Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences (DIG): a student-led initiative empowering trainees to make institutional change

In the last 40 years, there has been little to no improvement in ethnic and racial diversity in the Geosciences (Bernard & Cooperdock, 2018). Underrepresented minorities (URM) made up 24% of STEM bachelors degrees in 2016; however, URMs made up only 7% of PhDs awarded in the geosciences (NSF 2017). To make a change within the broader community, the Diversity and Inclusion in the Geosciences (DIG) course, was created to prepare trainees, students, and post-docs to address participation and inclusion challenges uniquely faced in Geosciences. Bringing awareness to specific tools and tactics which improve learning and working environments, we demonstrate how to create the community, resources, and space to do so. In this student-led course, students reflect on their own implicit biases, practice inclusive teaching strategies, and train to be active upstanders. The course illuminates ranging forms of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, neurodiversity, and physical diversity. For each of these topics, the class brainstormed actions for individual and institutional changes, and worked with fellow trainees on project proposals to make a more inclusive Geosciences community. Over the last three years, 27 projects have been proposed and presented. This year we had 15 students present nine projects focused on topics such as BIPOC affinity groups, gender disparities in the geosciences, invisible disability, LGBT+ inclusion, first-generation experience, and more. In addition to our virtual symposium, we used Twitter as a platform to engage the class with the broader community by posting 60 second GIFs and 250 characters project descriptions to have easy-to-digest material that could be accessed quickly to motivate others to get involved in DEI efforts. Furthermore, the course motivated students to have more conversations about DEI topics outside the classroom. In an anonymous survey, students reported having more discussions with friends, labmates, classmates on DEI-related topics and reported attending more DEI seminars, reading groups, training, and workshops than before taking the course. The course has successfully worked to educate and empower the next generation of geoscientists, creating more allies who will have the confidence to actively champion diversity and create inclusive spaces.