Embedding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) within a Professional Geoscientist’s Lifestyle

No geoscientist is an island. It is not good practice for a geoscientist to act in isolation; rather, geoscientists need to be part of a welcoming community to thrive.  How a professional geoscientist interacts with other geoscientists, non-geoscientists and society is essential for building a culture and environment of conscious inclusion by celebrating the diversity of one and all.  This means proactively creating environments where geoscientists and others can collaborate and feel comfortable communicating openly. Recognizing and understanding how unconscious bias and privileges can create divisions and foster negative professional (toxic) environments.  The presentation will look beyond professional bodies’ codes of conduct, and it will introduce what Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) means. These concepts are vital to consider from the attraction, retention, and progression of professional geoscientists and the reputation of the communities we represent. Several self-awareness exercises will also be shared to explore potential, implicit bias.