Summary of Actions for a More Diverse Space Physics Research Community

We summarize key perspectives, initiatives, strategies and actions from the papers submitted to the Research Topic special collection, “Driving Towards a More Diverse Space Physics Research Community,” recently closed in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. In order to achieve and, more importantly, sustain a diverse environment where all members of the research community can thrive, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or any other discerning factor, we must nurture an inclusive, welcoming and respectful research culture. There are innumerous aspects to the research environment that result in high attrition rates of minority researchers. This is a worldwide problem that is the responsibility of every member of the space physics research community to address. Deep rooted, systemic biases, both implicit and explicit, are present throughout the field of space physics and can result in dramatically different experiences for minority researchers as compared to their majority counterparts. Longstanding systemic biases have led to differences in how groups are treated within a society, such as inequitable service expectations, and therefore tackling the issue of structural equity is necessary to sustain diversity and inclusion within an organization or community. The submissions to this Research Topic range from personal reflections to grassroots efforts to descriptions of formal committee work. It is clear that our community is striving towards a more equitable and inclusive mindset, and yet the community is not diverse nor fully inclusive or equitable. This presentation distills the major elements of insight from these papers as a call to action for the space physics research community.