Example Program

2 Half-Day Workshop Program (Virtual or In-Person)

Homework

• short reading
• short anonymous individual reflection on your understanding and interest in diversity, inclusion, belonging
• (optional) self-test using the Implicit Association Test (results not shared with group)

Icebreaker (for In-Person Workshop)

Introductory Session

Focus on why the workshop is needed and building a safe community for discussion.

Supporting the Whole Student & Supporting all Students

A holistic approach to supporting students is fundamental to their learning and appears to be particularly important in helping minority students persist in STEM majors. Following the model of Jolly et al. (2004) we will explore the importance of supporting the whole student through developing a sense of community, developing students' motivation, and fostering students' academic success. Participants, themselves graduate students, will brainstorm ways to foster the success of all students, especially those underrepresented in STEM fields, and discuss actions to take to foster a sense of belonging and success for themselves and their future students.

Choice of Session on Implicit Bias or Navigating Difficult Conversations

Implicit Bias: Implicit bias or unconscious bias is an unconscious and unintended bias that leads to stereotypes. It is often emphasized by the media and culture in which we live. Everybody has it. It is something that one can work to avoid or minimize to improve fairness and conditions for everyone.

Navigating Difficult Conversations: Everyone faces conversations at work or home that may be perceived as insurmountable. This session will give you a few common topics that geosciences professionals may encounter in graduate school or soon after. You'll practice some steps that will help you to address and navigate these conversations more calmly and more effectively and give you a chance to brainstorm specifics for your own current situation.

Bystander Intervention

Sometimes we witness something that is biased, unfair, or inappropriate and we don't know what to do or say. We will use case studies to unpack some academia-centric examples to give participants tools to intervene and make a difference during or after witnessing something that is biased against or excludes someone.

Action Plans & Next Steps

Two sessions emphasize collective action planning for belonging, diversity, and inclusion in the community and making an individual action plan for becoming an inclusive geosciences leader in the short and long term.

This workshop does NOT teach participants how to write a diversity and inclusion plan. Rather, it helps them build actual strengths in interpersonal relationships and fostering an inclusive environment so that any future statements they write will be grounded in knowledge and action.