The School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment (EAE) seeks to provide equal opportunities and equal expectations for individuals, regardless of their gender, race, culture ethnicity or sexual identity. Our ambition is to achieve 40% gender balance across the continuing academic staff in EAE by 2025 from our current level of 22% women/ 78% men profile. We will do that by aspiring to 30% women representation by 2022, 35% by 2024 and 40% women, 40% men and 20% of any gender by 2025.
Equity, diversity and inclusion are important principles for fostering an inclusive and productive workplace in which all individuals can achieve their best and feel valued. This Committee was formed to actively advance these values within both our School and the wider discipline in Australia.
Some examples of activities the Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) committee members have initiated or participated in include the:
A [breast] feeding room in the building open to all staff and students offering privacy.
The Committee continues to strive to improve equity, inclusion and diversity, including the implementation of initiatives associated with Athena-SWAN.
Figure 1: School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment gender balance in 2020 for undergraduates, PhD, postdoctoral fellow (Level A), lecturer (Level B), senior lecturer (Level C), Associate Professor (Level D) and Professor (Level E).
The GEDI committee sends out a weekly newsletter to EAE students and staff. It highlights the research and achievements of women in the Earth, Environmental and Atmospheric sciences. It also includes links to things that might particularly interest students including job opportunities and vacation work as well as books, movies, tv shows or podcasts about EAE science or women in leadership. The newsletter is called the Women of EAE newsletter due to its focus on women in science and is open to anyone who wishes to receive it (irrespective of gender). If you would like to receive it, please fill out your email address here.
Membership of the Committee is (ideally) composed of:
Chair
Vice-Chair
At least one representative for each of the School of EAE's key streams (geoscience, geography and environmental science, and atmospheric sciences)
At least one ECR representative
At least one PhD representative
Committee members in specific roles serve for at least 36 months. After this period, the position will be advertised broadly within EAE. Committee members can serve for multiple consecutive terms
Committee members' duties include:
Report to the Head of School on University equity, diversity and inclusion policies, strategies and programs that will enable the School to support all of its staff and students.
Develop and implement strategies to assist the School in meeting equity, inclusion and diversity objectives.
Provide advice to the School Executive on policy, objectives and programs concerning all equity, inclusion and diversity matters.
Promote effective communication and understanding of the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity throughout the School.
Identify priority areas in equity, inclusion and diversity which are of relevance to the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment.
We welcome all suggestions on how we can work together to achieve our ambitions.
