Motivations for Engaging in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Efforts in the Earth System Science Community

In the Earth system sciences, the motivations of organizations for pursuing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) often center on the benefits to the institution or the science enterprise. The argument is known as the “business case for diversity” in which diverse teams are more creative, set high bars for research, and produce ideas that are more innovative than those produced by homogeneous groups. 

While true, as the sole motivation for DEIJ efforts, the business case is insufficient and does not address the harmful workplaces many marginalized scholars encounter. Institutions will make more progress towards diversifying the STEM workforce by understanding and articulating their ethical responsibilities and transitioning to an equity-centered approach. Emphasizing personal motivations to actively engage in DEIJ work resonates with individuals more, rather than engaging with DEIJ to benefit an institution’s goals. 

Two recent studies in the United States support this argument. The first is an alumni study of postdoctoral fellows at the National Center for Atmospheric Research that explored alumni efforts and motivations for engaging in DEIJ work. The second study surveyed attitudes towards DEIJ efforts among STEM graduate students at Colorado State University who took a course on social responsibility in science. Both studies demonstrate the motivations for scientists to support and get involved in these efforts and indicate that the business case is misaligned with the motivations of students and professionals in STEM. Understanding the attitudes and motivations that individuals have for DEIJ in STEM presents an opportunity for how institutions can best learn from and support these motivations for systemic and sustainable change.