Recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities (e.g., Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)) has been a major problem in the Earth Sciences, with little progress over the last four decades (see Bernard and Cooperdock, 2018, Nature, for review). Outreach is a critical tool for improving diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) the Earth Sciences. Throughout my academic career, I have made this a priority.
I have been a member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) since 2011. I served on the executive board for the University of Michigan SACNAS Chapter—including serving as Chapter President for the 2018-2019 academic year— since 2017, which allowed me to have a direct impact providing a supportive community for BIPOC in STEM at the University of Michigan, developing professional development and outreach opportunities for University of Michigan students, and creating numerous activities for K-12 students across Southeastern Michigan. While these activities are helpful for advancing DEI initiatives within the university and local community, actions must also be taken at the department level to improve recruitment and retention of students in the Earth Sciences.
At the University of Michigan, I was a graduate student representative for the Astronomy and Earth and Environmental Sciences departments' annual "Fall Preview Weekend," which invited students from underrepresented groups to the departments learn about our graduate programs. In this role, I helped students to understand the graduate program requirements and expectations, and moderated conversations about life as a graduate student. Now, at McGill University, I am a part of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department Equity and Working Climate Committee, a collaborative effort wherein we identify the needs of Earth department members and brainstorm and implement ways in which we can improve both recruitment, retention, and overall working climate within the department.
Some SACNAS@UMich Chapter members at the 2018 National SACNAS Conference in San Antonio, TX. The SACNAS National Conference features research talks, talks and panels about navigating academia, conversations about diversity and inclusivity in the sciences, and so much more.
An event developed through Females Excelling More in Math Engineering and the Sciences (FEMMES), some SACNAS@UMich members volunteered to show 5th grade girls how to extract DNA from strawberries!
