Department of Earth Sciences receives EPIC grant from IUPUI

INDIANAPOLIS—The School of Science’s Department of Earth Sciences has received an EPIC grant from IUPUI as part of Project EPIC, Evidence-Informed Promotion of Inclusive Climate. The grant aims to develop equity-minded leaders through intentional programming and training to improve institutional climate and promote inclusive leadership practices. The grant was made possible by the National Science Foundation’s Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE) program.

The department is using the grant to study and improve the climate for women in earth sciences at IUPUI. Dr. Kathy Johnson, executive vice chancellor and Principal Investigator for Project EPIC commented, “I am thrilled by the bold steps being taken by faculty in the earth sciences department to create an inclusive and welcoming climate for women. Faculty are working together toward a positive shared vision for the future in ways that will hopefully be emulated across many other departments.”

“Dr. Andy Barth took the lead on starting the grant while serving as interim Chair of our Department. We formed a committee of men and women to create a framework through which we can collect diverse views about the current department climate and cultural aspects that influence climate,” explained Kathy Licht, Ph.D., department chair of earth sciences. “Then, based on the climate data, we will identify areas in which we can improve and implement strategies, such as mentoring programs, that will improve the recruitment and retention of women faculty and students. The motivation is to support, value, and encourage the women we have and create a positive environment for women who join our department in the future.”

One of the first activities inspired by Project EPIC was the creation of the Central Indiana Chapter of the Association For Women Geoscientists (AWG). The group had its first virtual meeting in July 2021. They were able to meet in person the first time on September 26th at Eagle Creek Park. Licht is the president; Jennifer Nelson, a senior lecturer and advisor for the department, is vice president; and Catherine Macris, Ph.D., an assistant professor, is the treasurer.

“Our goal is to create a supportive community for women geoscientists in Central Indiana now and help build a welcoming community for the next generation. We are very grateful to have the support of men in our department. We are excited that many women working as professional geoscientists in Central Indiana, including many of our alumnae, have shown great support for our new AWG chapter,” said Licht. Two alumnae, Samantha Henderson and LeAnne Middleton, are also on the AWG leadership team.

The grant also supported Licht’s participation in the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development’s Summer Faculty Summer Success Program. It will also provide support for consultation with a member of the NSF’s ADVANCEGeo advisory board, who will assist the faculty with assessing and devising approaches to improve the climate for women in earth sciences.

“We believe that respectful free expression of diverse views creates an environment ideally suited to educate, learn, and conduct research on Earth’s diverse and complex systems. We will facilitate discussions that will help us all to better understand the barriers limiting equity and inclusion in our classrooms, laboratories, and field sites,” said Licht.