Workshop on EDIA for Leaders in Planetary Science
#EDIALPS
The next workshop is scheduled for October 23-25, 2023
This workshop is designed for planetary scientists with leadership roles. This includes: Mission and instrument PIs (and future PIs), department chairs, institute directors, and group leaders of all kinds. The goal of this workshop is to give participants an introduction to EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) concepts and the tools they need to enact positive change in their personal and professional spheres .
The meeting will be entirely on-line with no registration fee.
Inclusion is one of NASA’s 5 core values and NASA recognizes “the critical importance and value of DEIA for our entire workforce”. Do you want to understand more about EDIA in planetary science and how to incorporate it into your group or institution? This workshop will cover the basics of EDIA and how it ties into planetary science. We will cover ethics, concepts of changing paradigms, and new NASA requirements such as Inclusion Plans.
The format of this workshop is different from that of others you may have taken. We will meet for four hours each day for 3 days and strongly encourage everyone to attend all sessions. Every session is interactive! In one session we will construct a diversity collage; in another we will discuss our ideals for planetary exploration. Many sessions will include breakout rooms. We will start and end everyday with a poll and a word cloud and use interactive surveys to examine who we are and who we interact with. Click here for a sample schedule.
Workshop Leaders
Dr. Julie Rathbun
Dr. Julie A. Rathbun (she/her/hers) is a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and a senior research associate at Cornell University. She spent 17 years as a professor of Physics at a small liberal arts college and is a member of the Europa Clipper E-THEMIS team. Her research focuses on thermal surfaces of outer solar system satellites, particularly Io. Dr. Rathbun has been involved in EDIA research including studying diversity in planetary spacecraft science teams and spearheading the 2020 Planetary Science Workforce Survey. She has been involved in many EDIA organizations and meetings, including chairing the DPS Professional Culture and Climate Subcommittee for 3 years and currently co-chairing the cross-AG EDIA working group. She has been invited to give EDIA-related talks at multiple venues, including to the National Academies of Science and Medicine.
Dr. JA Grier
Dr. JA Grier (ee/em/eir) is a Senior Scientist and Education/Communications Specialist at the Planetary Science Institute, Arizona, working virtually from Maryland, USA. Dr. Grier has 30 years of experience in education/outreach/diversity programs, as well as in conducting research into the surfaces of The Moon, Mars, and asteroids. As the Lead of the NASA SSERVI EDIA Focus Group, ee is coordinating the efforts of scientists at all career stages who are addressing EDIA issues within their own local spheres, and within the greater planetary science community as a whole. Dr. Grier has addressed the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs on the subject of ethics in space science. Ee has taught science and education classes at the University of Arizona, Anne Arundel Community College, Johns Hopkins University, and several online learning venues.
Feedback from past participants
In our anonymous post-meeting poll, 93% of participants strongly agreed that the hosts created an environment where they felt valued. 100% of participants found the workshop valuable and would recommend it to others.
First time I wasn’t bored at an EDIA workshop; they kept us engaged with their high energy and enthusiasm.
Catherine Neish, 2023 DPS chair
As someone who has worked in the field of DEIA in sciences for more than a decade, this was one of the most valuable workshops I’ve had the pleasure of taking. I learned new things and new approaches to helping myself and others continue on the journey of helping create more justice-focused, inclusive and equitable communities.
Moses Milazzo, Other Orb Consulting
This workshop was fantastic! Well organized and well-facilitated, great breadth and depth of topics, and good novel interactive components as well. The content was expertly curated and extremely well presented – some topics were familiar to me and others unfamiliar, but all were relevant and interesting. I’d recommend this workshop to folks at all levels, from beginners to experts – there is truly something for everyone, and even topics I was familiar with were presented well and with additional context to make them useful & relevant.
Anonymous attendee from November 2022 workshop
Julie and JA did an incredible job of creating a safe and engaging space for learning. Even those who have already taken EDIA training or have worked in the EDIA field will expand their knowledge and skillset. I also particularly appreciated their willingness to share resources afterward for continuing education so that the value doesn’t stop when the workshop ends.
Kate van Waes, van Waes consulting
How to Attend
Registration for the October 2023 workshop is now closed. Please check back or email the organizers for information on 2024 workshops.
Some of our recent alum:
- Tracy Becker, SWRI
- Julie Castillo-Rogez, JPL
- Serina Diniega, JPL
- Lori Feaga, U. Maryland
- Pamela Gay, PSI
- Amanda Hendrix, PSI
- Catherine Neish, Western U. and PSI
- Jessica Noviello, Goddard
- Noah Petro, Goddard
- Cynthia Phillips, JPL
- Jennifer Piatek, Central Conn. State
- Nathaniel Putzig, PSI
- Andy Rivkin, APL
- Amanda Stadermann, U. Arizona
- Kate Van Waes, Van Waes Consulting
- Steve Vance, JPL
- Ryan Watkins, NASA
Image Credit: Header montage images from www.pixabay.com, free and open use.