Increasing Diversity in the Earth

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Increasing Diversity in the Earth Space
Sciences

• Jill Karsten
• Manager, Education Career Services
• American Geophysical Union
• AGI Geoscience Leadership Forum
• 19 May 2003

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1. Why Is Diversity An Issue?

• Declining graduate enrollment in Earth space
  sciences
• Shrinking of the traditional pipeline
• Aging scientific workforce
• Increasing difficulty in filling void with non-US
  students
• Continual growth of US minority populations
• Throwing a wide net to catch the best
  brightest
• Diverse perspectives enhance the discovery
  process and prepare scientists for working in a
  global economy

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Data from AGI
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Ages of full-time doctoral scientific and
engineering faculty, including full, associate,
and assistant professors and instructors.
(Source NSB 2000b, Table 6-25.) Vali et al.,
2002
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Number of Ph.D.s earned in earth-atmosphere-ocean
sciences by citizenship status. Note logarithmic
scale. (Source NSF 2000b, Table 3 Vali et al.,
2002)
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2. Who is Underrepresented?

• In the General Population (BS - PhD degrees)
  (1970 (1980) 2000 2010)
• Women 50 (23) - 51 (37)
• African-Americans 11.1 (1.8) - 12.9 (2.9) -
  13.3
• Hispanics 4.7 (0.4) - 12.5 (2.9) - 14.6
• Native Americans - 0.8 (0.5, includes
  Asian) -
• Asian/Pacific Islander - 4 -
• Persons with Disabilities 20 (10 significant
  disabilities)
• Based on 2000 U.S. Census and 2002 AGI Data

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Figure from RM Johnson based on data from AGI
and NSF
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3. What Are the Key Issues?

• Lack of exposure to geosciences
• Poor K-12 teacher preparation
• Different educational pathways
• Inadequate preparation
• Cultural barriers
• Poor image of scientists and the profession

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of HBCUs with Geoscience Departments is
7. Role of the 2-year college as the source of
science.
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4. What Programs Work?

• Most successful programs involve sustained
  interactions with students, mentoring by
  professionals, exposure to educational and
  research opportunities. Good examples
• Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research
  and Science (SOARS) - Tom Windham, UCAR
• Minorities At Sea Together (MAST) - Ben Cuker,
  Hampton University

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5. What Can Societies Do?

• Mobilize and educate membership
• Use annual meetings journals
• Offer society awards
• Sponsor students, student travel, and speakers
• Enhance K-12 teacher preparation
• Link students with professional mentors and role
  models
• Catalyze policy/attitude changes

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AGI Minority Participation Program (1972)
Earth Science Week Activities ASLO
Minorities in the Aquatic Sciences (MAS) GSA
Several special funds and awards to support
and honor women minority research AMS
DataStreme Atmosphere Ocean Programs
Online Weather Studies Diversity
Program SACNAS Biography Project AWG
Minority Women Doctoral Directory
Phillips-AWG Distinguished Lecture Program
Educator Distinguished Service
Awards NABGG Promoting industry-student
networking AAAS Minority Scientists Network
(NextWave)
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American Geophysical Union

• Key Goals of AGU Diversity Plan
• Educate involve the AGU membership in diversity
  issues
• Enhance and foster participation of scientists,
  Earth space science educators, and students
  from underrepresented groups in AGU activities
• Increase visibility of the Earth space sciences
  and foster awareness of career opportunities in
  these fields for underrepresented populations
• Promote changes in the academic culture that
  (1) remove barriers disincentives for
  increasing diversity in the student faculty
  populations, and (2) develop rewards for those
  wishing to pursue these goals

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Programs at AGU Meetings
Fall 2003 Special Atmospheric Sciences Session
on Global Climate Modeling - Tribute to Dr.
Warren Washington, plus reception
Spring 2002 Special High School Student
Symposium Poster Session GRAHEC Gallaudet
MSSD
Ocean Sciences 2002 Special Brown-bag with
local Hawaiian high school students and AGU
scientists
Fall 2003 Union-Wide Session Who Will Conduct
Geophysical Research in the Future? and Special
Education Sessions on Women in Geoscience and
Geodiversity Programs that Work
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6. Whats New?

• Minorities Striving to Pursue Higher Degrees in
  Science (MS-PHDS)- Ashanti Johnson-Pyrtle, NASA
• The National Coalition of Underrepresented Racial
  and Ethnic Advocacy Groups in Engineering and
  Science (NCOURAGES)- NACME, GEM Others
• Joint Society Conference on Increasing Diversity
  in the Earth Space Sciences - AGU, AGI, AIP
  Others

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Joint Society Conference on Increasing Diversity
in the Earth Space Sciences

• Goals
• Educate societies about the need for issues
  involved in increasing diversity
• Share resources and insights about successful
  unsuccessful strategies
• Identify opportunities to implement new (or
  expand existing) programs that work
• Consider new strategies that can only be realized
  through collaborative efforts
• Establish a vision for a joint society
  collaboration on increasing diversity

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Joint Society Conference on Increasing Diversity
in the Earth Space Sciences

• When 10 12 June 2003
• Where American Center for Physics, College
  Park, MD
• Who 25 scientific organizations (60 invited)
• Planning Committee
• Jim Stith (AIP), Claudia Alexander (AGU),
  Pranoti Asher (NAGT), Susan Avery (AMS), Frank
  Hall (AGU), Jack Hehn (AIP), Mary Leech (GSA),
  Cindy Martinez (AGI), Joaquin Ruiz (AGU), John
  Snow (AGU)
• Sponsors NASA, NOAA, NSF, DOE, USGS, EPA?
• Point of Contact Jill Karsten
  jkarsten_at_agu.org

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7. What Should We Do Next?

• ..professional societies have an important
  role to play at the national level Their
  collaboration should focus on two main
  priorities
• Project a More Positive Public Image of Science,
  Engineering, and Technology
• Mobilize at the Grass Roots
• - Shirley Ann Jackson
• The Quiet Crisis (BEST)
• -

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Recommendations

• Organize a national marketing campaign on the
  role of the Earth Space Sciences in daily life
  and careers
• Begin aggressive efforts to increase required
  exposure to Earth Space Science in high school
• Catalyze efforts to improve K-16 Earth Science
  teaching, especially in settings that serve
  underrepresented groups

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Recommendations

• Develop and scale up effective programs that
  support retention of students in the pipeline
• Mobilize the Earth Space Scientific community
  to be involved locally
• Encourage rewards for outreach and service
  activities by academic faculty