Transcript X Essential Questions About Diversity in the Earth & Space

Increasing Diversity in the
Earth & Space Sciences
Jill Karsten
Manager, Education & Career Services
American Geophysical Union
AGI Geoscience Leadership Forum
19 May 2003
1. Why Is Diversity An Issue?

Declining graduate enrollment in Earth & space sciences

Shrinking of the traditional pipeline

Aging scientific workforce

Increasing difficulty in filling void with non-US students

Continual growth of US minority populations

Throwing a wide net to catch the “best & brightest”

Diverse perspectives enhance the discovery process and
prepare scientists for working in a global economy
Data from AGI
Ages of full-time doctoral scientific and engineering faculty, including
full, associate, and assistant professors and instructors. (Source:
NSB 2000b, Table 6-25.) Vali et al., 2002
Number of Ph.D.s earned in earth-atmosphere-ocean sciences by
citizenship status. Note logarithmic scale. (Source: NSF 2000b, Table 3;
Vali et al., 2002)
2. Who is Underrepresented?

In the General Population (BS - PhD degrees)
(1970 (1980) – 2000 – 2010)
•
Women – ~50% (23%) - ~51% (37%)
•
African-Americans – 11.1% (1.8%) - 12.9% (2.9%) - 13.3%
•
Hispanics – 4.7% (0.4%) - 12.5% (2.9%) - 14.6%
•
Native Americans – * - 0.8% (0.5%, includes Asian) - *
•
Asian/Pacific Islander – * - ~4% - *
•
Persons with Disabilities – 20% (10% significant disabilities)
Based on 2000 U.S. Census and 2002 AGI Data
Number of Graduate Students by Specialty
6,000
5,000
Earth and
atmospheric
science, Women
4,000
Ocean sciences,
Women
3,000
2,000
Earth and
atmospheric
science, Men
1,000
Ocean sciences,
Men
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
89
19
88
19
87
19
86
19
85
19
84
19
83
19
82
19
81
19
19
80
0
Figure from RM Johnson; based on data from AGI and NSF
Number of male PhDs in the geosciences,
Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans
within seven year intervals, 1973 to 2000
Hispanic
Americans
1994 to 2000
79
1987 to 1993
57
1980 to 1986
35
1973 to 1979
33
African
Americans
35
1994 to 2000
19
1987 to 1993
15
1980 to 1986
1973 to 1979
13
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Num be r of M ale PhDs
Source: AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected
by the National Science Foundation
90
Number of female PhDs in the geosciences,
Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans
within seven year intervals, 1973 to 2000
Hispanic
Americans
1994 to 2000
32
1987 to 1993
22
1980 to 1986
5
1973 to 1979
0
African
Americans
16
1994 to 2000
6
1987 to 1993
1
1980 to 1986
1973 to 1979
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Num be r of Fe m ale PhDs
Source: AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected
by the National Science Foundation
35
3. What Are the Key Issues?






Lack of exposure to geosciences
Poor K-12 teacher preparation
Different educational pathways
Inadequate preparation
Cultural barriers
Poor image of scientists and the
profession
States w ith highest concentration of Hispanic-Americans, 2000
20% or more Hispanic-American
15% or more Hispanic-American
D.C.
# of HBCU’s with Geoscience
Departments is ~7.
Role of the 2-year college as
the source of science.
Puerto
Rico
Source: AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the US Census Bureau
States w ith highest concentration of African-Americans, 2000
20% or more African-American
13% or more African-American
D.C.
Puerto
Rico
Source: AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the US Census Bureau
Number of bachelor's awarded in major
fields by race, class of 2000
African
American
%
Psychology
Computer Science
Business
Chemistry
Mathematics
Life Sciences
Education
Engineering
Physics
Geosciences
All fields
Hispanic
American
%
Total
Number
10.6
9.7
9.2
8.5
8.3
7.7
7.1
6.3
4.4
1.3
7.8
5.1
5.8
6.9
5.2
5.2
4.5
5.5
3.8
3.1
74,060
36,195
257,709
10,390
12,070
63,532
108,168
72,299
3,631
4,047
8.7
6.1
1,237,875
4. What Programs Work?



Most successful programs involve
sustained interactions with students,
mentoring by professionals, exposure to
educational and research opportunities.
Good examples:
Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric
Research and Science (SOARS) - Tom
Windham, UCAR
Minorities At Sea Together (MAST) Ben Cuker, Hampton University
5. What Can Societies Do?







