the department at UC Santa Barbara and more broadly within the geosciences. As a female geoscientist and first-generation college student, I understand some of the challenges geoscientists from underrepresented groups face both as students and in establishing their careers. It is only through the work and dedication of those in positions of power that we will be able to remove the barriers that have prevented those from underrepresented groups from being successful in our field. Below are some of the actions I have personally taken to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the geosciences:
- In 2020, I was one of several founding members of the UC Santa Barbara Department of Earth Science Student JEDI Council. As students, we organized a JEDI reading and discussion group, worked with faculty to make the undergraduate and graduate curriculums more equitable and accessible, and facilitated other department conversations regarding antiracism in the geosciences.
- In 2020, I, along with several other graduate and undergraduate students, established the UC Santa Barbara Geoscience Enrichment and Mentoring for Students by Students (GEMSS) program. The core of GEMSS is a peer mentoring program where undergraduate student mentees are paired with graduate student and senior undergraduate student mentors. The goal of GEMSS was to increase student belonging and inclusion by providing them with mentors who helped them feel welcome in and connected to the department.
- In the spring of 2021, I participated in our department’s Unlearning Racism in the Geosciences (URGE) pod, a National Science Foundation-funded initiative whose aim is to lay the groundwork for antiracism initiatives at academic institutions and professional organizations. At UC Santa Barbara, our pod was entirely student-organized; we analyzed departmental trends in degrees awarded to students from underrepresented groups, held discussions about respecting local culture when completing field work, and compiled a list of antiracism resources for faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students.
- Recently, I have become a member of the "Petrology Network" (link here), a new professional community for geoscientists who study high-temperature Earth processes to connect with others who aim to change the academic culture in the geosciences.