Amplifying the voices of diverse scholars to integrate culture in the Earth sciences

Abstract

The representation of diverse scholars from various ethnic, cultural, and ability groups in the Earth sciences is critically low exhibiting a crucial need and an opportunity to not only increase diversity but also to create agency for diverse scholars (Bowser & Cid, 2021). These needs can be effectively accomplished through the development of innovative strategies that focus on damaging policies, practices, and opinions prevalent within academia as it struggles and create equitable spaces for all to feel supported and welcome (Guillory & Wolverton, 2008; Smythe et al., 2020). VOICES of Integrating Culture in the Earth Sciences (VOICES) is a collaborative program dedicated to identifying persistent issues preventing the retention, representation, and recruitment of all racial, ethnic, and cultural groups currently underrepresented in the Earth sciences. Here we define with intention diverse scholars as those historically underrepresented, as a construct of ableism, gender, sexuality, cultural, and racial identities using asset-based language to capture the intersection of these complex identities (Gomez et al., 2021; Steele, 1997; Steele & Aronson, 1995). Studies have show that brief interventions have positive influences on sense of belonging (e.g., being part of something or feeling welcome, Freeman et al., 2007) and efficacy of identify as a scientist (Syed et al., 2019; Taylor, 2018; Walton & Cohen, 2011; White et al., 2019), of which a majority of these interventions have not been disseminated beyond the small group they originally focused on. As such, the lack of cultural diversity in a dominant white, male, and able-bodied discipline persists and the lack of diversity continues to be alarming (Bowser & Cid, 2021; Sheffield et al., 2021). Various efforts to recruit and retain diverse scholars across a spectrum of racial, cultural, and gender identities have failed to effect meaningful change in the Earth sciences as barriers to inclusion remain (Bell & White, 2020; Estrada et al., 2016; White & Bell, 2019; Yoder, 2016). The intention of the VOICES program is to foster safe spaces that empower diverse scholars to reclaim their voice, to acknowledge the necessity of power sharing by those in positions of power and privilege, and to provide foundational knowledge of belonging, access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BA-JEDI).