Inclusive Community Committee

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Associate Director for an Inclusive Community

This School of Earth and Space Exploration leadership position is a means to move forward our commitment to always striving to build a more inclusive school, in addition to the individual responsibilities each school member holds.

The Associate Director (AD) for an Inclusive Community responsibilities include, but are not limited to, reviewing school activities and programs in conjunction with the relevant committees and groups to improve equity, providing resources and training on DEIJ topics, and working on relevant school hiring initiatives. 

The AD for an Inclusive Community holds weekly office hours to hear your concerns, ideas and questions. Please see the Inclusive Community calendar for specific dates and times, or select the individual's name below to contact them and set up a separate meeting.

Evan Scannapieco
1/1/2022-present

Christy Till
2020-2021

Hilairy Hartnett
2019-2020

Patrick Young
2018-2020

Enrique Vivoni
2018-2019

Read Statements to our Community from School of Earth and Space Exploration Leadership

Current Inclusive Community Committee

The school's Inclusive Community Committee was formed in 2021 and is co-chaired by Patrick Young and Melanie Narish and is composed of members from all parts of our community. The Inclusive Community Committee is in charge of developing programs to implement the SESE DEIJ Strategic plan and acts as a resource for all members of the SESE community.

Kimberly Baptista
Coordinator, Special Events

Aaron Boyd
Research Analyst

Debbie Garcia
Assistant Director

Chelsea Goldsmith
Project Manager

Hilairy Hartnett
Professor

Alan Jackson
Asst. Research Scientist

Mara Karageozian
Graduate Student

Karen Knierman
Lecturer

Mingming Li
Asst. Professor

Jackie Monkiewicz
Instructor

Melanie Narish
Instructional Designer
co-chair

Claire Richardson
Graduate Student

Evan Scannapieco
Professor

Luiza Teophilo Aparecido
Postdoc Research Scholar

Heather Throop
Associate Professor

Sara Walker
Associate Professor

Patrick Young
Professor
co-chair

Inclusive Community Strategic Plan

SESE has developed a Strategic Plan to guide efforts to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice for all members of the School. The plan identifies four cross-cutting recommendations for the entire SESE community. *Highest Priority

  • Community Conduct Norms*

    • for how systems work, our expectations of how we treat one another, and the consequences of failing to do so
  • Communication

    • to create language norms and consistent messaging promoting inclusion and belonging in the SESE community
  • Training

    • to regularize self-reflection and actions that advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of academic life
  • Mentoring

    • across all SESE communities to provide an equitable opportunity to thrive and enhance belonging

Community-Specific Recommendations

Undergraduate Students

(a) Provide regular DEIJ-related training and class discussions on topics including implicit bias, microaggressions, bystander intervention and intersectional identities*. (b) Facilitate multi-generational mentoring groups. (c) Track PEER retention rates.

Graduate Students

(a) Explicitly define norms and expectations for mentoring relationships*. (b) Develop rubrics for qualifying examinations. (c) Create standardized on- and off-campus risk assessments.

Postdoctoral Scholars

(a) Improve transparency and consistency in employment forms and norms. (b) Create a community better integrated with SESE*. (c) Provide and increase awareness of research resources.

Teaching Professionals

(a) Provide clarity and transparency in roles and responsibilities*. (b) Provide career counseling, mentoring and training. (c) Improve communication and accessibility.

Staff

(a) Address power dynamics, bias and workplace climate for staff within SESE*. (b) Enact equitable hiring practices and career-long mentoring and professional development opportunities. (c) Provide DEIJ training. (d) Create open spaces for honest conversations.

Faculty

(a) Provide regular DEIJ-related training. (b) Take steps to promoting all faculty on similar time scales and utilize more inclusive metrics during APR and P&T processes*. (c) Develop a robust career-long faculty mentoring program. (d) Hire and support BIPoC faculty*.

In 2020 a task force was formed, led by AD Christy Till and composed of members from across the SESE community, to develop a strategic plan. The plan is a living document guiding the short and long-term DEIJ planning and actions of the School.

Contact Us

For more information on any of these activities and/or to contact the Inclusive Community Committee with any other questions or ideas, please contact Evan Scannapieco, Melanie Narish, or Patrick Young.