Mobilize and educate membership
Use annual meetings & journals
Offer society awards
Sponsor students, student travel, and
speakers
Enhance K-12 teacher preparation
Link students with professional mentors
and role models
Catalyze policy/attitude changes
AGI:
Minority Participation Program (1972)
Earth Science Week Activities
ASLO: Minorities in the Aquatic Sciences (MAS)
GSA:
Several special funds and awards to support
and honor women & minority research
AMS:
DataStreme Atmosphere & Ocean Programs
Online Weather Studies Diversity Program
SACNAS: Biography Project
AWG: Minority & Women Doctoral Directory
Phillips-AWG Distinguished Lecture Program
Educator & Distinguished Service Awards
NABGG: Promoting industry-student networking
AAAS: Minority Scientist’s Network (NextWave)
American Geophysical Union
Key Goals of AGU Diversity Plan:
• Educate & involve the AGU membership in diversity
issues
• Enhance and foster participation of scientists, Earth &
space science educators, and students from
underrepresented groups in AGU activities
• Increase visibility of the Earth & space sciences and
foster awareness of career opportunities in these fields
for underrepresented populations
• Promote changes in the academic culture that:
(1) remove barriers & disincentives for increasing
diversity in the student & faculty populations, and
(2) develop rewards for those wishing to pursue these
goals
Programs at AGU Meetings
Fall 2003: Special Atmospheric Sciences Session
on Global Climate Modeling - Tribute to Dr. Warren
Washington, plus reception
Spring 2002: Special High School
Student Symposium & Poster Session
[GRAHEC & Gallaudet MSSD]
Ocean Sciences 2002: Special Brown-bag with
local Hawaiian high school students and AGU scientists
Fall 2003: Union-Wide Session “Who Will Conduct
Geophysical Research in the Future?” and Special
Education Sessions on Women in Geoscience and
Geodiversity Programs that Work
6. What’s New?



Minorities Striving to Pursue Higher Degrees
in Science (MS-PHDS)
- Ashanti Johnson-Pyrtle, NASA
The National Coalition of Underrepresented
Racial and Ethnic Advocacy Groups in
Engineering and Science (NCOURAGES)
- NACME, GEM & Others
Joint Society Conference on Increasing
Diversity in the Earth & Space Sciences AGU, AGI, AIP & Others
Joint Society Conference on Increasing
Diversity in the Earth & Space Sciences
Goals:
 Educate societies about the need for &
issues involved in increasing diversity
 Share resources and insights about
successful & unsuccessful strategies
 Identify opportunities to implement new
(or expand existing) programs that work
 Consider new strategies that can only
be realized through collaborative efforts
 Establish a vision for a joint society
collaboration on increasing diversity
Joint Society Conference on Increasing
Diversity in the Earth & Space Sciences

When: 10 – 12 June 2003

Where: American Center for Physics, College Park, MD

Who: ~25 scientific organizations (60 invited)

Planning Committee:
Jim Stith* (AIP), Claudia Alexander (AGU), Pranoti Asher
(NAGT), Susan Avery (AMS), Frank Hall (AGU), Jack Hehn
(AIP), Mary Leech (GSA), Cindy Martinez (AGI), Joaquin
Ruiz (AGU), John Snow (AGU)

Sponsors: NASA, NOAA, NSF, DOE, USGS, [EPA?]

Point of Contact: Jill Karsten – [email protected]
7. What Should We Do Next?
“..professional societies … have an important role to
play at the national level … Their collaboration should
focus on two main priorities:


Project a More Positive Public Image of Science,
Engineering, and Technology
Mobilize at the Grass Roots”
- Shirley Ann Jackson
The Quiet Crisis (BEST)
-
Recommendations



Organize a national marketing
campaign on the role of the Earth &
Space Sciences in daily life and careers
Begin aggressive efforts to increase
required exposure to Earth & Space
Science in high school
Catalyze efforts to improve K-16 Earth
Science teaching, especially in settings
that serve underrepresented groups
Recommendations



Develop and scale up effective
programs that support retention of
students in the pipeline
Mobilize the Earth & Space Scientific
community to be involved locally
Encourage rewards for outreach and
service activities by academic faculty