Exclusionary Behaviors Reinforce Historical Biases and Contribute to Loss of Talent in the Earth Sciences

accepted, Earth Futures

E. Marin-Spiotta (1), E.J. Diaz-Vallejo (1), R.T. Barnes (2), A. Mattheis (3), B. Schneider (4), A.A. Berhe(5), M.G. Hastings (6), B. Williams (7) and V. Magley (8)

(1)Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; (2) Environmental Studies Program, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, USA; (3) Division of Applied and Advanced Studies, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA; (4) Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS, USA; (5) Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA; (6)​​ Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences and Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; (7) American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., USA, (8) Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.

Geosciences remain one of the least diverse fields. Efforts to diversify the discipline need to address the role of hostile work and learning environments, including sexism, racism, ableism, and homophobia. A climate survey distributed to professional organizations illustrates varied experiences of earth and space scientists over a 12-month period (pre-COVID). A majority experienced positive interactions in the workplace. However, scientists of color, women, scientists with disabilities, non-binary and LGBQPA+ scientists more frequently experienced negative interactions, including interpersonal mistreatment, discriminatory language, and sexual harassment. Geoscientists of color were more likely to experience devaluation of their work than white scientists. More than half of women, non-binary, and LGBQPA+ respondents experienced identity-based discriminatory remarks. Disabled geoscientists were more likely to hear negative remarks about race, health, and gender than those who did not disclose a disability. Overall, 14% of all respondents experienced sexual harassment in the previous year. Rates were greatest for historically excluded groups: non-binary (51%), LGBQPA+ (33%), disabled (26%), women (20%), and geoscientists of color (17%). Overall, geoscientists reported avoiding colleagues (51%) and considering leaving their institution (31%) or a career change (30%). Identity matters: historically excluded groups were more likely to report activities with negative professional ramifications. Stereotypes in the geosciences and current organizational structures, policies, and practices maintain hostile workplace environments. To address continued exclusion and low retention in the earth and space sciences, recruitment is not enough. We need to create environments that ensure opportunities for all to thrive.