Diversity Statement
The Department of Geological Sciences recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in maintaining academic excellence and an intellectually and culturally enriching environment. We appreciate that diversity extends to different races and ethnicities, gender identities, nationalities, disabilities, and body types. As such, we expect all members of our Department to respect each other and to work to combat systemic racism and other biases. The Department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) committee is actively working on initiatives to further support a welcoming and inclusive climate and to increase the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff.
Specific goals of the DEI Committee for the next several years include implementing mandatory diversity and implicit bias training for all Department members, supporting a comprehensive mentoring program at all levels, increasing the use of research-based strategies to improve effective STEM learning for all students, and offering other opportunities to raise awareness about diversity and foster inclusivity in our department.
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity committee is itself diverse, with four faculty members and two graduate students representing at least four racial identities and four different nationalities. The student representatives on our committee were selected by their peers, and serve as the primary liaisons between faculty leadership, the student population, and student organizations that serve to advocate for underrepresented student groups. The student diversity in our Department has grown over the past ten years, but we strive to make Department diversity more representative of the demographics of the United States. Most importantly, we want to ensure that every member of our Department feels welcome, respected, and valued.
The word cloud at the top of this page was generated based on contributions from students, faculty and staff in the Department of Geological Sciences in response to the DEI Committee's intiviation to share their ideas and vision for Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity in our department.