Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee

The EPS Department is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all members can thrive. The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) Committee is working to advance initiatives both in the department and in the broader scientific community. Below you will find information about our initiatives and relevant resources.

All EPS members are welcome to participate in the EDI Committee. For more information, contact Ben Zaitchik (zaitchik@jhu.edu) or Meghan Avolio (meghan.avolio@jhu.edu).

Department statement on anti-Black racism

Diversity Initiatives

The EPS Department is currently working on the following equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) initiatives. If you would like further information on any of these, please contact sabine@jhu.edu.

Remove barriers for graduate student applications

Beginning in Autumn 2020, GRE scores will not be considered in EPS graduate admissions.

An application fee waiver will be granted to graduate school applicants who email a request to aposey2@jhu.edu; documentation of financial need is not required.

Welcome non-traditional students

In Autumn 2020, we are developing “Setting Up For Success,” a series of department seminars for incoming graduate students. These seminars will focus on ensuring that all new students receive the information and guidance they need to thrive in a graduate curriculum.

Other initiatives in development include: creating a survey to determine the needs of non-traditional students; removing or modifying events that may present structural barriers, such as prospective student visit days; creating a consolidated wiki page with useful “how-to” information for our graduate students; and welcoming input from non-traditional applicants on how to better meet their needs.

A QPR suicide prevention training module has been held; other sessions now being planned include SafeZone training and a bystander intervention training.

Broaden observances of cultural events

Recent department celebrations have included the Lunar New Year in January 2020 and Nowruz (celebrated virtually) in March 2020.

Honor diversity in department alumni and past faculty

New displays honoring the achievements of past department members, including Randolph Bromery and Florence Bascom, are being created for Olin Hall as of Autumn 2020.

Develop codes of conduct for field work and conferences

We are developing codes of conduct for field experiences and conference experiences. The purpose is to ensure that all department members know of their rights, resources, and responsibilities when representing JHU at these events. The codes of conduct also provide pathways for reporting concerns and obtaining support if issues arise. Versions of these documents will be posted once they are finalized.

Mentor postdoctoral fellows and research staff

“Postdoc lunches” to welcome new arrivals have been instituted, and we are seeking new ways to jointly observe departmental arrivals and departures.

Funding

There are many funding sources, both within Johns Hopkins and through external organizations, that are focused on supporting a vibrant and
diverse academic community. Several such sources are listed here:

JHU Fellowships
  • The Randolph W. Bromery Fellowship is available to graduate students within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The Bromery Fellowship is devoted to providing equal access to graduate education for students from underrepresented minorities. Inquiries about the Fellowship may be submitted to Jenny Seat (jseat@jhu.edu).
  • The Nathaniel Boggs, Jr. Memorial Fellowship is available to graduate students within the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. Candidates must have an undergraduate degree from a historically black college or university and are selected on the basis of academic performance, including GPA.
  • The Diversity Fellows Program is offered by the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
External Fellowships
Funding for URM students and faculty

Community Outreach

The following programs are available to department members who wish to participate in geoscience education in the surrounding communities of Baltimore.

STEM Achievement in Baltimore Elementary Schools (SABES)

A collaborative project undertaken by the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering and by Baltimore City Public Schools. Volunteers assist in teaching STEM topics to public elementary school students in Baltimore. More information on volunteering.

The Ingenuity Project

A nonprofit organization devoted to teaching STEM subjects to public school students in Baltimore. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences collaborates with the Ingenuity Project by hosting high school students who are conducting geoscience-related research projects.

Resources

Institutional Resources at Johns Hopkins

Online training

Johns Hopkins University offers several online EDI-related training courses through MyLearning. To access these courses, JHU affiliates may log in at https://my.jh.edu and select MyLearning under the Education tab. On the MyLearning website, relevant courses are tagged with “OIE.”

Johns Hopkins also makes the following online training classes available through Coursera, which can likewise be accessed under the Education tab at https://my.jh.edu:

A video course on bystander intervention is available from the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, the AstroBetter Wiki offers guides to Diversity, Accessibility, and Mental Health.

Societies

Diversity initiatives funded by the National Science Foundation

Upcoming Conferences

The department provides support for members to attend conferences related to equity, diversity, and inclusivity. If you know of other related conferences, or if you are a department member who is interested in attending one of the following conferences and applying for departmental support, please contact sabine@jhu.edu.
Note: because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the following upcoming conferences are virtual.

Recent Conferences
  • National Association of Black Geoscientists, Fall 2020 Conference (Sept. 9-10, 2021)
  • SASE National Conference & STEM Career Fair (Oct. 29-30, 2021) and (Nov. 3-6, 2021)
  • 2020 AISES National Conference (Sept. 23-25, 2021)
  • SACNAS 2021 (Oct. 25-29, 2021)
  • Annual Out in STEM Conference (Oct. 28-31, 2021)
  • Astronomical Society of the Pacific, ASP2020 (Nov. 18-20, 2021)
  • APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (Jan. 21-23, 2022)
  • Women in Planetary Science and Exploration (WPSE) Conference (Feb. 7-8, 2019, Arizona State University)
  • Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), The National Diversity in STEM Conference (Oct. 25-29, 2021)
  • National Society of Black Engineers, Fall Regional Conferences (various locations and dates in November, 2021)