Vision Statement
The vision of the DEI committee is to foster a shared culture at AOSC that promotes respecting and valuing the diversity of identities among its members and educating members to do the same. We believe that a diverse and inclusive educational and work environment provides an atmosphere that allows all individuals to attain their greatest potential which in turn allows the greatest benefits for AOSC.
Mission
It’s important to back up vision with relevant actions. The following is a list of actions the committee has currently identified as short and long term goals to keep moving the culture of AOSC forward towards increased diversity and inclusion.
1) Assess the current Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) climate as identified by relevant metrics and perceived by the student, staff and faculty population.
2) Respond to D&I concerns from everybody but especially from students:
a) Increase diverse representation in seminar series speakers.
b) Increase diversity of the student body, for example by becoming an AGU Bridge Program Partner.
c) Get MetoGrads to have a webpage featured on the department website that demonstrates a supportive culture for recruiting that is welcoming to students of diverse identities, including international students.
d) Build pipelines with minority serving colleges and highschools to let them know about educational and career pathways, especially opportunities that remove barriers to entry such as scholarships, tuition waivers, and application pathways through programs like the AGU Bridge Program.
3) Facilitate diversity and inclusion training materials and modules.
4) Establish “safe spaces” where concerns can be directed to.
5) Interface with other committees within AOSC to act as D&I advisors across departmental operations.
6) Connect with D&I in other units laterally and vertically at the university to align goals and actions with best available resources and knowledge.
7) Work with the Department’s Chair to implement ideas.
2020-2021 Members
Alexandra L. Jones, Chair of the DEI committee, Co-chair of the Undergraduate AOSC Program
Lindsey Rodio, President of AOSC graduate student body (aka, Metograds)
Alfredo Ruiz-Barradas, Associate Research Professor
Links