Inclusive Excellence

Community Values

The Department of Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences values an intellectually curious, respectful, collaborative, open and inclusive community that strives for excellence in and an ethical pursuit of education, scholarship, and community engagement. We value and share responsibility for supporting freedom of expression, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in ways that both contribute to our mission and continuously assess the impact of our actions. Our role as a diverse community calls us each to show, expect, and uphold growth in compassion, patience, empathy, courage, and learning as we understand and embrace our differences. Our success arises from cultivating trust and prioritizing well-being as we generate and share knowledge about our earth and its people.

DEIA Committee

As part of our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, the Department of Earth Geographic and Climate Sciences maintains a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee, open to all EGCS affiliated faculty, students and staff.

The mission of the EGCS DEIA committee is to support the goals of the department in cultivating a diverse community and fostering an inclusive and accessible environment where all individuals feel valued, accepted, empowered to contribute their unique perspectives, and are best positioned to succeed. We work towards this mission through:

• Advocacy on behalf of EGCS community members and in support of inclusivity and accessibility, and equitable and just practices within the department and by EGCS community members.
• Facilitation of activities and events that support community building and provide opportunities for dialogue and listening
• Coordination, support, and sharing of educational opportunities and resources related to inclusive and socially just practices.
• Celebrating the diversity of the EGCS community and efforts by community members to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.

The committee meets regularly throughout the year to provide a space for discussion and time for pursuing activities related to our mission. Meetings are open to all EGCS community members and individuals may join for a single meeting or regularly attend as their interests and availability allows. Meetings times are arranged each semester based on regular participants’ availability. 

The DEIA committee administers awarding of the annual EGCS Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Award (IDEA) to recognize student contributions to activities that promote inclusivity, diversity and equity. Nominations are accepted throughout the year. 

Get involved

• Contact us by email at @email 

• Send us a message to join our mailing list

• Make anonymous suggestions through our online suggestion box

Diversity, Inclusion, and Pedagogy Seminar

Most semesters EGCS offers a seminar in diversity, inclusion, and pedagogy. This seminar is open to undergrads, grads, postdocs, staff, and faculty and may be taken for credit by enrolling in GEO-SCI 595. Announcements about joining and scheduling are shared at the beginning of each semester. 

Where to turn for help:

If you, or someone you know, has experienced an act of mistreatment, bias, or discrimination, know that the University offers different options for providing support and reporting incidents. Reporting these acts enables the University to track incidents, observe patterns, and take corrective steps.The UMass Office of Equity and Inclusions describes available support and reporting options. This flow chart of reporting options is available to help navigate the available reporting options.

Resources for Everyone

• UMass CNS Inclusive Excellence

• UMass Disability Services Office

• UMass Campus Life Resources

• Campus Accessibility Map

• Campus Lactation Spaces Map

• Calendar of Religious Holidays and Important Events

• Why Pronouns Matter

• Geoscience for the Future

• International Association for Geoscience Diversity a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to improving access and inclusion for people with disabilities in the geosciences.
  Geology and Colonialism Reading List

• GeoReadingForEquity

• ADVANCEGeo

• Unlearning Racism in Geoscience: URGEOSCIENCE

Inclusive Teaching

• UMass CNS Inclusive Teaching

• UMass OE&I Inclusive Classroom Practices

• How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive by Viji Sathy and Kelly A. Hogan

Inclusive Research Practices

• Creating an Equitable and Inclusive Research Space

• Dewsbury & Seidel, 2020 - Reflections and Actions for Creating an

• Inclusive Research Environment

• Useful Resources for Building an Inclusive Research Lab, Clinic, or Team by the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science

• Martínez, Diana; Emma Naliboff Pettit; and Brenda Loya. "Understanding & Navigating Power Dynamics in Learning Environments." (2022). 

• Confronting Power Dynamics in Academia 

   

Safe and Inclusive Field Work

• Geology for everyone: Making the field accessible

• NAGT Resources for Designing Successful Field Experiences

• Resources for safe teaching and research outdoors, at remote sites, and abroad from the University of California

Organizations

• National Association of Black Geoscientists

• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

• Society of Latinxs/Hispanics in Earth and Space Science

• GeoLatinas

• Geoscience Alliance: Broadening Participation of Native Americans in Geoscience

• Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG)

• Earth Science Women’s Network (ESWN)

• National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP)

• International Association for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD)