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One Step Closer to Diversity Cynthia Palomares, AEG Past President
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s a member of AEG’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, I attended the Geosciences ASCEND (Associated Societies Committed to Embracing & Normalizing Diversity) Research Coordination Network Virtual Summit on January 22, 2022. ASCEND is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its purpose is to support the effort to explore geoscience culture and effect long-term cultural change toward a more inclusive geoscience discipline. The virtual summit was held on a Saturday to accommodate as many people as possible and to ensure plenty of time for discussion and interaction. There were twenty-one associated societies in attendance with a total of thirty-one people on the summit call. Associated societies are specific geoscience organizations that are members of the American Geosciences Institute (AGI). The summit is run by a committee of five people that includes academics from four institutions and the Executive Director of the Geological Society of America (GSA). The lead institution is the University of Arkansas. The main purpose of the virtual summit was to communicate to the various geoscience societies the current lack of diversity in the geosciences and also to make them accountable to help foster a more inclusive environment. Each society shared the goals that they have completed or are working on with regard to increasing diversity. Below are the takeaways from this discussion: 1) Most societies are currently working on getting a better handle on their current member demographics. I shared that AEG is also in the process of identifying our Association membership demographics. A survey was emailed to AEG members in late January with the subject line “What can AEG do better?” I hope you took the time to fill out this important survey! This is the first step in identifying the potential needs of our Association.
2) A few societies have set up DEI scholarships or are planning to do so. I am happy to announce that the AEG Foundation (AEGF) has agreed to administer a new AEG Diversity Scholarship, which is now posted on the AEGF website. In addition, Diversity Field Trip Grants of up to $500 are available to K–12 teachers for the purpose of exposing students to the local geology in their area. The first Diversity scholarships and field trip grants will be awarded this year. You can access more info about the AEG Diversity Scholarship here: https://aegfoundation.org/funds/diversity.php and the Diversity Field Trip Grants here: https://aegfoundation.org/funds/diversityfieldtrips.php.
4) Award recipients are being vetted to make sure that there are no past-negative DEI actions from the awardee. 5) Performance assessment of some paid employees is tied to DEI improvement. 6) Working on efforts to increase diversity among BOD members. 7) Communicating DEI goals and plans to membership. The AEG DEIC plans to continue submitting articles to the AEG News to communicate to our members ongoing activities the committee is working on or has completed to support increasing diversity among our membership, AEG events, and the geosciences profession. These virtual summits will be held periodically, but the next date has not yet been scheduled. It is worthwhile to attend these summits to potentially collaborate/work with other societies and also communicate ideas/goals/progress with each other. AEG plans to have a presence at these summits when they do occur. If you have any comments or questions regarding ASCEND, you may contact me at cynthiapalomarescon@gmail.com. If you would like to join the DEIC committee, please contact the co-chairs, Deb Green and Jenn Bauer at DEIC@aegweb.org.
AEG 2022 ANNUAL MEETING CALL FOR ABSTRACTS https://www.aegannualmeeting.org/copy-of-technical-program https://www.aegannualmeeting.org/copy-of-technical-program For For complete complete meeting meeting details, details, www.aegannualmeeting.org www.aegannualmeeting.org
PROPOSED SYMPOSIA
Dams Dams and and Levees Levees Diversity, Equity, Diversity, Equity, and and Inclusion—Words Inclusion—Words Matter Matter Infrastructure Infrastructure and and the the Environment: Environment: Impacts Impacts on on the the Built Built World World Naturally Naturally Occurring Occurring Asbestos Asbestos Subsidence Subsidence Tectonics Tectonics and and Seismicity Seismicity of of the the Walker Walker Lane: Lane: A A Potential Potential Incipient Plate Boundary Tunneling Tunneling Water Water Management Management in in the the Era Era of of Climate-Change-Caused Climate-Change-Caused Megadroughts Megadroughts and and Mega-Floods Mega-Floods Wild Wild Problems Problems with with Geophysics Geophysics Solutions Solutions
3) Some journals and publications are moving to a doubleblind review (author and institution will remain confidential.) The purpose is to ensure that any bias is eliminated. In addition, wording in publications is being vetted to make sure that DEI is supported. 12
AEG NEWS 65(2)
PROPOSED TECHNICAL SESSIONS Coastal Coastal Hazards Hazards Environmental Site Characterization GeoUAS (Drones) Geologic and Seismic Hazards Groundwater Recharge Landslides
Spring 2022
