The vision of the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute is to lead the way to a healthier planet by cultivating a responsible and curious society that values, trusts and has access to science. As such, we are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse, inclusive, equitable and accessible environment and applying these values in the work that we do. This includes our recruitment, partnerships, public programming, digital outreach and more.

Through these actions, we join the effort to dismantle sociocultural systems of privilege and oppression based on race and ethnicity, age, disability, gender, gender identity, geography, relationship and parental status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, spiritual practice, veteran’s status, and other dimensions of diversity. Our commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion is critical to our mission as environmental protection and social justice are enduringly intertwined.

Our commitments include:

• TESI faculty, staff and students will be trained regularly on diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion best practices.
• In future hiring searches, we will promote job opportunities across channels that reach underrepresented groups so that our recruitment pool is more diverse and inclusive. We will use a holistic approach in reviewing applicants so that experiences and qualifications are valued fairly. We will prioritize skills rather than the presumption of prestige related to past experiences.
• In our digital outreach efforts, we will highlight the work of scientists from underrepresented groups and work to show the impacts of changes to Florida’s environment in all communities.
• When developing public events and programs, we will be intentional about featuring scientists from underrepresented groups and developing programs in a way that is inclusive and accessible to everyone. We will also promote events in nontraditional channels so that they reach a broad array of audiences.
• The Scientist in Every Florida School team will recruit scientists and teachers from underrepresented groups for classroom visits, professional development and other SEFS activities.
• When hosting Science Communication Professional Development Workshops, we will include sections on diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion to help scientists communicate in a way that is more inclusive. We will also promote these opportunities through nontraditional channels that reach scientists and students from underrepresented groups.

We have developed specific protocols and goals for each of these commitments. This is a living commitment that will evolve as we learn more about best practices for DEAI. If you have any feedback or suggestions regarding our commitment to DEAI, please email earthsystems@floridamuseum.ufl.edu.