Geosciences ASCEND

Geosciences Associated Societies Committed to Embracing and Normalizing Diversity Research Coordination Network

The goal of Geosciences ASCEND RCN is to create an action-based network with deliberate intention for broadening participation, acceptance, and inclusion of diverse populations across the discipline.

With a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the steering committee of the Geosciences Associated Societies Committed to Embracing and Normalizing Diversity Research Coordination Network (Geosciences ASCEND RCN) has provided counsel and advice to the principal investigators as the project leadership. So far this year, we have:

Set the ground rules for productive and respectful meetings.
Initiated review of existing cultural climate surveys and feedback gathered from diverse identities across the geoscience disciplines.
Began to identify common themes and suggestions to improve inclusion of diverse identities.
Established a project framework—Theory of Change + Value Assessment Model—which will guide planning and evaluation.

Geosciences ASCEND is supported by NSF Award #2037271.

Future Project Goals

Assess and prioritize institutional responses to specific recommendations.
Deploy a community-based social marketing (CBSM) strategy to elicit broad behavioral interventions centering inclusion of diverse identities and intended to modify cultural norms.
Develop meaningful assessment and evaluation to determine the efficacy of CBSM interventions.
Codify successful intervention strategies and tactics as best practices to advance cultural change and diversity in the discipline.

Save the Date for Geosciences ASCEND Virtual Symposium

On 22 January 2022, the Geosciences ASCEND RCN will come together with associated society leadership for the first Geosciences ASCEND virtual symposium. Learn about principles, methods, and topics to effect organizational and cultural change within organizations to create a more inclusive discipline.

Newsletter Archive

Fall 2021

Reports

GSA Connects 2021 Demographics

Network Member Organizations

American Institute of Professional Geologists

Arizona State University

Association for Women Geoscientists

Association of American State Geologists

Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists

Blueprint Earth

Council on Undergraduate Research

GeoLatinas

Geological Society of London

Geological Society of America

Geoscience Alliance

Geoscience Information Society

History of Earth Science Society

Int'l Association for Geoscience Diversity

International Association for Promoting Geoethics

International Association of Hydrogeologists

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS)

James Madison University

Mineralogical Society of America

National Association of Black Geoscientists

National Association of Geoscience Teachers

Paleontological Society

Society of Economic Geologists (SEG)

Society for Sedimentary Geology

Society for Vertebrate Paleontology

Soil Science Societies of America

The Geochemical Society

University of Arkansas

University of Florida

University of Texas - Austin

Geosciences ASCEND RCN will develop actions to be implemented by member professional societies to lower or eliminate cultural participatory barriers by acting boldly to reform the culture such that it makes inclusion of diverse identities a deliberate intention.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.