AGI’S ANTI-HARRASSMENT EFFORTS


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How Can We Stop Harassment in the Geosciences?


Eve Sprunt, Ph.D., Past President, American Geosciences Institute


Recent allegations of sexual harassment against astro- physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson ― and the inevitable media spectacle of condemnations, denials, and debates ― have brought the Earth and space sciences squarely into the spot- light of our current conversation about harassment.


Many of us look back on 2018 as the year of #MeToo. It


was a year of regrettable revelations and allegations about prominent men such as Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and Brett Kavanaugh. But it also was a year of hope, as an emerg- ing chorus of voices drew widespread attention to issues of harassment as never before.


In the wake of such gut-wrenching controversies, many


have asked what we can do to prevent harassment, and to address it when it happens. A big part of the answer can be found in a pioneering initiative that the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) undertook recently, culminating in the May 2018 announcement of the AGI Statement on Harassment in the Geosciences (https://www.americangeosciences.org/ content/agi-statement-harassment-geosciences).


The consensus document, which resulted from research


and deliberations by an ad hoc committee of representatives from 10 geoscience organizations, outlines strategies for iden- tifying and addressing issues of workplace harassment in the geosciences. As defined in the statement, harassment encom- passes a wide range of unacceptable behaviors, including but not limited to rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.


“AGI expects those in the profession to adhere to the


highest ethical standards in all professional activities,” say the opening lines of the document. “This includes the active promotion of working and learning environments free of all forms of harassment, aggression or coercion based on any personal attributes, cultures, or differences in status.”


The statement provides guidelines for recognizing situa-


tions in which harassment is occurring, intervening in and reporting instances of harassment, and enforcing policies to prevent future instances of harassment. The document also emphasizes that harassment should be unacceptable “in all professional, educational, and informal geoscience


www.aipg.org


settings,” includ- ing conferences and field work.


Others already


are using the AGI statement to craft their own anti- harassment policies. Dr. Lorraine Dowler, an associate professor of geography at Pennsylvania State University and a National Councilor for the American Association of Geographers (AAG), recently praised the consensus state- ment.


“The geoscience community is leading the way in tackling harassment issues,” said Dowler. “As the chair of the working group tasked with looking at ways to mitigate harassment at the national meeting of the AAG, I have been inspired by, and grateful to, AGI for taking the lead on this critical intervention.”


What’s more, AGI is making good on that commitment


― and taking it a step further. Throughout 2019, AGI’s Earth Science Week public-awareness campaign celebrates the theme of “Geoscience Is for Everyone,” emphasizing the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout the field. The geoscience community should wel- come everyone. And everyone should feel safe to participate in the geosciences in a variety of settings free from the threat of harassment.


What will come of the case of Dr. Tyson? That’s unclear


at this point. But what’s certain is that the geosciences can only hope to thrive ― benefiting from the contributions of the widest possible universe of participants ― if geoscience organizations adopt, enforce, and provide ample education regarding effective anti-harassment policies.


Eve Sprunt, Ph.D., was president of AGI in 2017-2018,


when the organization drafted and approved the AGI Statement on Harassment in the Geosciences.


Apr.May.Jun 2019 • TPG 31


The geoscience community is lead- ing the way in tackling harass- ment issues,” said Dowler. “As the chair of the work- ing group tasked with looking at ways to mitigate harassment at the national meeting of the AAG, I have been inspired by, and grateful to, AGI for taking the lead on this criti- cal intervention.”


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