[LTER-diversity] Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion update

[Marty Downs]

Dear LTER executive teams--
I've heard from several of you as you start to plan or adapt activities --
including site meetings and training opportunities -- for the summer. I am
excited to hear how many of you want to incorporate components focusing on
diversity, equity and inclusion in those spaces.

One simple way to focus such discussions is to work on developing a plan,
strategy, or statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion for the site.
Alone, such statements mean little -- but in the context of a committed
effort to create an inclusive culture, they provide a community touchpoint.

*The Network Office encourages sites to create, post and share your
strategies. The current list of sites with strategies or statements
<https://lternet.edu/network-organization/diversity-resources/#1591778065052-042d2c12-7f38>
is available on the LTER network's DEI resources page
<https://lternet.edu/network-organization/diversity-resources>.*

There are a great many resources being circulated now and I thought it
might be helpful to identify a few specific examples that I and the DEI
committee have found to be particularly applicable to the LTER context.

ADVANCE GEO has put together many good resources. Initially they were
focused on women in the geosciences, but many are also really useful
in addressing racial and ethnic diversity. The resource guide here:
https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/index.html is a good
starting point, especially a primer on diversity
<https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/what_diversity.html>
and creating
inclusive climates
<https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/inclusive_climates.html>.  C
<https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/virtual.html>reating
inclusive virtual spaces
<https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/virtual.html> is useful for
those planning virtual meetings. The first half of the page is focused on
online teaching -- which may or may not apply, but the section headed *Tips
for virtual meetings* is right on target:
https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/index.html

As you consider how to attract and retain graduate students, postdocs, and
faculty -- whether as site collaborators or to your home institutions --
the Association of Public & Land-grant Universities has a new brief on
evidence-based practices in culture, recruiting, and hiring
<https://www.aplu.org/library/strengthening-pathways-to-faculty-careers-in-stem-recommendations-for-systemic-change-to-support-underrepresented-groups/file>
that is concise, compelling, and relevant.

The DEI Committee is also identifying and developing  a variety of new
climate assessment tools, community-building opportunities, and training
connections -- about which we will share more over the next few months.

Thanks,
Marty

-- 
Marty Downs (she/her/hers)
Director, LTER Network Office



https://lternet.edu
t: @USLTER
f: USLTER

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
University of California, Santa Barbara
Office: 805-893-7549
Cell: 617-833-7930
downs at nceas.ucsb.edu
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