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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Awards Committees submitted revised award rubrics to diversity and inclusion on all committees. The report was approved
Council, following the guidelines of the ad hoc Nominations and by Council, and GSA staff began the implementation process.
Awards Committee. GSA staff worked to implement the recom- GSA held its annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA, in October
mendations to the nominations and awards process for incoming 2021, using both virtual and in-person formats. After receiving feed-
Committee members to utilize in the coming year. back from attendees, GSA members, and our larger community, GSA
Acting on recommendations from GSA Council and member- committed to a fully hybrid and accessible annual meeting in October
ship, including the ad hoc Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 2022. In addition, GSA incorporated feedback from membership to
Committee, GSA initiated a hiring search for a full-time, director- improve inclusion at the annual meeting, highlighting events such as
level staff position to oversee DEI efforts. the LGBTQ+ reception, live-streaming talks for presenters who are
In January, Dr. Elizabeth Long joined the GSA staff as the orga- unable to attend in person, and revising ethical guidelines and codes
nization’s first associate director of DEI. Priorities for this position of conduct for programs such as poster sessions.
include working with membership to improve DEI work at the Members of our National Science Foundation–funded Geosciences
annual meeting and Section Meetings; revising GSA’s nomina- ASCEND RCN (Geosciences Associated Societies Committed to
tions and awards processes, in partnership with member-guided Embracing and Normalizing Diversity Research Coordinated
committees; and securing funding to increase and improve the Network) project met for a virtual planning summit in early 2022.
sustainability of DEI efforts. In June, Geo ASCENDS hosted its first Community Conversation,
In the fall, GSA’s ad hoc Committee on Nominations and Awards a virtual format open meeting designed to allow participants to work-
submitted its report to Council outlining proposed revisions designed shop specific topics, challenges, and goals with peers from other RCN
to improve inclusivity and equity of GSA’s awards as well as increase project team members. The monthly Community Conversations are
facilitated by project personnel and largely driven by GSA members.

Ethics

GSA updated and enhanced its Events Code of Conduct and policies, the types of concerns being raised, and how GSA has
related resources, including a new training guide for session resolved them. Using fair, rigorous enforcement procedures, GSA
chairs, to foster respectful, inclusive scientific events (RISE; continues to take all complaints seriously and to impose sanctions
www.geosociety.org/rise). More than 300 GSA members, ranging for proven violations, up to and including the revocation of mem-
from Councilors to student volunteers, were trained on procedures bership and fellowship status.
to promote a welcoming culture where meeting and field-trip GSA continues to serve on the Leadership Council of the Societies
participants feel safe coming forward with concerns. Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM, a coalition of profes-
The 2021 Annual Ethics Report is online at www.geosociety.org/ sional societies formed to share and promote leading practices to
documents/gsa/about/ethics/2021-annual-ethics-report.pdf. advance a culture of inclusion, excellence, and integrity across fields
This report provides transparent information about GSA’s ethics in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine.

July August September

GSA connected 223 students and GSA welcomes Scientific Division members and non-
ECPs with enriching, interdisciplinary Morgan Disbrow- members were surveyed to gain insight
as to why the membership of some
Monz (below) to
projects led by the USDA Forest
2021 Bureau of Land Management. Emily Zawacki term as GSA's why a portion of GSA members choose
Divisions have increased or decreased,
begin a one-year
Service, National Park Service, and
not to belong to any Divisions, and how
Science Policy
Fellow.
membership in scientific Divisions can
be more relevant and valuable.
(above) begins
term as GSA’s
2021–2022
Science
Communication
Fellow.
16 Annual Program Report | FY 2022