Thread by @AMSEarlyCareer

This is starting now and will be live-streamed. Watch for the Periscope link to come through! AMS President @RogerWakimoto saying a few words now. "Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion are a big part of my focus as president." #AMS2019 #BECP2019

https://twitter.com/AMSEarlyCareer/status/1082294537404334080

@RogerWakimoto .@Marcia4Science: Let's look at what DEI looked like back when I was an Early Career Professional vs what it looks like today.

"As a student I was often the only female on an oceanographic expedition." #AMS2019 #BECP2019

.@Marcia4Science: I was a unicorn. They didn't know how to deal with me. So they sent me to Navy Seal Team school on Coronado Island & went through explosives training school. Graduated 1st in my class of Seals. No one messed with me after that.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: At AGU Honors Evening in 1985, the typical podium would be full of men in tuxedos. Then there was me, token woman, 9 months pregnant with twins. #DEI

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: Today, no society would be comfortable having a podium with only white males in tuxedos. #AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: 1992, after Joshua Tree Earth earthquake, Lucy Jones gave media interview holding a child, which showed care & comfort. People trusted her more because they saw the human side of her.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: Scientists are realizing the importance of including aspects of your personal life in what you're doing to alert the public to the fact that you are not this cold person, that you are human & you care about them.

#AMS2019 BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: Emphasizing family is important. Set policies that reinforce work-life balance.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: I knew many woman who had mindfully decided to not have families because they did not think it was compatible with their careers. Was it possible to be a scientist & a mother at a top-ranked science institution?

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: I did everything I could to emphasize that, yes, you could have both. Office events were family events. Tried to make the place as family friendly as possible. I brought my daughter into work. Meetings did not go past 5pm.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: You can have a family. You can do fun things. We take vacations! We have to show that you don't have sacrifice everything for your career. Is that enough to stop the leaky pipeline? & then the report on Sexual Harassment of Women came out.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: Then I realized women weren't being lost to science simply because of work-life balance, but also because of sexual harassment. It's not always apparent. It's the unseen harassment that is harder to deal with.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: It was seemingly well-meaning advice like a former professor telling me, "well it's nice you got that faculty offer, but you aren't going to really take it, are you? They'll just eat you alive there."

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: Why is this still a problem? Lowest bar of legal compliance. Training backfires. Kicking the can down the road: private deals with worst offender.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: What does work?

Create inclusive, respectful environments.

Diffuse hierarchical environments. Change behavior, not beliefs.

Support targets- offer confidentiality, prevent retaliation.

Have clear policies.

Make everyone responsible.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science .@Marcia4Science: National Academy of Science has adopted a members' code of conduct. Has a very specific plan for dealing with allegations of violations. All actions coordinated with the NAE and NAM.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science Panel starting now! @CommDocPA moderating, panel includes @Marcia4Science, @KevinRPetty, and @profdesai. This will begin a conversation about DEI. We want this to be a discussion. #AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science @CommDocPA @KevinRPetty @profdesai Society is unity and diversity. We invite our panelists and audience to think about this and unpack this. Worth considering in the current context. #AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science @CommDocPA @KevinRPetty @profdesai .@profdesai: Things that keep me up at night: Where can I make changes behind the scenes, with admissions, recruitment, retention, & all sorts of diversity areas that aren't as obvious. #AMS2019 #BECP2019

@Marcia4Science @CommDocPA @KevinRPetty @profdesai .@KevinRPetty: Interested in aspects of innovation. This is centered around diversity & inclusion. Do we really understand the words of diversity, equity, & inclusion? You cannot separate those words.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

1st question: Distinguish between 3 terms of DEI:

.@KevinRPetty: Diversity is social identity. Can have diversity, but not have belonging, which is the inclusion part. Are the right policies in place that facilitate fairness & equity?

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

.@Marcia4Science: At NAS (National Academy of Science), we are including things like institutional diversity & geographic diversity.

Equity will follow if you have a diverse group that feels included. Natural progression.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

.@profdesai: tends to be an excessive focus on metrics. What about the structural issues? Need to understand where barriers are being placed & why, & figure out inherent bias.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@profdesai .@raquellholmes: Can you talk about specific policy changes at your institutions that you've seen actually help people who feel like they belong create an environment for themselves?

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@profdesai @raquellholmes .@Marcia4Science: NAS felt years ago that women were underrepresented. Once change that was made was to set up Temporary Nominating Groups- searched for people deserving recognition & highlighted their work. Women & minorities were elevated.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

@profdesai @raquellholmes @Marcia4Science Jenni Evans, incoming AMS President: When I came to Penn State, I was the only woman, & everyone turned to me to advocate for woman when going through hiring process.

Should we mentor or should we advocate?

#AMS2019 #BECP2019

.@profdesai: Advocacy is part of mentoring. As a mentor, it's my role to advocate & encourage. But there is a burden to that. You can't advocate for every single thing or you'll burnout.

#AMS2019 #BECP2019